by Fern Shaw | Nov 19, 2012 | Water Coolers
Having a water cooler in your office or home is fast becoming the norm. For many, the fact that it produces water is good enough, but why not get the most out of your water cooler and ensure that your money spent is money well spent. Here are 5 water cooler essentials that will turn your water cooler into a welcome addition.
Location.
Your water cooler should be seen by all as a reminder to keep hydrated. Ensure that it is in an area that is walked past regularly. The water cooler offers a place for social interaction which allows staff members a respite from sitting at their desks all day long. A quick 3 minute break and a refreshing drink can do wonders to one’s concentration levels and keeps an employee working at an optimal level.
Maintenance.
Water coolers are a convenient way to offer clean filtered water in offices, gyms, homes etc. It is important to keep your water cooler clean and prevent germs and unwanted growths from occurring in these moist environments. Having your machine sanitized on a regular basis by trained professionals is paramount to ensuring that your machine performs at its very best. Keeping you water cooler clean will ensure all those that benefit from it will be free from germs and dangerous bacteria.
Accessories.
We all love a bit of accessorizing so why not do the same for your water cooler. Liven up your dispenser by attaching optics that holds natural flavours. We are all aware of the benefits of drinking water but some may require encouragement by enhancing the flavour of the water. The water cooler is a great place to put your notice board or advertisements.
Essentials.
There is no point having a machine that dispensers water but offers no way of drinking it. Make sure you have cups within arm’s reach of your dispenser.
Supply.
Having a water cooler with no water is a bit like having champagne without bubbles. Having a reliable supplier that that offers dedicated service means you, as a customer, will stay happy and satisfied at all times.
by Fern Shaw | Nov 16, 2012 | Health and Hydration
The importance of drinking water cannot be underestimated. Water helps the body to perform many of the functions it needs to thrive. Without water a person’s body will literally begin to shut down. Thus, it is very important for people to obtain the proper amount of water each day to ensure healthy body function. An inadequate amount of water intake will lead to your body becoming dehydrated and this is very well known, but have you ever stop to consider the effects that this has on your body?
Dehydration can be broken down into three different levels depending on the severity of the situation and the effects of your body will vary accordingly as well.
Mild dehydration
- Your urine will become concentrated and turn an amber colour due to your kidneys conserving water.
- Constipation and/or bloating may be noticed.
- Dry skin, mucous membranes, and lips.
Moderate dehydration
- Fatigue.
- Dizziness / vertigo / lightheaded.
- Problems concentrating.
- Major reduction in urine production.
- Headache.
- Cold hands and fee
Severe dehydration
- Weak irregular heart beat (often racing) and low blood pressure
- Rapid breathing
- Failure of body’s heat regulation systems (sweating, for example)
- Confusion
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Seizures
- Coma and death
by Fern Shaw | Nov 8, 2012 | Health and Hydration
As strange as it might sound, toddlers need to drink as much water each day as an adult does.
Toddlers between that age of one and three need to drink around 1.3L of water each day. If you actually look at the body weight of the average toddler and the amount of water they need to drink compared to an adult, then they need more than an adult.
The reason why drinking so much water is important to a toddler, is because they are growing so rapidly at that age. Their bodies need water to transport all the nutrients and supplement their muscles and cells need for all the growth taking place. Water makes up the majority of the mass of our bodies and it is important for proper brain development and mental growth. If you teach your child to drink water at an early age, you will be able to get them to drink water more regularly for the rest of their lives, without having to struggle to compete with soft drinks.
It is therefore important that parents, teachers and child minders make sure that these little ones get sufficient water each day. Many day care centres and schools are installing water coolers into their facilities to ensure that their children and staff can stay hydrated at all times.
With winter just around the corner, it is important to remember that your toddler has sufficient water intake during the colder days as well. Young children are at the highest risk of dehydration due to their small size. Even the slightest percentage of fluid loss can lead to dehydration. Encourage children to carry a water bottle with them, even from a young age. Make it a game to see if they can drink all their water each day and reward them when they do. This will teach them the importance of water and the value of it. Tests have proven that children who are correctly hydrated will have better mental and physical performance than children who do not stay properly hydrated.
Teach your child to enjoy drinking water from a young age and you can aid in their health for years to come.
by Fern Shaw | Oct 30, 2012 | Health and Hydration
Anyone who has picked up a health or fitness magazine in the last 10 years will know that drinking water has many health benefits. The human body is about 70% water so keeping well hydrated aids weight loss and keeps you looking younger and full of life. Experts recommend drinking 8-10 glasses of water throughout the day and the consequences of being dehydrated are well recognised. But is there such a thing as too much when it comes to hydration?
In this case, too much of a good thing is most definitely a bad thing. Sodium balance between the fluid outside and inside the body’s cells is vital to keeping the body’s systems functioning. When we drink too much water or fluid that has a low concentration of salts, the fluid outside the cells becomes very dilute and disrupts the balance. Water will move into the cells to equalise the sodium concentrations and the cells begin to swell. This isn’t a concern in most of the body’s tissues but in the skull there is very limited space to accommodate swelling of brain cells. The condition of low sodium concentration in body fluids outside of cells is known as Hyponatremia, and brain swelling is responsible for the majority of symptoms associated with this condition. Most common symptoms are fatigue, confusion, headache, muscle cramps and weakness, nausea and vomiting, and, if left untreated, can lead to eventual coma and death.
Don’t throw away your water bottle quite yet! Although serious, the condition is relatively rare and can be avoided. Certain medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, and the syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) are associated with a higher risk of Hyponatremia. A growing concern is the incidence in recreational endurance athletes. With a constant supply of water along most endurance race routes, slower athletes have time to ingest large amounts of water – often because they fear becoming dehydrated – and are not exercising at an intensity that allows this excess fluid to be lost by sweating. Contrary to popular advice, thirst doesn’t indicate that you are already too dehydrated and the best way to avoid this condition during exercise is simply to drink according to thirst. Drinking sports drinks containing electrolytes will also ensure the sodium levels in your body remain balanced.
How much water should you drink each day? A simple question but with no easy answer. There are many guidelines but in truth your water needs depend on many factors which include but are not limited to your health, fitness levels and even where you live. Water intoxication is a very uncommon condition but unless you are running a long distance race or an infant, it is not something that one should spend too much time worrying about.
by Fern Shaw | Oct 26, 2012 | Health and Hydration
What makes water so special that we are told from a very young age to drink eight glasses a day? Is it really that important to keep hydrated and to drink enough water every single day?
The simple answer is yes, we do need to drink enough water each day. The reasons for this is that water makes up the biggest component of our entire body.
Water is the life source that keeps our bodies alive as it is essential to every function that our bodies need to perform. Our brains consist of over 80% water and even the slightest reduction of water in our bodies can cause the brain to start slowing down and to start struggling.
Tests have shown that a 2% decrease in body fluids or water can lead to a reduction of brain functionality. This intern leads to coordination and physical problems like fatigue and muscle cramping. It is for that reason that children need to drink more water each day than adults do. A 2% loss of fluids in children is a very small amount and the way most children run around and play it is very easy for them to get to that point of dehydration in no time at all.
Many schools are installing water coolers to ensure that their students and teachers have easy access to fresh, clean, cool and safe drinking water whenever they need it. A well hydrated child will be smarter, healthier and fitter than a child who is not getting enough water each day.
Teachers are encouraging children to keep water bottles with them at all times to ensure that they stay correctly hydrated and healthy.
Other great benefits of drinking enough water for children and adults alike are that it aids our bodies in flushing out unwanted toxins and chemicals stored in our bodies. This leads to better health, better skin and much more longevity.
