NOW is the perfect time for Hot Water Hydration

NOW is the perfect time for Hot Water Hydration

By all accounts the winter weather hasn’t been behaving itself thus far. Let’s face it, it’s been miserable. There are still a few chilly months to get through before the temperatures begin climbing to a more appealing level and where we won’t need a few layers of insulation.

External heating helps obviously, but there’s a pretty simple and cost effective manner in which to warm yourself internally and that’s to drink hot water. It really is that simple + the benefits are many! We’ll be illustrating these benefits across a two-part series, of which this is the first.

Drinking hot water relieves nasal congestionThe warmth of hot water creates steam.  Inhaling steam rising off your hot water drink can help loosen clogged sinuses and even relieve a sinus headache. *

Since you have mucous membranes throughout your neck and upper torso, drinking hot water can help warm that area and soothe a sore throat caused by mucous build-up.

Aids digestiondrinking hot water both soothes and activates your digestive tract. Water is, after all, the lubricant that keeps your digestion going. As the water moves through your stomach and intestines, digestive organs are better hydrated and able to eliminate waste.

Enhances blood circulation and promote a healthy nervous system which is important for proper muscle and nerve activity. In addition, it keeps your nervous system healthy by breaking down the fat deposits around it.

Water, Brain Food, Mood

Water, Brain Food, Mood

This month of Mental Health Awareness, we have looked at how drinking enough water can aid our ability to reduce anxiety and boost our mental wellbeing. In this blog, we focus our attention to the effects dehydration can have on the brain and possible solutions.

*Almost every bodily function relies on water. Because 75% of brain tissue is water, dehydration reduces energy production in the brain and can change brain structure, causing the brain to slow down and not function properly.

At the molecular level, if water levels are too low, our brain cells cannot function properly, with the brain showing signs of working harder to complete tasks.

Our cells recognise a state of dehydration as a threat to survival, leading to a state of anxiety. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger between brain cells) that stabilises our mood and regulates emotions. During dehydration, we struggle to get the chemicals required to produce serotonin into our brain.

Being just half a litre dehydrated may also increase the stress hormone cortisol, which has been associated with a range of mental disorders, including anxiety.

Drinking water, maintaining good hydration habits is proven one of the simplest methods to counteract low mood, anxiety and other stresses associated with insufficient water intake.

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your staff at your establishment or organisation, speak to us at AquAid. From the smallest office space and staff contingent to multinational companies that employ hundreds of staff, AquAid have a drinking water solution tailor-made to suit your requirements.

source* Nikolaij Travica – article at The Conversation

How Water Can Aid Mental Health

How Water Can Aid Mental Health

It may seem simplistic that water consumption can reduce or increase one’s anxiety however, considering water constitutes 60–80% of the human body, this isn’t such a far stretch.

In fact, the evidence shows water and hydration can play a role in preventing and managing the symptoms of anxiety.

A review by researchers focused on the various ways hydration impacts health. **

One trial induced mild dehydration and found increased reports of tension or anxiety and fatigue in participants.

When researchers increased the participants’ water intake, people in the study felt more happiness, no matter how much water they normally drank.

Another large study found people who drink five cups or more of water per day were at lower risk of depression and anxiety. In comparison, drinking less than two cups per day doubles the risk. This link was less noticeable for anxiety alone (although feelings of depression and anxiety often influence each other).

Whichever way we look at the research results, it shows that drinking water regularly can only contribute to one’s mental health and overall a better feeling of wellbeing.

source* Joe Pindar – report at Champion Health

source** Nikolaij Travica – article at

Water Cooler Chats – The Work / Life Balance – what’s it all about?

Water Cooler Chats – The Work / Life Balance – what’s it all about?

With the radical changes we have all experienced in the last three years, which have influenced how we live our lives and as we continue on – we ask:

What does a Work  / Life Balance mean?

On the surface, the concept of a work/life balance is self-explanatory. There are, however, substantial depths around this balance. The balance has shifted and evolved as times changed. In the 20th Century, workers fought for the right to work an 8-hour day. This brought the first shift in favour of an increase of after work hours. In the dawning of the 21st Century, the balance shifted again, with the advent of the mobile phone and in particular, the Blackberry. It became easier to continue working after hours and adversely harder to disengage when not at work.

There was yet another shift in the 2 000s, especially in the tech industries, where work hours could be brutal but where the workspace changed significantly to create a more holistic work environment.

Work relocation?

With the pandemic, there wasn’t much balance of which to speak – for obvious reasons – however, in itself, this period shifted the balance in another quite drastic direction. Aside from the forced remote work, work was at the home, in the home, with no possibility of separating home/work life. What this did do, though, was have workers create a virtual separation between work and home/life.

Has the Work / Life Balance changed?

Fortunately and unfortunately, it has. For many, there is no balance. Others, there is a balance but this is more forced than chosen. Others still, the balance has shifted due to circumstances and of their choosing.

What remains the same? Does anything?

There is one constant though. Whether you work from an office at home, have returned to an office, never left work due to being an essential worker, the necessity of having access to drinking water is vital. Maintaining good hydration habits have proven to aid one’s well-being, cognition and ability to make better decisions and life choices.

The Synergy between AquAid Water Coolers and The Africa Trust Elephant Pumps

The Synergy between AquAid Water Coolers and The Africa Trust Elephant Pumps

AquAid’s high-volume bottle fed and mains fed water coolers are the perfect solution where there is a high demand for a constant supply of fresh drinking water – wherever the location: football grounds; offices; worksites, warehouses; medical rooms; colleges; workshops; hotels; varsities or schools.

Every AquAid Large Capacity Mains Fed Water Dispenser is designed for ease of operation and to run efficiently.

For illustrative purposes, we are looking at the High Capacity Mains-Fed Hydrator Water Cooler, as it has an extra-large reservoir – a point-of-use water dispenser specially designed for serving a large number of people.

With a dispense gap of 230mm, easily accommodating varying sizes of water containers, the Hydrator can dispense up to 40ℓ of chilled water each hour, a sufficient volume to fill 120 x 330ml bottles.

The Hydrator’s sturdy design, developed for use in high usage areas, also boasts Hygiene Guard silver impregnated dispense tap reduces bacteria transfer and a flood guard anti-leak device for added security.

And there you have it, cool drinking water on tap. All the clever little (and large) mechanisms silently operating behind the scenes, all the while ensuring that you – thirsty Thelma or Thaddeus – remain properly hydrated and super productive throughout your working day or night.

Synergy

Every installation of an AquAid mainsfed water cooler and each bottle of water replenished brings with it donations that are used to build more water wells – referred to as Elephant Pumps – for communities in water scarce regions across sub-Saharan Africa.

So, the next time you press a button and fill your water bottle, mug or glass, think about the fact that not only are you keeping yourself healthy and hydrated but also with that simple push, you will have directly contributed towards:

Another draught of clean drinking water pumped into a bucket or onto a banana plantation that will pay for school fees and;

Another child now has access to safe drinking water, which will help them better concentrate in school and;

Another community with readily available potable, productive water for use every day, for all generations, for many decades.

Rather marvellous, don’t you think?