by Fern Shaw | Feb 11, 2019 | Water Boilers, water cooler
We often, somewhat mistakenly, assume that keeping hydrated during winter is less important than in summer. As it turns out, the opposite is true.
In winter, in an effort to keep warm, we rely on using heaters, hairdryers and hats which quite literally suck the moisture and oils right out of our bodies, skin and hair. When we’re outside, low humidity and gusty winds don’t help much either.
The good news though is that there are a number of easy hydration options available to keep you smooth skinned, glossy haired and properly hydrated internally too:
Wear layers
Trapping small pockets of air between layers is better than wearing one big chunky coat. A wool or fleece layer is a good idea, as it will be soft and lightweight, and warm air is more easily trapped in the fibres. Fabrics with a piled, terry or textured finish will also be effective at trapping air.
Exercise and keep hydrated!
The urge to hibernate when it is cold is understandable, without the sunshine outside enabling us to soak up Vitamin D; hibernation is a completely natural reaction. That’s why it’s especially important to keep active wherever you can, whether that involves brisk walks (weather permitting) and other alternate forms of exercise: yoga is a good example – it doesn’t have to be a gym.
Because you also need to keep drinking water when the temperatures dip, try to develop a routine at work where you sip throughout the day. One option whether at home or at work, is to use a smaller glass or water bottle. It may mean more trips to the water cooler, but if you’re walking more, that’s being active and when it’s colder, every step counts.
Body scrubs and oils
Frigid temperatures and dry indoor heat cause water to evaporate from your skin because there’s more moisture in it than in the air. Bundling up doesn’t help matters – all those layers keep skin from breathing. Fight back with a one-two punch of body scrub and moisturising lotion or oil. Once a week, exfoliate with a body scrub to help slough off dead cells that make skin look dull. You’ll also find that giving your skin a brisk scrub will warm you right up too. When skin is freshly exfoliated, lotion and oil are better absorbed. To maintain hydration, smooth on the lotion daily after a shower.*
‘Eat’ your water
Fruit and veggies are packed with water, that high water content adds volume and keeps you satisfied without the calories. Soups are also a great way to sneak in some extra water. At AquAid we offer a range of hot and cold water coolers and water boilers which allow you to make your favourite hot water drink while at work or at home.
Maintain a good drinking water habit
Drinking enough water, as boring as it sounds, is still the simplest route to maintaining good ‘external’ physical health. We need to be well hydrated in order to maintain supple skin and unfrizzed hair.
Being fussy can help
A lot of us just don’t like drinking water, period. Try adopting a different approach. Try drinking your water at room temperature. If you’re into branded gear (this isn’t just a children’s domain), then use your favourite cartoon character branded water bottle to drink from if it makes your happy. Figure out what appeals to you. And since your ability to recognise your thirst worsens as you age, today, early this New Year is a good a time as any to start to begin a ‘maintaining good hydration’ habit.
*updated from an 8 Jan 2015 blog
by Belinda Ollewagen | Feb 9, 2019 | water cooler
It’s cold and grey outside which is not always conducive to drinking water and staying properly hydrated, but it’s essential that we encourage our children to take frequent trips to the water cooler during their school day. We all want them to be happy and healthy, and ensuring that includes paying particular attention to their water intake throughout the year – even in the colder months.
Illness aside, while the daily intake may vary according to a child’s weight and activity levels, the recommended intake is between five and eight cups of water per day. As with adults, if children are not drinking enough during the day, it may lead to dehydration – the effects of which include muscle weakness, dry mouth, headaches and fatigue. But because these symptoms are harder to recognize in children, it’s essential to pre-empt the condition; and the best way to do that is to keep a water cooler close by and make drinking water part of their daily routine.
While milk and juice all count towards hydration, the healthiest option still remains water in its purest form. Teaching children to enjoy drinking water is a healthy habit that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. Ways to encourage and embed the habit of drinking water is to offer it to them at regular intervals during the day: as a way to start their school day, get them to visit the water cooler en route to their desks – in addition to the physical health benefits, research also shows that being properly hydrated helps children concentrate better; similarly each time they have a snack or a meal, encourage them to top up their water bottle or glass; and at the end of the day too before they leave for home.
Teach them the importance of proper hydration and how it benefits their bodies, and remember also that children learn by example, so make sure they see you drinking from the water cooler throughout the day too – happy and healthy teachers make for happy and healthy children.
by Fern Shaw | Feb 7, 2019 | Water Coolers
Unless a coconut cracked you on the head while you were walking underneath a coconut tree and this caused memory loss for a period, I’m quite positive that you’re aware of how most of the world has become all things coconut. There are more coconut derivatives than one can, well…. hurl a coconut at … think coconut meat, oil and water as just a few examples of this rather glorious tropical fruit.
While we batten down the hatches this rather snowy winter we look to water rich food or beverages that are good for us and is a worthy addition to our regular habit of drinking water.
The emphasis on ‘regular’ is important as studies show that when it’s colder we are less inclined to display signs of thirst despite the fact that dehydration can be just as prevalent in winter as it is in summer.
We took to Google to establish the nutritional properties of coconut water and were quite surprised at the results:
The nutritional breakdown for one cup of unsweetened coconut water is:
- Kilojoules: 184
- Fat: 0 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrate: 10.4 g
- Sugar: 9.6 g
Some points in coconut water’s favour: It has some important nutrients like potassium (404 mg per cup, almost as much as what you’ll find in a banana), vitamin C (24 mg, around 30 percent of your recommended daily value), and magnesium (15 mg, roughly 5 percent of your daily recommended intake).
The downside: that sugar content. Even though this is unsweetened water, and these are natural sugars, 9.6 grams is over a third of the recommended daily maximum amount of sugar.
Whilst coconut meat also provides a wide range of nutrients, it has a calorie count of 354 per 100g and sugar 6g.
Conclusion: While there are definite nutritional and dietary advantages to eating coconut (put that Bounty Bar down!) and quaffing coconut water, drinking water is still the simplest and most direct route to maintaining good hydration. Speak to us at AquAid – we’ll be happy to help facilitate this through the provision of a wide range of high quality water coolers and dispensers. Sadly, we don’t currently offer coconut tree shaped water coolers – we’ll need to leave achieving that tropical island feel up to you.
by Belinda Ollewagen | Feb 6, 2019 | instant tap, Water Boilers, water cooler
In less than two weeks winter will officially begin in the UK and while reclining in a warm sunny garden, cold drink in hand, might now be a distant memory, what we shouldn’t change is the drink in hand bit. The weather might have changed, but our basic bodily...
by Fern Shaw | Jan 30, 2019 | water cooler, Water Coolers
We’re not referring to being in hot water, mind, rather we’re referring to how drinking hot water (and most derivatives thereof) in cold weather boosts our sense of well-being, makes us happy and unbelievably is good for our health too.
Mind how you go. As with anything that you ingest or consume that purports to be healthy, there’s usually a proviso. Of course there is. That’s why we’re not suggesting that you can drink as many of those marshmallow topped, cream laden hot chocolates as you like and still be in the peak of health, but we are stating that by drinking hot water drinks (not just hot water) you will achieve more than just one goal – you’ll warm yourself up, increasing your body temperature; you’ll feel comforted which increases your sense of well-being and if you’re drinking the right hot drinks, you’ll keep yourself hydrated, which means you’re maintaining your good health.
Don’t be fooled. Unless you were hibernating for the last few decades, you should no doubt be aware (by now) that sugar-free doesn’t equal better health. In fact, the ‘cheat sweeteners’ can be as bad for your waistline if not worse than could good old granulated sugar. If it tastes oddly synthetic, chances are it usually is.
What’s left, then? Quite a bit actually. Here are a few ideas to keep your precious little self hydrated, your tummy warm; and you fighting fit this winter:
- Install either a hot and cold water cooler or a hot water boiler at your premises. Visit it, often.
- Once you’ve installed your hot water maker, speak to those around you – ask them what hot water drinks they enjoy which don’t pack on the pounds.
- Go exploring. Virtually of course. As an example, you’ll find quite a few hot water drinks tips at the AquAid Water Coolers blog There’s plenty to choose from which will hopefully to inspire your hot water drinks journey.
However you choose to warm up this winter, we wish you happy hydration health.
