by Fern Shaw | Jan 8, 2015 | Water
Often we mistakenly assume that keeping hydrated during winter is less important than in summer. This is so not the case.
In winter, in an effort to keep warm, we rely on using heaters, hairdryers and hats (yep, 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.
But, never fear, there are quite a few things you can incorporate into your daily routine that will snap you back into being bright eyed, clear skinned and bushy tailed – so to speak:
Use a humectant on your hair
Each week, condition with a treatment containing a *humectant like glycerine that attracts and locks in moisture, and in turn restores shine. If the humectant is water based, that’s the sort of thing to look for. *Humectants are ingredients in products that draw moisture in.
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 moisturizing 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 (we’re not talking the priest in The Da Vinci Code movie standard of skin rubs here) 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.
Warm up your morning commute
Take a cosy tumbler full of tea with you when you leave the house for the day. Not only will it keep you warm and hydrated, but it’ll do a body good – black tea may even prevent your body from absorbing fat from food!
‘Eat’ your water
Fruits 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. We offer a variety of in-cup drinks that can assist with this hydration.
Being fussy can help
A lot of us just don’t like drinking water, period. Try adopting a different approach. I, for example, don’t like ice cold water or ice for that matter. So, instead of thinking that cold water will ‘better’ replenish you (which isn’t true); 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 in the New Year is a good a time to start as any getting into the keeping hydrated habit.
by Fern Shaw | Nov 21, 2014 | Water
We should all know by now that keeping hydrated is one of the givens whilst travelling – it really is one of the simplest ways to combat fatigue, puffiness (everywhere where it shouldn’t be), jet lag and generally feeling like you’ve partied with a roving band of Muscovites who’ve just been given furlough from their time in the Gulag.
But, as it happens, especially on those long haul trips, drinking sufficient water can often be the last thing on a traveller’s mind, as fatigue that stems from jet lag can take your common sense and twist it to the point that you can find yourself incapable of stringing together a legible sentence never mind remembering the R, K and E’s of healthy travel.
I myself have whigged out on occasion whilst in the air. An incident that I remember in particular was after almost 3 days of air travel with a crushing 6 hour layover in Dubai. I had very little money in the airport of bling and a pot of tea cost about £10. That was pretty much my only sustenance over the already 2 days of travel, so stretching the tea for 6 hours was asking a bit much.
By the time I landed at home I still had a final leg to do. The wonderful ground crew wouldn’t let me check-in early. Exhausted, grubby and with zero sense of humour, when I finally boarded the plane that was half empty, I was squished in next to 2 people and my claustrophobia rose to the surface kick-starting a panic attack of note. I barely managed to keep it together during take-off, then launched myself across my neighbours into the aisle and flung myself into an open row of seats further back, gasping like a guppy out of water, flight attendants peering at me all the while. All of this was done with much drama, drama, drama, but I was past caring.
I suppose that there are certain elements of modern travel that we just have to accept. This is something that I normally do with general aplomb. I Richard Scarry with the best of them; I’ve come up with ways to pretzel twist my rather long body so that I can get a bit of shut-eye (feet HAVE to be off the ground for me to sleep – I’m make a really poor soldier) but sooner or later (usually later) there’s a sense of humour failure that no amount of chugging water can prevent.
So, take it from me – rather drink your water as you should during the course of your travels and possibly avoid turning into that throw the toys out toddler that so many grown ‘uns seem to turn into – again, me being the case in point.
by Fern Shaw | Sep 2, 2014 | Water, water cooler
Seeing as I’ve done more intensive online research for blogging this week than a mole trying to tunnel through concrete, I’m taking my foot off the proverbial accelerator pedal and doing a gentle segue into a few fun water facts:
- Human blood is 83% water. Now I better understand Dracul and his ilk – the oke’s just dehydrated, man!
- Over 90% of the world’s supply of fresh water is located in Antarctica. Ernest Shackleton and those that followed were definitely onto something.
- Since life began, we have had the same amount of water on the planet. To the best of human understanding, life can only exist with water. Now you know.
- The water from your tap could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank. Ew.
- More than half (63%) our daily water consumption at home originates from the bathroom and the toilet. Grey water rules!
- Water regulates the Earth’s temperature. Mine too! I overheat badly, so I can really relate.
- Water is the only mineral that is found naturally on Earth in three forms; liquid, gas, solid. Gas – *snigger*
- If the entire adult population of England and Wales remembered to turn off the tap when they were brushing their teeth, we could save 180 mega litres a day – enough to supply nearly 500,000 homes and fill 180 Olympic swimming pools! (One Olympic sized pool is 1 million litres / 1Ml). More brushing, less tap on and more tap off, people!
- Each Briton uses about 150 litres of tap water a day, but if you include the amount of water embedded within products, our water consumption increases to about 3400 litres a day.
At the rate this consumption is going on, I think I’m going to be bringing my blankie to work and draping myself around the water cooler for the foreseeable future.
by Fern Shaw | Aug 19, 2014 | Health and Hydration
It’s summer. It’s holiday time. But for those of us that are left to sweat it out in the office; cramps, headaches, sore muscles and wish-I-was-on-holiday blues are at an all-time high.
Here are a few tips to keep you moving and grooving at work:
The Lumberjack: Stand and clasp the hands together, resting them on the right shoulder as if holding an axe. Gently swing the imaginary “axe” by straightening the elbows and moving the hands toward the left thigh. Next, bring the clasped hands to the left shoulder followed by a swing to right thigh. Repeat 15 times on each side, or until all office plants have been hacked down.
The Cubicle Wanderer: Take a stroll down the corridor or to the water cooler to catch up with colleagues or welcome a new employee. Or, instead of dialling extensions and sending lazy emails to the manager two doors down, put in some face time. No sneak visits to Mr. Marmaduke’s biscuit tin en route though.
The Stapler Curl: Seated or standing, take the stapler in one hand with the palm facing upwards. Starting at the thighs, bend the elbow and curl the arm up towards the chest, just like a regular dumbbell biceps curl. Pause momentarily and then lower the stapler back down. Continue for 12-15 reps, then switch. Don’t have a weighty stapler? Try using a filled water bottle or a heavy change purse (the vending machine can wait!).
The Namaste: Whether you’re praying for a project extension or for more defined arms, this move has you covered. Seated upright with feet flat on the floor, bring the palms together in front of the chest and push both hands together powerfully until you feel the arm muscles contract. Hold the prayer hands pushed together for 20 seconds. Release and repeat the sequence until you feel a little more Zen.
Righty-oh, that should be enough to get you started. More of these later.
Remember though, whether your office / workplace is icier than the Northern Sea because of the aircon. that’s on at full tilt or its au naturel baking hot, both mean you can dehydrate pretty quickly, so make sure that you increase your water intake to stave off dehydration and match the physical exercise that you’re doing.
by Fern Shaw | Aug 4, 2014 | Health and Hydration, Water
Humans and animals have always had a rather tempestuous relationship. Everyone has their own belief system about this relationship, mine is pretty simple. I believe that we humanoids are by our mere presence obligated to look after animals. They are pretty magnificent creatures and have every right to enjoy their existence on this Earth. But, then, that’s just me.
Animals have fascinated me since I was the sprog of sprogs. Wild animals especially. Their capabilities have always astounded me, whether it’s an ant that can carry 100x its body weight or how about a hummingbird’s wings that can beat at an astonishing 200 times per second!
So, this led me to wonder – which animals are the heavyweights – hyuk hyuk – when it comes to water storage or the ability to last the longest without water?
As one would imagine, the camel is usually the animal that comes to mind. What is a little surprising though, is that the beautiful giraffe – or ‘jarfie’ as my family calls it – and the teensy kangaroo rat can go as long as the camel, if not longer, without slaking their thirst.
Camels
Camels have humps on their back filled with fatty tissue, not water. But one gram of fat is equivalent to one gram of water when metabolised. Storing fat in their humps, instead of having the fat distributed evenly throughout their entire body, allows the camel to keep cool. Otherwise, the overall body fat would act as insulation and cause extreme heat within the camel’s body. The fatty tissue in the hump is a source of energy and water that the camel uses when needed.
They rehydrate faster than any other mammal, able to gulp down 113 litres of water in just 13 minutes.
Giraffes
Giraffes can go longer periods of time without drinking water than a camel. Giraffes get most of their water intake from plant sources. Acacia leaves are the main plant food source for giraffes. They only drink water once every few days. Their bodies do not have resources to store water. However, their plant diet is plentiful and provides a large portion of their water intake
Growing up to 18 feet in height and weighing up to two tons, these gentle vegetarians need to eat around 34 kilograms of leaves and fruit per day.
Due to the high water content in the food they eat, giraffes have the ability to go weeks without drinking water – though when they do, they do it in a big way, guzzling up to 45 litres at a time.
Kangaroo Rats
In terms of endurance, kangaroo rats blow everybody else out of the water. Not that they need to be in the water either. Kangaroo rats drink water rarely. They live in arid environments and are able to metabolise water from their food, which consists primarily of seeds.
‘Roo-rats can go without water for so long because their bodies have evolved to conserve it. For example, most species of kangaroo rats have no sweat glands. Kangaroo rats may take their eschewing of water a little bit far, however, when you consider their bathing habits. In what may be the least refreshing bath known to the animal kingdom, kangaroo rats clean themselves by rolling in the dust.
