by Fern Shaw | Apr 9, 2013 | Health and Hydration
Spring is apparently upon us, so hopefully with temperatures on the rise, the keeping fit and getting in shape for summer is becoming priority One. This means (hopefully), that one’s water intake will increase too. To make your water intake more fab and fun, herewith a range of suggestions that should keep you feeling marvellous, looking more fit and keeping hydrated:
- Add cucumber. If you prefer a flavour that is less sweet, add just a few slices to your glass and the subtle flavour gives your water a fresh, spa-like taste. If you have more time, fill a pitcher with a handful of cucumber slices and let it sit in your fridge.
- Make yourself feel cocktail-ish. If drinking water can seem too bland, try it with a twist of lime or a splash of sugar-free fruit juice – cranberry or pomegranate juice are great options. Try different combinations, how about grapefruit and blackcurrant? Yowzer.
- Mint cubes. Make mint ice cubes by throwing a small sprig of spearmint, peppermint, or lemon mint into the ice cube tray, add water and freeze. You can also do this with your favourite herb, like rosemary or basil.
- Go Herbal. Add powdered or freshly sliced ginger, bruised mint leaves, or lemongrass to amp up your H2O. Or go floral. Lavender and rose hips are loaded with vitamin C and may help ease arthritis pain.
- Make It ‘Sassy’. Stay hydrated with a stomach-soothing recipe for Sassy Water. It combines fresh ginger, cucumber, lemon, and spearmint for a tummy-pleasing cocktail.
- Water as a Meal. If downing water all day is what bores you, try treating it as a meal—or, better yet, three meals. Try drinking water to a comfortable fullness 3 times a day. On colder days, it might be less; on warmer days, more. But comfortable fullness should be enough to stay hydrated. This will lower the amount of calories you eat for roughly an hour afterward.”
- Switch It Up. Simply change the way you drink water – out of a glass instead of a bottle, for example. Or drink it at a different temperature. If you change the temperature, you can change the experience and that can be enough to alter your water intake. Remember, cold water takes longer to drink. If you want to down it faster – to get your water-intake over with – drink it at room temperature instead of icy cold.
Remember, whether commuting; exercising; not exercising; working; relaxing; socialising – in fact, pretty much every –ing except sleeping, keep hydrated this Spring – it can only be good for you.
by Fern Shaw | Apr 9, 2013 | Health and Hydration
We still think water is better. Find out why we think so here.
When you start to drink more water, you’ll find that you drink fewer fizzy drinks and fewer high-calorie drinks. There are a few major benefits to this:
- Swapping water for fizzy drinks helps to decrease your daily caloric intake
- Drinking more water helps you to feel full throughout the day so you snack less
- Drinking water trains your taste buds to enjoy the subtle tastes of whole foods that are less processed and lower in calories
- Drinking sufficient water will have a pretty noticeable and remarkably fast effect (for the better) on your physical well-being
- Drinking water instead of reaching for the fizz will fatten your brain cells and not your body’s fat cells
- Fizzy drinks can act as a diuretic whereas water does not dehydrate you – in, the fact it achieves the complete opposite
- Drinking water, while you may not initially register it, is incredibly refreshing, whereas drinking fizzy drinks is falsely refreshing
And while you might drink water to lose weight, you’ll find that it’s good for your purse as well. Have you ever thought about the annual cost of your fizzy drink habit? For many people, it is substantial. A single diet fizzy drink during the day may not seem expensive, but over the course of a year, it adds up to hundreds of pounds.
This week, I’ll catch you at the water cooler where I’ll be lurking in an observational mode for research I’m doing on changing seasonal water habits and if there’s any truth to them. See you there!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is water considered better than fizzy drinks?
Water is considered better than fizzy drinks because it helps reduce daily caloric intake and keeps you hydrated without the diuretic effect of fizzy drinks. Drinking water can make you feel full, reducing the urge to snack, and it encourages healthier eating habits by enhancing the taste of whole foods.
In contrast, fizzy drinks often contain high sugar levels and artificial ingredients, which can lead to increased calorie consumption and potential health issues over time. Moreover, water is a cost-effective choice, saving you money that would otherwise be spent on expensive fizzy drinks.
How does drinking water affect your physical well-being?
Drinking sufficient water has a noticeable positive effect on your physical well-being. It hydrates your body, supports brain function, and helps maintain energy levels. Unlike fizzy drinks, which can dehydrate you, water ensures that your body stays properly hydrated and functioning optimally.
Additionally, water aids in digestion and helps regulate body temperature. By choosing water over sugary drinks, you also reduce the risk of consuming excessive calories, which can contribute to weight management and overall health improvement.
Can drinking more water help with weight management?
Yes, drinking more water can help with weight management by reducing calorie intake and promoting a feeling of fullness. When you choose water over high-calorie fizzy drinks, you naturally consume fewer calories, which can aid in weight loss or maintenance.
Water also helps train your taste buds to appreciate less processed foods, which are typically lower in calories. By staying hydrated, you may find that you snack less frequently, further supporting your weight management goals. It’s a simple yet effective strategy for those looking to maintain a healthy weight.
What are the financial benefits of drinking water instead of fizzy drinks?
Drinking water instead of fizzy drinks offers significant financial benefits by reducing your annual beverage expenses. While a single fizzy drink might seem inexpensive, the cost adds up over time, potentially reaching hundreds of pounds each year.
By opting for water, you not only save money but also invest in your health. The savings from cutting out fizzy drinks can be redirected towards other essential expenses or even healthier food choices. This financial advantage makes water an appealing choice for budget-conscious individuals.
How does water consumption impact your taste preferences?
Water consumption can positively impact your taste preferences by training your taste buds to enjoy the subtle flavours of whole foods. When you reduce your intake of sugary fizzy drinks, you become more attuned to the natural tastes of less processed foods.
This shift in taste preference encourages healthier eating habits, as you begin to appreciate the flavours of fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious options. Over time, you may find that you crave these healthier foods more, leading to a more balanced and enjoyable diet.
by Fern Shaw | Apr 8, 2013 | Charity, Water Coolers
The Elephant Pump – how does it work?
What is it?
The Elephant Pump is a manual activated water pump based on a 2000 year-old Chinese design that the CEO of The Africa Trust, Ian Thorpe, adapted, to make it stronger and more durable.
This award winning Pump brings a cost effective, reliable and sustainable solution to one of Africa’s biggest problems.
What does it do?
It is made and maintained using materials that are locally available in remote rural sub-Saharan African communities, which means that once the Pump has been built, local resources can be drawn upon for repairs and replacement parts.
It draws water up from a well at a high volume – approximately 1 litre per second. That means 60 litres per minute.
How does it work?
As the handle is turned, water is drawn up from a well of up to 30 meters in depth via a central pipe by washers attached to a rope. As the pump mechanism is fully enclosed to exclude sources of contamination, it yields a quality and quantity of water which exceeds WHO guidelines. The surplus water is used for livestock and irrigation of crops.
What are the benefits of the Pump?
The Elephant Pump has already contributed to bringing over 2 million people in rural Africa, a safe water source, at a price significantly less in comparison to comparable hand pumps.
- The ancient methods of constructing the Pump ensure the materials can be locally sourced and built, further promoting employment within the local community.
- Reliability – At any one time around 95% of existing Elephant Pumps are in operation which is 40% above the average for Africa.
- Ease of Use – The Elephant Pump is safe and suitable for operation by children and the elderly.
- High Volume – The Pump can provide 500 people with 20 litres per person, per day for domestic use.
- The money saved from installing an Elephant Pump provides enough money to build an additional pump providing a further 500 people with water.
Where does AquAid fit in?
At AquAid, we continually strive to supply water coolers that are best suited to our customers’ requirements thereby ensuring that our customers keep hydrated. At the same time, our water coolers also help provide safe drinking water to thousands of people every year by donating to sustainable charities; the Elephant Pumps in particular, being built as a direct result of monies donated to The Africa Trust.
How do you fit in?
For each purchase of an AquAid water cooler, a portion of that revenue is donated to Christian Aid and The Africa Trust.
We also have on-going paperless campaigns where selected customers are offered the opportunity to have an Elephant Pump with their name on it, built in a rural community, thereby ensuring a safe water supply to others less fortunate.
So when you use our services you are also benefiting many others in the developing world and helping to save lives.
by Fern Shaw | Mar 28, 2013
Looking for a water cooler?
You may just be about to make one of the best purchasing decisions, you have ever made. Dehydration carries a huge hidden cost, estimated to cost British business an average of£ 2,000,000,000 per year (yes, that is £2 billion) through absenteeism and poor performance. A wide variety of ailments, including headaches, urinary tract infections, fatigue and general tiredness can have its roots in dehydration.
At AquAid, we believe strongly in keeping dehydration at bay by making your staff aware of the benefits hydration brings – and how to avoid becoming dehydrated. In addition to offering you a broad selection of machines, we also supply all our customers with a variety of value-adds:
- A ‘get started’ pack, with letters for each member of staff highlighting the benefit of hydration and how to remain hydrated.
- An informative Hydration Newsletters every quarter, bringing the most recent, up-to-date information to you from the AquAid world of essential water.
- ‘Pin-ups’ of a different kind – a colour coded urine chart for the bathrooms so that people can check to see whether they are drinking enough water (more popular than people first think – nu afspelen)
- A quarterly Charity Newsletter illustrating the results of the donations that we have made from your purchases of AquAid water coolers.
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Quarterly Hydration Newsletters
Download PDF’s below
by Fern Shaw | Mar 26, 2013 | Water Coolers
No stranger to hard work that brings results, AquAid South Coast have a substantial customer base that they have been servicing since 2000.
This is achieved, in part, by being staffed by a great team, headed up by Mike O’ Dononghue, photographed below assisting with a delivery to one of AquAid South Coast’s most recent and rather prestigious customers, St. Mary’s Stadium, home to Southampton F.C
St Mary’s Stadium is a UEFA 4-star rated stadium and with a capacity of 32 689, is the largest football stadium in the south of England, outside of London. Apart from hosting countless football matches since being opened in 2001, the stadium has also hosted other notable events such as film premieres for movies such as Casino Royale, as well as music concerts by Elton John in 2005 and Bon Jovi in 2006.
There was a tribute to Elvis Presley in August 2007 and Southampton fan Craig David played at St Mary’s on 25 October 2007.
In the Northam Stand, the Saints Study Support Centre – a club run initiative to help school children outside of class – can be found, along with the offices of Southampton City Training, a quasi-council run organisation which helps young people get vocational training.
So, a very busy stadium, choc-a-block with very busy people means a lot of thirst and a definite need to keep all hydrated during their working days.
To this end, AquAid have installed 26 mains fed water coolers at St Mary’s Stadium, thereby ensuring that not only will all the busy people at St Mary’s keep hydrated and productive but, that by their purchase, they will be contributing towards children in Third World countries being able to have access to clean, fresh drinking water through contributions to Christian Aid and The Africa Trust.
A win-win situation!
