Water, your organs and your health

Water, your organs and your health

by | Jun 4, 2018 | aquaid, Water, Water Coolers

I’ve been reading through my notes for the blogs for this week and it all became a little overwhelming. So I let my brain head out West and the rest of me went to top up on the java.

Then my brain knocked politely, ‘Coo-ee, I’m back’ it warbled.

‘What?’ the coffee-enjoying-rest of me replied. ‘You come up with anything useful out West?’

A lengthy discussion ensued ….

Anyhow, as it turns out, the brain told me it got to thinking about all the other lesser (according to it) but just as vital (according to all of them) organs that we humanoids are blessed with and guess what? ALL OF THEM need sufficient water to keep the g-g-greased lightning performance.

Kidney and Liver Function

One of the liver’s primary functions is to metabolise stored fat into energy. The kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins, wastes, ingested water and salts out of the bloodstream. If you are dehydrated, the kidneys cannot function properly and the liver must work overtime to compensate. As a result, it metabolises less fat, your metabolism slows down to conserve water, which leads to weight gain and can contribute to belly fat.*

The Heart

Dehydration can cause insufficient oxygenation of the tissue of the cardiovascular system. The heart rate increases in response to the tissue oxygen deficit. Tachycardia, or a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute, occurs.  Severe dehydration can trigger irregular heart rhythms, especially in people with an underlying heart condition.*

Command Central i.e. The Brain

Brain cells require the right amount of water and minerals in each of the cells.  If there is too much water, the cell’s membrane can break; if there is not enough, the cell will shrivel up. When there is brain dehydration, less water is available for brain cells to use. *

Importance of Water

Almost two-thirds of the human body is made up of water and water acts as a natural appetite suppressant. It also helps to regulate your metabolism. When you become dehydrated, your metabolism slows down, affecting how your body burns fat. Your body mistakes thirst for hunger, which leads to increased calorie consumption. This can lead to stubborn fat gathering around your stomach, which is difficult to lose.*

Bearing all of this in mind, also remember that water weight is not the same as ‘blob’ weight, so whereas you may think that because your body is retaining water it means you’re gaining weight, this is not the case. Your body is desperately trying to tell you, by retaining water, that it doesn’t have enough to function properly.

There’s no need for concern though, indeed you can celebrate and revel in the fact that throughout the UK, clean, fresh drinking water transported from source to your office, school or site is readily available from AquAid through our range of water coolers.  Drink up!

 * sourced from an article at Livestrong

Single Use Plastics – the way forward

Single Use Plastics – the way forward

by | May 1, 2018 | aquaid, water cooler, Water Coolers

The use of plastic has had significant media attention recently, in particular following the various Blue Planet episodes aired on the BBC. The tone of the debate is highly emotive and even Theresa May recently voiced her opinion on the matter, stating that the House of Commons would ban the use of plastic cups and that the government will recommend that all large businesses do the same.

At AquAid we are keenly aware of the impact using plastic has in our industry, to our customers and on our environment.  We are constantly seeking solutions and alternatives to reduce waste, minimise our carbon footprint and increase the sustainable provision of our water and water products to our customers.

Potential long term options?

  1. Paper cups/cones

Paper cups may seem like an obvious alternative, but they are not.  As paper is porous, all cups contain a lining which means that they cannot easily be recycled.  Unfortunately, although few people may be aware of this, if you are paying to recycle paper cups, these lined cups actually contaminate the recycling batch they go into.

There are cones available without a plastic lining, but they will only hold water for a matter of seconds before it will start seeping through and land on the floor. Whilst these are useful from an environmental perspective, they are less useful from a hydration perspective, the reason organisations have a water dispenser in the first place.

Paper cups cost around 50% more than plastic, with cones priced slightly lower.

  1. Plastic bottles

There is a place for re-usable plastic bottles, however, we need to be aware that a plastic bottle weighs at least 30 times more than does a plastic cup. This then means that using plastic bottles is adding plastic weight and volume rather than reducing it. Even if you re-use a plastic bottle (which some people will re-use 30 times, but others much less so) it has to be borne in mind that the bottle needs to be cleaned which has its own environmental impact.

  1. Use bio-degradable/compostable material 

The idea of using bio-degradable plastic is very appealing at first as people picture it literally turning into dust.  The problem is that in order for the plastic to compost, it needs to be kept in very specific circumstances only achievable in an industrial composting environment. Not only are there very few such facilities in the UK, there are also no nationwide collection schemes in place for them.  If bio-degradable cups end up in landfill they can be more harmful to the environment than normal plastic cups, as is indicated in various reports and case studies from authorities in the field*.  Added to this, bio-degradable plastic is made from corn starch – which again brings with it a significant impact on the environment. As a final point, bio-degradable plastic is considerably more expensive than regular plastic.

The solution

Because of the focus directed at the issue of single use cups, we may be forgetting the difference between litter and recycling. Plastic on its own is not an issue – unrecycled plastic is. Bearing this in mind, we believe there is a viable solution, one which will be of benefit to not only ourselves and our customers, but also to our environment.

Recycling plastic cups

Upon consultation with a number of recycling authorities, in particular BIFFA, a leading integrated waste management company, we’ve established as follows:

  • The cups that AquAid supply are made of a single type of plastic. The benefit of this is that easy to recycle and a valuable resource that can be repurposed and resold.
  • Our plastic cups are easily recycled if placed in a dry mixed recycling (DMR) bin. These are bins which take cans, paper, cardboard and plastic. Not only will the material placed in a DMR be recycled, but DMR bins cheaper to have emptied than a normal waste bin.

We believe that we have established a practical, cost effective and viable solution to using our drinking cups and are inviting our customers to contact their local recycling companies to confirm that they offer the dry mixed recycling bins (DMR), to assist with the recycling of not only plastic cups, but also the many other recyclable items found in offices up and down the country.

Should you wish for any additional information about our recycling plan, kindly e-mail us at nationalaccounts@aquaidwatercoolers.co.uk 

* sources: articles in The Guardian; UN News

Instant Taps Aid Productivity

Instant Taps Aid Productivity

by | Mar 28, 2018 | aquaid, Hot Water Taps, instant tap, Water Coolers

Many studies have examined the varying effects of dehydration on performance. Apart from the obvious fact that our bodies need water to survive, all studies unequivocally prove that dehydration negatively affects mood, cognitive performance, mental recall, and therefore productivity. The law stipulates that there needs to be easily accessible drinking water at any place of work. Responsible employers provide this in the form of water coolers, water boilers or hot water taps for health and safety reasons, but an added benefit is that hydration aids productivity which is always good for business.

While we are all familiar with the well-documented, adverse effects of dehydration, we turn to another study which takes a more positive approach – rather than withhold water, what happens when we give water? In their paper entitled Effects of hydration status on cognitive performance and mood, Masento and Reekum looked at studies across a variety of different subject groups to ascertain if water intervention improved performance.

Drinking water improves visual sustained attention

Young adults were given varying amounts of water and then asked to complete a rapid visual information-processing task. The researchers found that the group receiving the most water (330ml) performed the best while the group that received no water performed the worst. Across a number of studies, where the experimental design and also the amounts of water given were changed, the result remained the same – water consumption improves the cognitive function of visual sustained attention.

Drinking water improves simple reaction time

Adults were asked to rate their thirst levels, they were then assigned to a nil-water or water group and asked to perform a simple reaction time task. Those subjects who’d identified themselves as thirsty and were in the nil-water group performed significantly worse than their counterparts. Not only did the study show that drinking water improved simple reaction time, it also showed the importance of baseline hydration levels – those participants who were thirsty at the start of the experiment were potentially mildly dehydrated which already slowed reaction time.

Drinking water improves mood

Young adults were randomly assigned to nil-water and water supplementation groups, and then asked to complete a range of cognitive tasks and mood ratings. In the groups that were given water, their mood ratings were improved – they reported feeling calmer and more alert immediately after drinking the water.

It’s clear to see that water intervention enhances performance, and as improving productivity is essential in the workplace, it’s also clear to see why water dispensers are crucial to the office set-up. At AquAid we have a wide range of water coolers to choose from, but if you’re in the process of updating your current breakout area or refreshment point, consider installing AquAid Instant Taps. Hot water taps can provide instantly ready boiling, ambient or chilled water at the touch of a button; they are also stylish, compact, efficient and cost-effective. If you want to increase productivity in your office, contact AquAid today – we will help you find the best water solution for your needs.

Why Choose AquAid Instant Hot Water Taps

Why Choose AquAid Instant Hot Water Taps

by | Mar 6, 2018 | aquaid, Hot Water Taps, instant tap, water cooler

Instant Taps are fast becoming a sleek and stylish alternative to more traditional water-points in office kitchens, breakout areas, boardrooms, and conferencing venues.  The benefits are numerous – they provide limitless hot, ambient or chilled water in one elegant solution, all at the touch of a button; they are stylish and compact, fitting neatly into a countertop with the boiler and chilling unit discreetly hidden underneath the worktop; and their instant supply of water improves efficiency, saving organisations both time and money.

When choosing instant hot water taps there are three factors to consider:

1) Your water requirements – do you require hot, ambient or chilled water, or is it a combination of all three?

2) Placement – do you want to create more space around the sink area itself, in which case the tap can be fitted with its own drain-away tray farther away; or if countertop space is limited do you want to install it on the edge of the sink or draining board itself?

3) And your preferred supplier – of all the reputable suppliers out there, why should you choose AquAid?

Apart from being the leading water cooler company in the UK for more than twenty years now, with 23 franchises across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland servicing over 30,000 customers – the major benefit in choosing AquAid Instant Taps is our service element. With us you have full peace of mind knowing that your installation will be professional and flawless, and that any services or repairs are included in our comprehensive service plans.

Most of the UK suffers from hard water scaling and too often companies choose hot water taps that don’t include a scale management filter or some form of service plan; or they’ve purchased the unit outright and scale related issues aren’t covered by warranty, which means that a few months after installation, things start to go wrong, resulting in very costly call-out and repair fees. But with AquAid rental plans – often far more affordable than buying the unit and then adding the cost of a maintenance plan on top of that – there’s no need to worry, because we ensure that the correct filters are installed from the start and our cost-effective and fully-inclusive service plans mean no unexpected and huge expenditure further down the line.

If you’re in the process of a new build or refurbishing your office kitchen, breakout area or any other refreshment point, with AquAid you can rest assured that you’re in the best hands, whatever your water needs may be. And not only will you benefit from high-quality products and exceptional service, but for a short time only you can save even more as we are also offering free installation and three months free rental on all our Instant Taps – be sure not to miss out.

Hot Water Taps 101

Hot Water Taps 101

by | Mar 6, 2018 | aquaid, Hot Water Taps, Water Coolers

Instant Taps are fast becoming the sought-after water solution for many offices, hotels and conferencing venues. If you’re in the process of refurbishing and considering installing hot water taps, read through our Q&A to find out all you need to know about this stylish, compact and cost-effective water dispenser.

Are hot water taps specific to a particular area?

No, Instant Taps can be installed practically anywhere – breakout areas, office kitchens, boardrooms, basically any refreshment point where water is needed; particularly if aesthetics are important as they present a stylish alternative to more traditional water dispensers or boilers.

How are Instant Taps installed?

If you’re trying to free up space around the sink area, hot water taps can be installed into the countertop with its own drain-away tray; or it can be fitted on the edge of the sink or draining board itself, with the boiler or chilling unit discreetly hidden underneath the worktop.

Do you need different taps to satisfy different water requirements?

No, the Instant Tap can dispense boiling and ambient water, and also chilled water if necessary, thereby catering for all your water needs in one elegant solution. Alternatively, if only chilled water is required, the Chill Tap can be installed which dispenses cold water at your preferred temperature.

What is the dispensing capacity?

The Instant Tap can dispense 15 mugs of boiling water instantly and up to 14 litres per hour above 90 °C at the touch of a button; and the Chill Tap has a 10 litre per hour output of perfectly chilled and filtered drinking water.

We’re in a hard water area, is that a problem?

No, Instant Taps can be fitted with a scale management filter that will reduce any limescale issues and comprehensive service plans ensure that any services and repairs are included in the rental agreement so that there are no unexpected costs further down the line.

Are hot water taps more efficient and cost-effective?

Yes, instantly-ready and limitless boiling or chilled filtered water is hugely convenient – the less time people spend waiting the more time they spend being productive. And because hot water taps use less water – kettles are often filled with more water than is needed – they are resource and energy-efficient too.

For any other questions on the range of AquAid Instant Taps and how they can enhance your refreshment points, increase productivity and save you time, energy and money – contact us today. And for a limited time only, AquAid are also offering free installation and three months free rental on all their Instant Taps, so there’s no better time to upgrade.