Waterfalls & Water Coolers

Waterfalls & Water Coolers

Okay, so a waterfall and a water cooler don’t have much in common, other than both being a source of water of course, but have you ever (just as you do with water coolers) lumped waterfalls into one giant group thinking they’re all exactly the same thing? Well that’s completely untrue, there’s a whole subset of waterfall that you might not even have been aware of. So, if you want to know the difference between a cataract and a multi-step waterfall, read on for more of what makes each waterfall unique, thanks to our wonderful, all-knowing friend Wikipedia.

Plunge waterfalls drop vertically, losing contact with bedrock – an example is the Yellowstone Falls in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Horsetail waterfalls on the other hand, maintain some contact with bedrock – Darwin Falls in Death Valley National Park, California is one such horsetail.

Cataract waterfalls are the largest and most powerful – an example is Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Multi-step waterfalls are a sequence of waterfalls each with their own plunge pool – not common, one such example is the Ouzoud Waterfalls, northeast of Marrakech in Morocco.

Block waterfalls descend from a wide stream or river – the most famous is Niagara Falls which straddles the border between Canada and the US.

Cascade waterfalls flow over a series of rock steps – probably the best-know cascade is the Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios in Jamaica.

Tiered waterfalls descend in a sequence of steps or falls – Yosemite Falls in California’s Yosemite National Park is a prime example.

So there you have it, an overview of the different types of waterfalls. And if you want to know more about the different types of water cooler or hot water taps available for your office – because there really are a wide variety of high-quality water solutions to choose from – then be sure to give AquAid a call today, they are the UK’s leading water cooler supplier and pride themselves on offering premium water coolers at affordable prices!

Wisdom at the Water Cooler – Are Coconuts really all that?

Wisdom at the Water Cooler – Are Coconuts really all that?

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.

 

 

How hot water makes us happy

How hot water makes us happy

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.

Not so sneaky winter hydration tips

Not so sneaky winter hydration tips

Sneaky because maintaining good hydration habits in winter can be just that: studies show that we can be up to 40% less thirsty in winter.

Dehydration is less noticeable in winter: During the summer in the UK, it’s far easier to equate how thirsty we are with how dehydrated we may be.  Hot weather tends to make us sweat more, making dehydration much more noticeable. However, in winter, thirst isn’t as immediately apparent and perspiration turns to water vapour very quickly.  As an example, when you step outside from a warm environment into a cold one and you can see your breath – that’s water vapour, which means you’re dehydrating.

Staying hydrated in winter helps us stay warm: Our bodies use water to help maintain our core body temperature. Dehydration can cause our core body temperatures can drop. Therefore the benefits of staying hydrated in winter are twofold: we stay hydrated and we keep warm when it’s cold outside.

… And gives your immune system a welcome boost:  Our instinct in winter is to hibernate, especially indoors. Modern life, however, makes this untenable: we’re in and out of doors on a daily basis and the radical changes in temperature can easily and negatively affect our immune system as our systems fight to bring our body to the right temperature. That’s why it’s important to make sure we don’t decrease our water intake during winter.  A good hydration habit is one of the simplest and best ways to keep the immune system boosted and ready to battle common winter illnesses like colds and flu. Whether you’re at home or at work, installing a water cooler will help you to easily keep up your water consumption, with refreshing drinking water available at the touch of a button.

Weight maintenance and loss:  The cold weather can often lead us to exercise less and eat more. Weight gain because of this is often further exacerbated by not staying hydrated through winter. Maintaining hydration enables our bodies to be more efficient at breaking down fats and converting them to energy.

A few tips to maintain proper hydration during winter:

  • Keep water in your line of sight – keep a water bottle on your desk or put a glass next to the kitchen sink to remind you keep drinking. Remember too, AquAid have a range of desktop and counter top water coolers making them the best reminder there is.
  • Set yourself a reminder – An alert on your phone can remind yourself to top up your water bottle.
  • Eat water rich foods – soups, salads or fruit as mentioned in our series on water rich fruit.
  • Plump up your plain H2O – Adding a slice or wedge of lemon, lime or even cucumber gives your water an extra refreshing burst of flavour.

At AquAid Water Coolers, we provide a wide range of water dispensers to a broad and diverse set of customers from small, medium and large businesses through to medical facilities, universities, colleges and schools.

With more than 20 years’ experience in the provision of the right water coolers, water boilers, Instant Taps and water fountains to more than 33,000 customers, you can be assured that we will have the right water cooler to help keep you properly hydrated, whatever the time of year.  Speak to us, we’ll be happy to help.

NOW is the perfect time to drink hot water

NOW is the perfect time to drink hot water

By all accounts the winter weather has been
behaving itself so far.  Not that we
haven’t had cold weather.  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 congestion
The 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.

Helps
relieve constipation
drinking hot water helps your intestines to contract. When that
happens, old waste trapped in your intestines is able to pass out of your body.
Drinking hot water regularly helps keep you, well, regular. But drinking it
occasionally when you’re constipated isn’t a bad idea either.

Body detoxification – hot water is fantastic for
helping your body to detox. When you drink hot water, your body
temperature begins to rise, which results in sweat. You want this to happen
because it helps to release toxins from your body and cleanse it properly.

Should you decide that drinking hot water
is the way to go during the colder weather, it’s always good to remember to pay attention to how hot your glass or mug
of hot water is
. If you’re a bit scatter-brained, then rather wait until
your hot water has cooled a bit and if drinking hot water just isn’t your first
choice, try adding a slice of lemon or lime, just to give your hot water drink
that tasty citrus twist.

Like the idea of having hot drinking water
readily available? Then speak to us at AquAid. We have a wide range of
hot and cold water
coolers
and water
boilers
tailor-made to suit your water consumption requirements.