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Cryptosporidium: Protect Yourself From This Major Cause of...
The very last thing anyone wants from drinking water is to become unwell - but this is what can happen if certain contaminants are not effectively removed. Cryptosporidium is a water-borne cyst that is found in human and animal faeces; it can cause painful stomach illness if it finds its way into your body. A very resilient parasite, cryptosporidium can hang around for a long time and as such, find its way into the water system. It is a very common contaminant. Check out our water solutions now! What effect can cryptosporidium have on health? Even if ingested in only small quantities, cryptosporidium can cause cryptosporidiosis, a painful stomach upset that is often accompanied by respiratory illness. A person who has become infected by the parasite will suffer diarrhoea and a persistent cough. A major problem with cryptosporidium infection is that it is relatively easily passed on to other people. The infection also remains in the body for up to five weeks. Cryptosporidium is a major cause of diarrhoea. Cryptosporidiosis can be very serious, even life-threatening, in the case of people with a compromised immune system. Why is cryptosporidium a problem in drinking water? Unfortunately, the tough nature of cryptosporidium means it is also resistant to standard water disinfection methods such as the use of chlorine. Instead water authorities have to rely on alternative methods, such as filtration plants, to get rid of the parasite. In the wake of outbreaks in the UK in 1989, and again in 2005, the Government tightened up guidelines requiring drinking water to be monitored and efficient disinfection processes put in place. The dual approach acts as a double safety measure but alerts are still possible. In 2015, 300,000 homes in Lancashire were told to boil their drinking water over concerns there was cryptosporidium in the supply. As well as finding its way into the drinking water supply, outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis have been linked to swimming pools, farm animals, eating contaminated food and children's nurseries. What can you do to protect against cryptosporidium? Water filters are an excellent way to remove Cryptosporidium from drinking water. Doulton Water Filters have been scientifically proven to remove more than 99.99% of cryptosporidium from water - this level is known as absolute filtration. Why leave your health up to chance when a using water filter could give you the choice to have the best quality drinking water on tap all the time. Stop cryptosporidium in its tracks with a Doulton water filter. Check out our water solutions now!
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Plastic in Water: Do Water Filters Remove Plastic...
The environmental impact of plastic waste has long been a concern, but the latest research has ratcheted up alarm levels after discovering plastic micro-particles were now in drinking water. Check out our water solutions now! What are the health risks of plastic in water? Using a water filter will add an extra layer of protection to domestic drinking water supplies. The big problem when it comes to ingesting contaminants such as plastic micro-particles is that research into cause and effect takes time to establish what the health risks will be. At this early stage, there is no specific research to outline what the health risks may be. What we do know is that we would not willingly choose to consume tiny particles of plastic. Studies have indicated that BPA (Bisphenol A), which is a common component in plastics, could affect birth weight, development, obesity and the hormonal system. Some countries have now taken steps to limit their use. There is also a concern that plastic micro-particles in drinking water could act as "carriers" by bonding with harmful contaminants, such as chemicals or heavy metals, and transport these into the water. If it is finding its way into drinking water, there is a very real chance that plastic micro-particles could be absorbed into our bodies, the effect of which is presently unknown. How bad is the problem? In a recent report, The Guardian shared findings that 83% of tap water tested as part of a global survey was found to contain "plastic fibres". Of those areas tested 94.4% of water in the USA was contaminated - the highest in the study. In Europe the figure was 72%. How are plastic microfibres getting into drinking water? Plastic plays a huge part in our everyday lives and is used for a massive variety of products. As a result of this, there is a global problem with plastic waste, which takes hundreds of years to decompose. Plastic waste makes its way into the waterways - and the world's oceans - where it remains. Experts also point to washing machines emitting plastic fibres from clothes, and there have been studies that indicate so much plastic is being used that particles are even found in the air - naturally, these can pollute waterways too. Our plastic water filter systems will add an extra layer of protection to domestic drinking water supplies. What can we do? Due to the light density of plastic particles, there is a concern that these are not being removed from drinking water at the disinfection stage, along with other contaminants. To protect yourself and your family, the best step to take is to use a water filter. Doulton Water Filters have been scientifically proven to remove plastic particles from drinking water, down to as small as 0.5 microns. The water filters will also remove many other contaminants, allowing you peace of mind over the quality of the water your family is drinking. You can also help to cut plastic waste by using a reusable stainless steel or glass water bottle, filled with filtered water from home. At the end of the day, every little action helps to reduce plastic pollution. Don't take any chances with your family's health; use a Doulton Water Filter to guarantee the best quality, clean drinking water straight from your tap. Check out our water solutions now!
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Give Me Tap: How Refilling On-The-Go Is Bringing...
Everyone should have access to clean drinking water - that is the ethos that underlines the work of "Give Me Tap". Working in a perfect cycle, this initiative links members of the public to a network of establishments where they can feel at ease requesting water refills for their BPA-free ˜Give Me Tap™ bottles by using an app to map out partners. How Give Me Tap is helping to fund a global solution From the money paid for these reusable stainless steel bottles, Give Me Tap donates 20 per cent to funding projects to bring clean drinking water to communities in Africa. That 20 per cent donation is enough to pay for access to clean drinking water for one person for five years. To date, the project has completed 20 water projects - mainly in Ghana - bringing clean drinking water to thousands of families. Not only is Give Me Tap bringing an essential resource to those desperately in need, it is also giving people ready access to free drinking water - and cutting down on the environmental cost of buying water in plastic bottles. 100 per cent support Its ethos is admirable and one that Doulton Water Filters is proud to be supporting. Access to clean water is essential to life and wellbeing, and the leap from making tap water easily available wherever you are, to bringing this life-source to communities in dire need is an initiative that deserves and demands support. Doulton is proud to give its 100 per cent backing to the cause and is now selling Give Me Tap bottles in support of it, directing all profits straight back to Give Me Tap. To underline Doulton Water Filter's commitment to this cause, we will also be offering a 10 per cent discount on any water system when bought alongside a Give Me Tap bottle. Quality counts: Use a water filter for better taste and well-being At Doulton, we believe that everyone should have access, on tap, to the best quality water possible. Drinking water that has been filtered using a Doulton system will be the best quality, in terms of both taste and well-being. Doulton's unique ceramic filters meet the highest standards to reduce the presence of and disinfectants in drinking water, including lead, salmonella, E. coli and chlorine. Our message is this: Give Me Tap - but make it Doulton filtered Check out our water solutions now!
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Does Your Pet Insist On Drinking Filtered Water?
Are you the owner of a pet who will happily drink from a muddy rain puddle but turns its nose up when presented with a nice, clean bowl of drinking water? Maybe the reason is that our pets, rather than just being picky drinkers, are more in touch with nature - and as such are more sensitive to the chemicals added to keep consumers safe. By accident or design, some owners have found that their pets will only drink filtered water. Check out our water solutions now! Why do some pets prefer filtered water? The main issue our four-legged friends tend to have with water is the chemical content, which affects the smell and taste and puts them off drinking. This is down to chlorine, which is added at the disinfection stage. However, with their smaller bodies and susceptibility to all sorts of conditions, some pet owners believe that the contaminants and chemicals found in drinking water are best left out - or reduced - from their pet's diet. To this end, they serve up tasty filtered water. And it's not just dogs that enjoy filtered drinking water. Cats enjoy a fresh, cold supply, while some owners of guinea pigs and rabbits choose to give their pets filtered water, believing that tap water can cause bladder issues. Fish owners will be well aware of the effects of added chemicals on their pets, as chlorine in tap water can be harmful to fish and needs to be removed with the aid of a dechlorinator. Dehydration affects pets too... As many families choose to use water filters to provide a better quality of drinking water for themselves, they cannot see why they would offer anything less to their pet. And, just like humans, pets are vulnerable to the effects of dehydration, so it is important they have ready access to drinking water that they will enjoy. Dehydration is a serious problem in animals and pets; those displaying the symptoms should be taken to a vet. In dogs and cats, the signs to look out for include: Loss of appetite Lethargy Sunken eyes Dry nose and gums Loss of skin elasticity Why get a water filter for your pet? To make sure your pet always gets enough water to drink, make sure they have ready access to fresh filtered water. Make sure this is changed regularly as pets also have a tendency to only enjoy fresh, cool water - unless it's a stagnant puddle, of course! Let your pet enjoy the best quality water by installing a Doulton Water Filter - the rest of the family will benefit too! Check out our water solutions now!
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Just Like A Sponge: Teach Children About Hydration
Good health in childhood puts in place the foundations for lifelong wellbeing - an essential part of which is establishing the practice of drinking plenty of water from an early age. But some parents have more luck than others at getting their children to drink enough and stay hydrated. While there are plenty of tricks that can be employed to encourage your child to consume enough water, it is worth taking the time to explain why hydration is so important to children. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now! Make the science simple Water makes up 70% of a child's body - explain that they are "more special" than adults, as they have more water in their bodies than grown-ups and need to take care to keep their water levels topped up. Fuel the body like a machine Fill up a glass of filtered drinking water and explain it is this simple substance that keeps their body working just like fuel for a car. Just as cars need to be filled up at the garage to keep moving, children need to refuel to keep moving with glasses of filtered drinking water. This water travels around the body to keep every little bit working - keeping hands and feet moving, eyes open, and the mind thinking. Soak up the science with a practical demonstration Use a dry sponge to show how water can bring physical change. Soak the sponge with water and get your child to explain how it feels - soft, heavy, bouncy, full of life, wet - and explain that only when water is added can it do what it is meant to properly. Encourage your child to squeeze the water out of the sponge and describe what happens as it loses water - it loses its bounce, feels rough, and doesn't work properly. Discuss how human bodies lose water too and how that happens - going to the toilet, running around, sweating, and getting too hot. Explain that, just like a sponge, unless we replace the fluid loss by drinking more water, children too can lose their bounce and struggle to do their job of having fun because they will feel tired and flat, just like a dried sponge. Finally, leave the sponge out somewhere to dry out naturally and get the children to check how its form changes and talk about how dry and tough it becomes. Explain that without any outside pressure, the sponge will still lose water as it dries out naturally. Tell them this is just the same as the human body, which will still lose water even if children are not running around using it up. For a final flourish, pour water onto the dehydrated sponge and watch together as it fills with water and recovers its bounce - explain to your children that they are just the same but that drinking water in little bits is the best way to stop their bodies drying out and becoming dehydrated. Use a thirst for knowledge to get children drinking water Children love to learn and understand how their bodies work - use this thirst for knowledge to help get them regularly drinking water. Teach your children how drinking water will help them bounce through the summer holidays. Check out our water solutions now!
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Tips To Keep Children Drinking Water This Summer...
The summer holidays are finally here and that hopefully should mean plenty of fresh air and exercise. As water makes up more of a child's body than an adult's it is vital they have plenty of drinking water as they are more prone to suffering from dehydration. How much they need depends on each individual child, but health experts suggest 6-8 glasses each day. For younger children, the British Nutrition Foundation suggests servings of 120-150mls, and 250-300mls for older children. As with all things child-related, expert advice is one thing, getting your child to follow that is quite another. Top tips for keeping children hydrated over the summer holidays Let them choose a water bottle Sometimes it really is that simple. Younger children in particular will love having a new trinket to carry around. Let them help to fill up their new bottle with filtered drinking water and the prospect of feeling "grown up" should at least last a week or two of the summer holidays. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now! Make ice lollies at home Invest in some lolly moulds then add flavourings or juice to filtered drinking water and fill up the moulds. At least you will know what is actually in the lollies - and that there is water in there! Always have water on hand Save yourself a fortune on drinks over the summer holidays by always carrying a refillable bottle of filtered drinking water. Pack well when heading out for the day with a bottle for everyone and frequently offer your children a sip of water. Try to cut back on sugary drinks The most important factor is keeping your child hydrated, so a glass of squash made up with filtered drinking water may help to keep fluid levels topped up. However, dentists advise keeping these to meal times to minimise sugar damage. Encourage children to drink more when exercising It can seem like young children are on the go all the time. If they've been whizzing around the park, or scooting about at the local beauty spot, keep offering them water to stop them becoming dehydrated. For older children heading out on their bikes or playing football, encourage them to take a bottle of filtered drinking water with them and remind them how important staying hydrated is to being at the top of their game. And should the sunshine make an appearance? Provide plenty of fresh, cool filtered drinking water to stop children getting dehydrated in the heat of the sun. Most of all make sure they have plenty of energy to enjoy themselves over the summer holidays by staying hydrated with top quality, fresh filtered drinking water. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now!
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Brain Health & Hydration: Can Drinking Water Help...
With an ageing population, the dementia challenge is growing rapidly in the UK. An estimated 850,000 people is living with dementia in the UK. Unfortunately, health experts estimate that diagnoses are set to soar by 57% by 2040. Already the leading cause of death in England, dementia is a truly devastating illness for the sufferer and their loved ones. Dementia is a name for a group of diseases that result in a decline in brain function, the most common being Alzheimer's. What can be done, however? Undoubtedly, genetics plays a huge role in our health journey, but the conscious decisions we take can have an effect. Our well-being partly comes from a series of life-long, "modifiable" choices - those we make now could prove to be vital to our health in later life. But just how significant is adequate hydration for brain function, and what does the latest research tell us about the relationship between water consumption and dementia? Check out our water solutions now! Lifestyle choices & preventing dementia: How hydration plays a role At present, there is no cure for Alzheimer's - the most common form of dementia. As such, prevention is key. In-depth research, collated from work by 24 international experts, estimates that the development of dementia can depend by 35% on potentially modifiable risk factors. Water intake and hydration play a key role here. A good hydration routine helps to support exercise, diet and energy levels. Not drinking enough water can leave people feeling lethargic, scuppering good intentions to exercise and eat healthily. There is a knock-on effect here, too - exercise is proven to help with depression, increasing social interaction (when done in groups), and helps to keep hunger at bay. A healthy lifestyle is the sum of all parts. Drinking water is a force for good flowing through it - the bedrock of any healthy lifestyle to prevent dementia. Although dementia is diagnosed in later life, the brain changes usually begin to develop years before. Acting now will vastly improve life for people with dementia and their families and, in doing so, will transform the future of society. The relationship between brain health, dementia and water consumption Water is crucial for our brains. When we drink water, our blood is hydrated and easier able to travel around the body, transporting oxygen and essential nutrients to places that need it, which include the brain. When we are even mildly dehydrated, this process can be inhibited. As such, dehydration and brain function are intimately linked. Water plays a vital role in the way brain cells work and helps to remove toxins. If the body starts to become dehydrated, the functioning of brain cells is affected. In the case of long-term dehydration, this can even age the brain. Dehydration can cause symptoms similar to those of dementia, including memory loss, confusion and depression. Even in mild cases of dehydration, 1-3% of body weight, studies show that headaches increased, concentration decreased, anxiety increased, and mood was affected. Similarly, other research shows that lower hydration "slowed psychomotor processing speed" and resulted in poorer attention and memory performance. Another key study noted that dehydration conditions impaired cognitive abilities (i.e. perceptive discrimination, short-term memory. A clear relationship between cognitive performance and hydration. Can a lack of water actually cause dementia? Clearly, dehydration can cause dementia symptoms by impairing our cognitive function, inducing memory loss, confusion and depression. But does it cause dementia itself? The answer is not crystal clear, but there is some evidence to suggest that it does. A comprehensive study of neurocognitive disorders concluded that "dehydration was associated with the risk of developing a type of dementia, like AD or vascular dementia." As always, the advice of experts is always the same - water is excellent! How much water should someone with dementia drink? Understanding the relationship between dementia, dehydration, and cognitive function may prompt us to question our water intake. Dehydration in dementia patients can be a real issue — for those living with the disease, it can be challenging to remember to take on enough water. So what's a good fluid intake for someone with dementia? How much water does your brain typically need to function optimally? The answer is that there's no specific amount of water that someone with dementia should drink, or someone looking to prevent dementia should drink - but, as always, it's important to meet a regular hydration quota. This helps with brain function and the transportation of nutrients and oxygen in the blood around the body, including to the brain. Water should be consumed continuously throughout the day, with experts telling us that we should aim for: Men - 2 litres per day Women - 1.8 litres per day Check out our water solutions now! Tap water, cognitive performance & dementia: Potential contaminants As we've discussed, drinking water plays a crucial role in adopting a healthy lifestyle and minimising dementia risks and symptoms. However, it's useful to be aware of and have knowledge of contaminants that might be in your tap water supply, their significance, and how to protect yourself against any potential ill effects. Tap water contaminants & their effects on brain health Our water contains a range of common contaminants, such as chlorine, which can affect the taste, smell and sight of tap water - but are harmless on the whole. However, the presence of heavy metals in drinking water has been implicated as a problem in neurological illnesses, including dementia. Heavy metals are not usually found in drinking water, but can leach in through old pipework, the main offender being lead. One of the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning is a decline in brain function. In severe cases, this can lead to deteriorating dementia. Another study in 2020 found that aluminium and fluoride in tap water were related to a later dementia risk. The research analysed those who lived in areas with higher levels of aluminium in water supplies against those who didn't. The author noted: "Higher levels of aluminium in particular are associated with an increased risk of dementia - Everybody included in the study was alive in 2005 and they were all born in 1921 - people who lived in areas with higher levels of aluminium in drinking water were more likely to die of dementia than those in areas where the aluminium levels were lower." Dr Tom Russ, Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre, University of Edinburgh. Lead author of Aluminium and fluoride in drinking water in relation to later dementia risk. The UK has some of the finest tap water quality in the world. However, if you are concerned about fluoride in your tap water or heavy metals leaching into your supply, investing in a water filtration system will maximise your efforts to live a healthier life. Dementia prevention and alcohol Consistent, excessive drinking of alcohol can place an individual at risk of alcohol-related brain damage, leading to a greater risk of dementia. If you drink heavily on a regular basis, you're more likely to have a reduced volume of white matter in the brain - the matter that transmits signals. Therefore, it won't come as a surprise to learn that levels of alcohol consumption should be monitored for those looking to minimise dementia risk. The Alzheimer's Society recommend not exceeding these guidelines: 1-14 units of alcohol per week for women 1-21 units a week for men A steady, healthy intake of water will help to prevent reaching for these less healthy fluid alternatives, whilst still being able to enjoy a drink if desired. Start your water journey with Doulton® Aside from the reduced chance of poorer brain function, optimal hydration and intake of water has innumerable other health benefits. As discussed, our tap water can contain a range of contaminants which affect smell, sight and taste - and may even play a role in developing dementia. At Doulton®, we've got over 180 years of experience producing a range of leading-edge ceramic water filtration products. We only settle for the best, and this philosophy is infused into all of our products. The result - great tasting, healthy filtered water. Check out our water solutions now!
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How Much Water Should I Drink Everyday?
Everyone should be aware that drinking water is vital to life, health and wellbeing, but how much should we actually be drinking? The standard response is usually eight glasses a day, but perhaps a catch-all solution is not ideal when individual needs can be so different. Does a 6ft 5in male athlete really need to consume the same amount of water as a 5ft 2in 90-year-old woman, or a five-year-old child? Surely the needs of such a vastly differing group are not the same? In the UK Government health leaders suggest people consume 6-8 glasses of drinking water every day. Check out our water solutions now! Now, the Mayo Clinic - a not-for-profit health and wellness organisation with centres across the USA - has conducted research into how the human body's need for drinking water varies. The clinic claims it is possible to work out exactly how much drinking water individuals need to consume using the following calculations: Body weight in pounds divided by 2.2 Multiplied by your age Divide that number by 28.3 The result is the amount of drinking water in ounces that is ideal for your body Divide that by figure by eight for the number of cups (assuming they hold eight ounces) With water making up more than 50-60 per cent of an adult's body, drinking water is essential to staying healthy for everyone and allows the body to function efficiently. Drinking water: when should you have more? Outline figures and research-driven calculations serve as a standard guide to how much water people should be ideally aiming to drink. However, there are times when an individual's need is increased. Times when better hydration may be required include: Pregnant/breastfeeding women The demands on the body of carrying a baby - and the importance of not becoming dehydrated - see the recommendation for pregnant women rise by another 2-4 glasses per day. This advice is also applied to breastfeeding to stop new mums becoming dehydrated and help maintain a good milk supply. Exercise The best advice is to drink normally throughout the day then have a glass of water before exercising, then continue drinking water while working out. It is difficult to pinpoint an exact amount as intensity and body make-up all make an impact. This should then be followed by enjoying a glass of drinking water after exercising. Hot weather The temperature can also push up the amount of drinking water needed as the body sweats to cool down, causing it to lose fluids. Again how much the body needs is dependent on the level of heat and how active the person is. As a result it is better to monitor the colour of urine as a good indicator as to whether you are hydrated or not. If urine is dark yellow, it is time to start drinking water. When a simple resource is such an important part of wellbeing it is important to ensure your body is getting the very best. To ensure you are drinking the freshest, cleanest water use a Doulton Filter. Don't compromise on your hard work to feel your best by drinking water that isn't the best you can get - use a water filter. Check out our water solutions now!
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How Does A Water Filter Actually Clean Water?
The concept of filtered drinking water is well understood as a means to remove impurities, but how exactly does the process work? It was in 1826 that Henry Doulton invented the ceramic water filter candle as a way to cleanse the drinking water supply, which at that time came from a river polluted by sewage. Ceramic drinking water filters build on nature's method of filtering water through layers of porous rock, which removes impurities to leave fresh, clean water. Check out our water solutions now! How do our water filters work? Taking out the bad and leaving the good Doulton water filter cartridges are cylinders created by layers of porous material that water passes through before it emerges from the mount. The outer shell of the filter cartridge is ceramic, made from natural piles of earth. It has tiny pores in it measuring less than one micron - 100 times smaller than a hair - which filter contaminants from the water as it passes through. An activated carbon inner core provides powerful filtration, absorbing chlorine to improve the taste and smell of the drinking water. An ion exchange resin is incorporated into particular grades of Doulton water filters to remove heavy metal ions from drinking water, including lead. This process also works to soften the water. What contaminants are removed from drinking water by ceramic filters Pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella and cholera Waterborne cysts such as cryptosporidium and giardia, which are found in human and animal faeces Disinfectants, such as chlorine Heavy metals, such as lead Rust and foreign particles Independent laboratory tests have proved that Doulton water filter systems remove up to 99.99% of contaminants added to treat water, such as chlorine and fluoride, as well as heavy metals, pathogenic bacteria, and cysts. Enjoy filtered drinking water on tap The ceramic water filters can be connected directly to the main household tap to provide fresh, clean drinking water. More than a century has been invested in perfecting the technology of filtering drinking water by Doulton - enjoy clean, healthy filtered drinking water, on tap. Check out our water solutions now!
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