A question we get asked a lot at WFA HQ is … how do I get my children to drink more water?

The key is to get your children to LOVE drinking water and you can easily do this by following the simple tips in this short video.

WFA tips to encourage children to drink more water

• Choose a special water bottle or cup to fill with filtered water.
• Select a special straw – invest in a metal one to stop single-use plastic.
• Add frozen fruit to filtered water – this will infuse and add a touch of sweetness and colour.
• Encourage children to fill their own water bottles from your fast flowing inline water filter system.
• Freeze water in a freezable water bottle. It will be super cool and refreshing on a hot day.
• Set up a reward system – a special sticker or treat is a great incentive to drink more water.
• Be a good example so your children see YOU drinking water.
• Choose water when you are out for dinner or at a café. If you make water the first and only option, it becomes a healthy habit.
• Take reusable water bottles with you when you go on a trip.
• Make sure that your tap water tastes good and you have fresh, filtered water available 24/7 with an inline water filter system.

So why is it important for children and babies to drink enough water?

There are many reasons why drinking enough filtered water is important. For a start, children are more at risk of dehydration than adults.

We’ve looked at the common dehydration signs in adults before, but there are a few key things to look out for in babies and children to help recognise mild dehydration signs.

These are:

• Less urine – in babies that means fewer wet nappies
• Dark yellow or brown urine
• Looking gaunt and pale
• Tiredness and lethargy
• Fewer tears
• Thirst
• Sunken or dark eyes
• Coated or dry tongue, dry lips and mouth
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Nausea and headaches

Severe dehydration is much more serious and the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne lists the following symptoms to look out for:

• Extreme thirst
• Lethargic or less active than normal
• Pale and sunken eyes; tears may be absent when crying
• Cold – especially hands and feet
• Breathing faster than usual and have a fast heart rate
• Irritable, drowsy or confused

If your child shows signs of severe dehydration, seek immediate medical attention. See your GP or go to your closest hospital emergency department.

If you are wondering how much water to give your child, take a look at this WFA blog.

The problem with sweet drinks

Apart from the obvious risk of dehydration, there’s an even bigger reason to choose water for your child, rather than a sweet alternative.

According to a new study by the Cancer Council Victoria and the University of Melbourne, choosing sugary drinks could increase cancer risk, regardless of body size.

The research study, called “Consumption of sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened soft drinks and risk of obesity-related cancers,” involved 35,000 Australians who developed 3283 cases of obesity-related cancers.

Associate Professor Allison Hodge of Cancer Council Victoria said,

“Our study found that the more sugary soft drinks participants drank, the higher the risk of cancer. This was not the case with those that drank diet soft drinks, suggesting that sugar is a key contributor.”

And according to the Executive Manager of the Obesity Policy Coalition, Ms Jane Martin,

“Younger Australians are consuming significantly more sugary drinks than older people; they are widely available and often discounted.”

Cancer Council Victoria CEO Todd Harper said,

“Sugary drinks, including soft drinks, are already known to be a cause of obesity, which greatly increases the risk of 13 types of cancer. We need more people to understand the connection and make the switch to water.”

Cancer is just one of the chronic health conditions associated with sugary drinks. Other health problems in children as a result of sugary drinks may include:

• Excess weight gain
• Tooth erosion and decay
• A smaller appetite
• Picky eating
• A change in bowel habits

A common misconception amongst parents is that fruit juice is a healthy option. But a glass of apple juice can contain up to six teaspoons of sugar. Better Health, Victoria advises to limit unsweetened fruit juice to an occasional half a cup as a treat.

And instead, encourage children to eat fresh fruit and vegetables and drink water.

A healthy solution

So, what’s the best way to ensure that great tasting water is the first and only choice for your children? A WFA water filtration system is a great option. You can turn your existing kitchen tap into a water filtration system with our popular WFA Platinum inline water filter system.

With great tasting filtered water easily available all day, your children won’t be able to get enough! And you’ll have a healthy solution for the whole family.

Order yours today or contact our friendly customer service team to discuss all your water filtration needs.

It’s that time of year again and our WFA Christmas elves are busy packing as many water filter systems as they can, to send out before Christmas. If you’re on the good list, and you’re lucky, you may well find a brand new inline water filter under the tree!

If you’ve already got a WFA water filter system, it’s a good idea to check if your filter cartridge is due for a change and order a new water filter cartridge in time for Christmas. One thing is for sure, your water filter system is set for a workout over this busy period!

We’ve covered festive preparation tips in the WFA blog before. Things like festive berry ice cubes and making your own carbonated filtered water ready for guests. These are all great ideas and the good news is that we’ve come up with some more …  just in time for Christmas!

Five ways to make the most of your water filter this Christmas … apart from the obvious!

1 Make a steamed Christmas pudding

If you celebrate a traditional Christmas then chances are that a Christmas pudding will be on the menu.

And if you make your own, you’ll know that making it is quite an intricate step-by-step process.

It often involves a few hours of steaming in a pan. Our advice is to swap your regular tap water for filtered water and use this recipe.

2. The best stollen sweet bread recipe

We know that filtered water is better for making bread. This is because the chlorine in tap water can affect the yeast and the way the bread rises.

A German Christmas tradition is to make stollen sweet bread. So if you follow this tradition, we’ve found this great recipe.

Just swap the half a cup of water for filtered water and you’ll have the perfect tasting sweet bread for Christmas.

3. Better tasting gravy

Christmas isn’t complete without a turkey and the perfect complement to that is gravy. We love this simple recipe.

Again, use filtered water; it will make all the difference to the taste.

4. Festive non-alcoholic drinks

The festive season is also a time to indulge in a few drinks but how about swapping your cocktails for a refreshing non-alcoholic drink with filtered water?

TV chef, Curtis Stone has created this festive looking, fresh strawberry water with lime and mint with the main ingredient crushed ice.

WFA tip – Make sure you have filled your ice trays with filtered water the night before as this recipe requires lots of ice!

5. Festive floral displays

If you are lucky enough to receive fresh flowers around Christmas time, here’s a tip to keep them fresh for longer.

Give your flowers filtered water and change the water every couple of days. Your fresh flowers will last longer.

WFA tip – You can try this recipe too – add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 3 tablespoons of sugar to a litre of filtered water. Then add to your cut flowers.

They’ll perk up and ultimately last longer.

By now you’ve guessed the secret to success with all these recipes is filtered water. If you want to use filtered water for all your kitchen needs then it’s a good idea to invest in a home water filtration system.

Browse our online store and contact our friendly customer service team if you have any questions.