Who needs commercial health drinks when water alone can help a person to be healthy? Many people do not realize it but by drinking clean water can keep them from developing various diseases caused by the unhealthy environment.

If you are into consuming commercial health drinks that cost too much money, now is the time to consider water as your very own health drink. Aside from being pure, you can save more money since it is the most abundant health drink available.

Why drink water?

Studies say that an average individual’s blood contains 83 percent of water. A person’s muscles have 75 percent. The brain has 74 percent. The bone is 22 has percent. If you sum it up, almost 80 percent of the person’s body are made up of water. Experts say that there are several factors that affect the requirement of water to people. These factors include:

1. Exercise. This is because there is greater need for water since the body loses so much when there are rigorous muscular activities on a regular basis.

2. Climate change. Since hotness and humidity in certain areas can affect the water requirement of the person in that specific place.

3. Health conditions. When a person has diarrhea, experience vomiting, and fever, they need more replenishment of water since the body loses a great amount of it during these times.

4. Pregnancy. This condition requires additional water to keep the body well-hydrated at all times.

Health benefits of water

Experts say that people need adequate supply of healthy water because it gives energy. Aside from that, it also helps avoid dehydration, and it gets people moving. It also helps relieve constipation, and beats stress. Other health benefits of drinking healthy water include:

- keeping the skin soft, supple healthy and glowing;

- improving the blood circulation in the body;

- helping kidneys and liver to remove toxins from the system;

- preventing memory loss;

- eliminating instances of frequent headaches and dizziness;

- increasing mental and physical performance;

- removing toxins and other waste products from the body;

- aiding weight loss, and

- allowing proper digestion

Safe water as a health drink

Experts say that to remain healthy, one of the most important things a person should consider is taking in lots of healthy water. And what better way to do this but to use it as a health drink?

However, the quality of tap water is no longer reliable for health purposes these days. If you want to use your own water as health drink, it is a must to ensure that it is safe and clean. One of the ways to do this is by using a water filter. Experts believe that through the use of water filter, one can ensure that he or she is drinking healthy water for himself or herself and for his or her family.

Today, there are many brands of water filters available in the market. Majority of these comes in various shapes and sizes. But, before buying a water filter, you must know what is the most suitable type for your water source. Once you have safe and clean water through the use water filter, rest assured that you can come up with you very own health drink at the comforts of your home or office.

Energy drinks may not be as healthy as we think it is. Energy drinks are just everywhere. You can get some in corner stores, gas stations, and bars. Because these drinks are supposed to provide mental and physical stimulation, people are taking it. But does this drink provide what is best for our health?

There are studies showing that energy drink consumption provides relative improvement in mental and cognitive performances. These drinks also increase the alertness of the consumer. But on the down side, excessive consumption may lead to anxiety, insomnia and irritability.

What are the components of your average energy drink?

Some common ingredients would include:

� Ephedrine – a stimulant that commonly found in weight-loss products and decongestants. There are studies raising concern and issues about its effects on the heart.

� Taurine – a natural amino acid needed by the body to help regulate heart beat and muscle contractions. Currently, researchers are trying to discover its impact as a energy drink additive.

� Ginseng – a kind of root thought to have several medicinal benefits. It is said that ginseng relives stress and can increase your level of energy.

� Vitamin B – a group of vitamins that can change sugar to energy

� Carnitine – an amino acid. Its effects can be mainly on the metabolism of fatty acids in the body.

� Creatine – an organic acid which main contribution is on energizing the muscles for muscle contraction.

� Inositol – a member of the vitamin B complex that helps relay messages within cells in the body.

� Ginkgo biloba � came from the seeds of the ginkgo biloba tree. There are studies claiming its memory enhancement capabilities. �

Caffeine is also present in most energy drinks. So how does an energy drink work? Caffeine and other minerals blocks certain brain chemicals in sending its messages to the brain. This brain chemical is called adenosine which mainly involved in sleep. Thinking that the body is experiencing a problem, the pituitary gland releases adrenaline.

Adrenaline release makes the heart beat faster, eyes to dilate, and the liver to release extra sugar to the mainstream. This would provide the consumer an extra surge of energy needed for intense physical or mental activity.

Like any other food, drink or drugs, too much is never good for you. Consuming too much energy drinks can lead to heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, irritability and even being jittery.

It is also dangerous to drink water while doing some exercise, since its effects are more leaned into dehydrating your body. There are also some people who mix energy drinks with alcohol. Studies showed that mixing alcohol and energy drinks would make you feel alert and sober, making you unaware of how much you actually drank. This could also lead to excessive drinking and later on to dehydration.

If you drink energy drinks, then be aware of how you consume it. There are some energy drinks that have instructions, be sure to follow them. Avid drinking too much of is, make sure to limit consumption to 2 cans a day. It is for the best to avoid mixing energy drinks to alcohol. When doing intense physical activity like exercise, then it would be best to just drink water instead. For pregnant women and young children, drinking energy drinks is best to be avoided. They also pose problems for those who have high blood pressure and heart disease.

Energy drinks can provide and be a health drink, as long as it consumed moderately.

Today, more and more experts agree that taking vitamins and mineral supplements in liquid form can be quite effective in achieving optimum health. This is because in this form, the body can absorb the nutrients it needs easily. For this reason alone why may companies decided to come with health drinks in liquid form such as those in juices while others come up with powder form which should be consumed along with liquid.

In the market nowadays, majority of the health drinks are available in pre-mixed form usually in a bottle or tetra packs that are ready for drinking. However, there are also those that come in powder form that can be mixed with water to come up with your very own health drink.

Experts agree that people, these days, are very lucky because there is a continuous research and science experiment that aim to provide healthier and better tasting health drinks. In fact, health drinks come with variations of fruits, vegetables, enzyme grains, nuts, seeds, and other herbs to make them more appetizing.

Benefits of health drinks

These days, health drinks are reported to react differently to people who are using them. These also react depending on the purpose of the person using it. Experts say that the health drinks available in the market today can be categorized depending on the need of the consumers. There are those that are made to just deliver essential mineral and vitamins in the body. And, there are also those that are aimed towards increasing energy levels or increasing the muscle reaction to certain activities.

No matter which one you choose, rest assured that you can benefit from it once used in moderation. Aside from delivering essential vitamins and minerals and increasing energy, the following are other benefits of health drinks:

1. Satisfies the hunger and gives a sense of fullness. In a fast-paced, busy environment people are living in today, it is a must to have a source of energy at all times. One of the reasons why more and more people are into health drinks is to make up for the lost vitamins and minerals when they need to skip meal due to busy schedule.

2. Improves overall health. Since most health drinks are packed with vitamins and minerals, it can help you fight off common diseases by consuming it regularly.

3. Helps enhance mental stability. The nutrients in most health drinks are aimed to produce oxygen that keeps the blood vessels clear. Once a person takes in these nutrients regularly, it can help them have greater focus in the things that they do either at work or at home.

Tips in buying health drinks

Although many health drinks are available in the market today, not all of these can give you the nutrients that you need. Before you buy or consume a health drink, try to ask your doctor first which are the ones he or she can recommend that would best suit your needs.

If you prefer to buy on your own, make sure that these do not contain ingredients that can be harmful to you such as phosphoric acid, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and sweeteners, artificial dyes and coloring, processed vitamins, and modified food starches.

Also, make sure that the health drink that you are about to consume is not liquefied or pasteurized, have live enzymes from chlorophyll to aid better absorption, has natural antioxidants that can help combat free radicals and are made whole food ingredients to be safe.