Guys agonize over the menu—steak  or chicken, fries or baked caesar —but few of us seriously think about what to drink. “I’ll have what he’s having,” we say. Or we fall back on knee-jerk favorites: a cola, a cold one, a cup of coffee, a cocktail. But our bodies are 60 percent fluid i.e. 108 pounds of a 180-pound man[1] are H20—so what we drink is just as important as what we eat.

“Staying hydrated and drinking the right thing at the right time can make a difference in how you feel and perform”

Drinking something is the quickest way to nourish, refuel, recover, and re-energize yourself[2]. To remove your confusion of what not to drink, we bring you the 19 most unexpected occasions to drink to your health. Consider hitting the bottle in any of these conditions.

Symptoms: HUNGER

Remedy: You’re on the road, scanning fast-food joints. Head to a drink outlet instead, and grab a canned meal replacement, such as  Ensure (250 calories, 6 grams of fat) or Boost (240 calories, 4 grams of fat). They give you much of what you need. Or have tomato juice. It’s thick and satisfying.

Symptoms: INDIGESTION

Remedy: Buy a bottle of peppermint oil and mix a few drops with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Dissolve the mixture in a half-glass of water. It should help reduce spasms in your intestinal tract[3].

Symptoms :ANXIETY

Remedy: Have a brew, but make it a nonalcoholic beer. The hops will calm you down.

Symptoms: CONSTIPATION

Remedy: You need liquid and fiber to spur your cranky colon, so mix a fruit smoothie. Toss an orange, a banana some frozen berries, a handful of cereals, some orange juice, a and ice into a blender. Pour the concoction into your travel mug and head to work. By the time you turn on your PC, you’ll be ready to download.

Symptom: INSOMNIA

Remedy: Try warm milk, just like Mom used to make. Milk contains L-tryptophan[4], the same protein that has you fighting for couch space after your Thanks-giving turkey dinner. What to avoid: alcohol. A bottle of cold duck may put you out, but you won’t sleep as well, and you’ll be likely to wake up—we hope—to pee.

Symptom : OVEREATING

Remedy: Drinking too much water right after exercise encourages your kidneys to excrete it faster[5]. So have a sports drink, t such as Gatorade. Sports drinks contain small amounts of sodium and electrolytes that help direct the water where it’s needed most in the body.

Symptom: FINISHED EXERCISING

Remedy: Studies show that both carbohydrates and protein are necessary for refueling after a hard workout[6]. So buy a powdered drink mix that has the necessary 4-to-1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. Or have 16 ounces of orange juice and half of a tuna sandwich.

Symptom: SORENESS FROM WORKING OUT

Remedy: Here’s your excuse to have a dark beer. Heavy brews, such as porters, contain flavonoids—antioxidants that help you recover more quickly from your morning blast-a-thon. But be sure you’re properly hydrated before you imbibe. Alcohol is a diuretic.

Symptom: HOPING TO PREVENT CANCER

Remedy: Make yourself a cup of hot chocolate. Cocoa powder has more antioxidant power than green tea[7] or any fruit or vegetable you can name. Numerous studies have shown that antioxidants fight cancer.

Symptom: DIARRHEA

Remedy: Diarrhea swiftly depletes the fluids and essential electrolytes that keep your system balanced. You need to re-place them fast, so have a sports drink to refuel. Better yet, if you have Pedialyte in the house for your kids, try that. (Pedialyte also comes in freezer pops, in case you’re having trouble keeping down fluids.)

Symptom: SICK WITH AN INFECTION

Remedy: Green or black tea fights infections, even those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In lab studies, a component in the tea made Staphylococcus aureus-the resistant superbug—more vulnerable. Also, chicken soup can help‘you feel better. Simply breathing in the vapors can open your sinuses. And swallowing the hot broth increases bloodflow to the affected area, allowing white blood cells speedy access so they can start fighting infection faster.

Symptom: DINNER’S NOT FOR AN HOUR, BUT YOU’RE FAMISHED NOW

Remedy: You need some fat and protein to feel satisfied, but you don’t want to fill up. The perfect solution is 1% milk. Pretzels or  other snacks aren’t satisfying enough, and heavier foods will dampen your appetite.

Symptom: HEADACHE

Remedy: Since your brain is three-quarters water, maybe dehydration is the problem. So first try 16 ounces of water. If you’re suffering from a migraine, brew a pot of coffee. Caffeine has a constricting effect on the arteries[8]  in your head, which can help relieve pain.

Symptom: TIREDNESS

Remedy: Pass on the caffeine, and have a club soda with lemon or lime instead. The carbonation and aroma will energize you.

Symptom: HANGOVER

Remedy: Drink a Spicy vegetable juice or a virgin Bloody Mary. The spices help dilate blood vessels, which could speed recovery by improving blood circulation. Also, antioxidants from the tomatoes will help fight damage from the alcohol.

Symptom: PREPARING FOR A WORKOUT

Remedy: Drink 17 ounces of water or a sports drink 2 hours before exercises. If your workout lasts longer than an hour, have a sports drink. Your fluid in-take should match your sweat loss, and your drink should contain carbohydrates and electrolytes to help move water to your intestines.

Symptom: HOARSENESS WITH A SORE THROAT

Remedy: The vitamin C in orange juice would help, but the acid might exacerbate the soreness. So try tea with a few lemon wedges squeezed in—you’ll get a dose of vitamin C, and the warmth will soothe your throat.

Symptom: DRY SKIN

Remedy: The next time you make a drink in the blender, toss in some flax seed. The oil from this grain that you can buy at supermarkets or health food stores will help keep your skin smooth and glowing.

Symptom: THIRST AND LACK OF CASH 

Remedy: Switch from fancy bottled water to tap water. In a survey of the purity of bottled waters, one-third of 103 brands failed to meet either industry guidelines or state standards.

So next time before grabbing a can of soft drink, think twice that what could be the best drink you can have at that moment to fetch your thirst.

References:

[1] Mario G Bianchetti, Giacomo D Simonetti, and Alberto Bettinelli. Body fluids and salt metabolism - Part I. Ital J Pediatr. 2009; 35: 36. Published online 2009 November 19. doi:  10.1186/1824-7288-35-36.

[2] Saat M, Singh R, Sirisinghe RG, Nawawi M. Rehydration after exercise with fresh young coconut water, carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage and plain water. J Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci. 2002 Mar;21(2):93-104.

[3] S J Panchal, P Müller-Schwefe, and J I Wurzelmann, Opioid-induced bowel dysfunction: prevalence, pathophysiology and burden. Int J Clin Pract. 2007 July; 61(7): 1181–1187. doi:  10.1111/j.1742-1241.2007.01415.

[4] Pubchem Compound Summary. Tryptophan - Compound Summary.

[5] Barry M. Popkin, Kristen E. D’Anci, and Irwin H. Rosenberg. Water, Hydration and Health. Nutr Rev. 2010 Aug;68(8):439-58. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x.

[6] Shannan Lynch. The differential effects of a complex protein drink versus isocaloric carbohydrate. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013; 10: 31. PMCID: PMC3685561. Published online 2013 June 12. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-31.

[7] Monica H Carlsen, Bente L Halvorsen and Rune Blomhoff. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods. Nutr J. 2010; 9: 3. Published online 2010 January 22. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-9-3.

[8] Yoshida M, Ueda S, Machida J, Ikegami K. Effects of caffeine on the vascular smooth muscles isolated from two-kidney. Urol Int. 1989;44(3):147-51.