The super drink

Have you heard about the health drink that boosts energy levels, removes toxins from your body, aids in weight loss, helps maintain healthy skin, increases mental acuity, and reduces the risk of heart attack? Think I'm talking about acai, mangosteen, or some other exotic juice drink? Think again. I'm talking about good, old fashioned H20.

With respect to fitness performance, a University of Connecticut study found that men who drank plenty of water before lifting weights were able to complete 17 percent more reps in their sets than men who were not properly hydrated. Because the central nervous system slows down your muscle activation when you're thirsty, drinking water before, during, and after your workout will keep you from falling short of your goals due to this physiological response.

Water makes up about 70 percent of our body. What's more, blood is 83 percent water, muscles are 75 percent water, the brain is 74 percent water, and bone is 22 percent water. With these numbers being what they are, there's little doubt that water is vital to total body health and performance. And, unlike the so-called "super juices" and many other nutritional supplements, water is free or pretty close to it.