Water is great. We love water. But sometimes your body needs a little more direction than “stay hydrated.”

If you’re a woman over 40, you’ve likely noticed that your usual go-to solutions don’t always cut it anymore. Your skin is moodier than a teenager, your hormones have opinions, your digestion is suddenly more “delicate,” and your energy keeps ghosting you. Fortunately, your kitchen might be hiding a few liquid reinforcements.

Here are five goal-specific drinks—no powders, no gimmicks, no complicated instructions. Just smart, targeted combinations backed by tradition and studies. Because drinking with intention? That’s wellness with purpose.

1. For Energy Without the Crash: Yerba Mate

This South American staple is the perfect coffee alternative. Yerba mate gives you caffeine, but not too much, and adds in theobromine and theophylline—natural compounds that gently wake you up without sending your cortisol into orbit.

In fact, a study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found yerba mate supports fat oxidation and mental alertness. It’s the kind of energy that’s more “clear-headed stroll” than “email panic spiral.”

The way in which it is served and slowly drank also adds to the great results

How to make it: The ideal way is the traditional way. Use a mate and bombilla (container made of metal or pumpkin and a metal straw with a mesh on the bottom tip), fill it half way with loose yerba mate and pour hot (not boiling) water letting it sit for a minute. Sip it slowly. Just make sure NEVER to move the straw around as it ruins the setting.

2. For Weight Support: ACV + Ceylon Cinnamon Tonic

Apple cider vinegar may never win a popularity contest, but it’s a quiet overachiever. It helps regulate blood sugar after meals, supports metabolism and may curb those “I need something sweet” moments.

Ceylon cinnamon—not to be confused with the harsher, more common cassia version—also plays nice with your blood sugar. The two together are a true functional beverage.

How to make it: Stir 1 tablespoon raw ACV (with the mother) and 1/4 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon into a glass of room temp or tepid water. Drink 20 minutes before lunch. Use a straw to protect your teeth from the acid.

3. For Clearer, Calmer Skin: Hibiscus + Nettle Tea

If your skin is suddenly acting up like a rebellious teenager, this drink is for you. Nettle is rich in minerals like zinc and silica and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. Hibiscus brings vitamin C and antioxidants whilst giving the drink its characteristic ruby colour and slightly tart touch.

A study published in Food & Function found hibiscus helped inhibit enzymes that break down collagen and elastin—so yes, there’s science behind the glow.

How to make it: Steep 1 tsp dried nettle and 1 tsp dried hibiscus in 1.5 cups hot water for 10 minutes. Sip warm or chilled. Think of it as your afternoon reset—skin-first, stress-second.

4. For Hormonal Sanity: Spearmint + Fennel Infusion

Spearmint has been shown to reduce excess androgens (hello, chin hairs), and fennel contains phytoestrogens that help smooth out the hormonal turbulence many of us face in perimenopause or beyond.

A 2017 Phytotherapy Research study found that drinking spearmint tea twice daily reduced androgen levels in women after just one month.

How to make it: Steep 1 tsp dried spearmint and ½ tsp crushed fennel seeds in 1 cup of hot water for 7 minutes. Drink once or twice a day when your brain says “snack-time” but your hormones say “sabotage.”

5. For Digestion That Doesn’t Talk Back: Lemon-Ginger-Flax Tonic

Bloating? Sluggish gut? Digestive weirdness that defies explanation? This one’s for you. Ginger gets your stomach moving, lemon supports bile flow and flaxseed feeds your good gut bacteria while gently keeping things moving. It’s your digestive system tune-up aid

How to make it: Steep a few slices of fresh ginger in 1.5 cups hot water for 10 minutes. Add the juice of half a lemon. Let it cool slightly, then stir in 1 teaspoon freshly ground flaxseed. Drink in the morning before breakfast and see how your gut thanks you for the help.

Raise Your Glass (Intentionally)

None of these drinks are magic. They won’t cancel out stress, reverse time or replace sleep. But they will support your body in very real, practical ways—especially when you commit to them for more than three days.

Pick one based on what you’re working on right now. Try it daily for two weeks. Then listen to your body. The results may not be dramatic, but they will be noticeable—especially to you.

Because sometimes the difference between “I feel off” and “I’ve got this” really is just the right drink, at the right time.