We all know that water is an essential element to staying healthy. Water makes up about 60% of our body weight and all of our bodily systems are dependent on water. For example, according to the Mayo Clinic, water flushes toxins out of organs, carries nutrients to our cells, and provides essential moisture to our ear, nose, and throat (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/nu00283).
How much water you drink on a daily basis depends on a lot of factors such as how healthy you are and how active you are. Every day, we lose water through natural processes such as breathing and perspiration and it is important that we replace this water. There are many theories as to how much water is the appropriate amount to be consumed on a daily basis. Most of us have heard the recommendation to drink eight 8-oz glasses of water daily.
But is there an approach that is a bit more individualized for each of us since we are all different shapes and sizes? I personally like an approach proposed by a former massage teacher of mine. He recommends to his clients that they take their body weight, divide it by 2, and that is the number of ounces of water that person should be drinking on a daily basis. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds might consider drinking roughly 75 ounces of water daily.
If you are pregnant, nursing, fighting an illness, engage in physical activities that cause sweating, or live in a hot and humid climate (like Boston!), it is especially important that you are drinking an adequate amount of water. It is also important to drink sufficient amounts of water after receiving massage. Massage helps to move toxins that have been stored in tight muscles. Drinking water helps ensure those toxins are flushed out of the body rather than just settling somewhere else.