Clients often ask: ” What can I do to make my treatment more effective?”
Answer: “Drink Water”
What is the importance of drinking water for our internal environment after having a Bowen Therapy Session at My Bowen Clinic in Vancouver/Burnaby Heights?
First how much of our body is water?
Our body percentage of water ranges from 66 – 75% water, the percentage varies depending on height, weight, gender and body composition. Lean muscle mass contains more water than adipose tissue (1). Water is in every cell, organ, urine, perspiration, bowel movement and determines your structure of your body.
How much water should I drink?
First let’s look at how hydrated you currently are. What color is your urine? Is the urine color dark yellow or brown color – your dehydrated!
In this situation, client will need to increase water intake over the day especially prior to, during or after your Bowen Therapy session. From experience clients who come into session dehydrated can experience increased risk of having muscle cramps/spasms during or after session and may not get as much change in their body for the session.
Bowen Therapy sessions is meant to open up fascia lines and allow the opportunity for your body to re-organize itself. Once the dried out fascia is opened and alignment is achieved by water moving into dried out areas typically where clients state the pain is occurring. The water available in your body can move into the layers of dehydrated fascia providing support, flow and sense of ease in your body. If a client comes into a session dehydrated the layers of fascia may not open enough or create the ease desired.
As a general rule:
- 1.5 – 2.2 litre of water for women per day
- 2.0 – 3 litre of water for men per day (1)
These can vary depending on many factors so consult with your practitioner for more information.
How much water to drink at one time?
Every watch someone hammer back a tall glass of water without breathing in one gulp? I’ve done it and perhaps you have in a hurry also. Well….you know what comes next….your running to the bathroom. I have often wondered about this phenonium…well turns out the body will dumps it and flush the water allowing no time for it to go into your cells.
Metaphor: Ever water a house plant when it is really dry? Next you’re getting the mop! The soil didn’t absorb the water. The water just went to the side of the container and around and down and out the bottom! You can be the same….
Tip:
Drink about ¼ – ½ cup or 250 ml at one time – about 3-4 sips of water at a time every hour your awake.
Turns out you may be going to the washroom less frequently and your cleaning your inside cells and your kidney’s are able to do their job.
Drink less at a time and drink more over a day within your goals and you will stay hydrated.
By Clarissa Gibson MSc. Certified Bowen Health Therapist, Natural Health Practitioner of Canada
Reference:
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription 10th Ed.
Bowen Therapy Technique 2008