Juicing at last!

Finally got round to buying a blender for trying out the juicing idea (note blender not a juicer - you get more nutrients and less waste I've now changed my mind on this I think they are both useful, Ed). After much reading and discussion with my friend Dawn re which product to buy (she has both) I used my gift vouchers (leaving present from work) to purchase a Kenwood blender- chosen cos it's a food processer, blender, grinder, etc all in one and within my budget (under £100). For a novice, uncertain about juicing I thought it rather unnecessary to go buying one of the really expensive ones - Rhino or Vitamax though I can see if I was doing this professionally or more than once a day I would need one of these industrial monsters. I actually saw a demo of the Vitamax last week at the Mind, Body Spirit Fayre in London. Very impressive - you can chuck anything thing in, including ice, and hey presto it deals with it all. They guy made soup in it (warmed by being left to blend for 6 minutes - perfect temperature), ice cream (by adding frozen fruit and chocolate bars - very tasty!) as well as juices so it's thoroughly versatile. Then into my inbox arrived a tempting email from the self-styled Green Queen to try juicing for 3 days with a guided 3 day detox and I thought - why the hell not? So, not wishing to re-visit my weeks detox back in March (heavy duty upchucking and flu-like symptoms), the deal is; I replace one meal a day with a juice of fresh ingredients including some greens. Yesterday I tried spinach and banana - surprisingly good - for lunch. Today's was beetroot, grape and ginger -also good (I know beetroot breaks the greens rule but it's a very powerful detoxing root veg so I thought the Green Queen wouldn't mind if I made up my own.
So far what I have noticed is a general raising of energy levels and a decrease in the urge to stuff myself stupid with sugar and chocolate. Also, am feeling very positive but that may be the time of year and of the month (hormones being what they are).

Hey, anyway have had a very interesting couple of weeks with trips to London to the aforementioned fayre and a scientific meeting on DHA which is an essential omega-3 fatty acid. I felt very privileged to be in such esteemed company though a slight imposter being as i am no longer a bona fide university researcher. What was really interesting was watching the politics going on - during the questions some academics making pointed digs at rival academics. Lots of posturing and point scoring. Hilarious but also slightly depressing. And why is it that the few women who make it in the scientific community do so in spite of being female still? I always get the impression they have to deny their femaleness to succeed and become more competitive and aggressive than the men. There is a complete absence of the sense of holism at these events. The 2 days feel like chalk and cheese. A perfectly schizophrenic trip then which mirrors the events of my life where I have one foot in one camp and one in the other. Why is there no dialogue between them? - that's not entirely true as Alex Richardson was at the DHA conference and I have seen her at the Complementary and Alternative Medicine fayre in October so she evidently has some sympathy with that approach but it is rare. You get the definite impression that there would be much sneering if I had talked about my overtone chanting the day before. They can barely tolerate mention of CAM without derision. Shame as both sides have much to teach eachother. Ah well, carry on juicing that's what I say.

Oh and er massaging - my exam is end June so am busy revising (well I ususally end up watching stuff on the internet which isn't quite what I should be doing) and practicing which I am really enjoying. That I get to connect with people in a very physical way is a very powerful feeling - I described it yesterday to someone as an act of love - not sexual - but certainly of wishing to heal and caring. Mm, I wouldn't have believed I enjoy it so much when I decided to learn it. I think I saw it as an opportunity to learn more about the body and make it a good introduction to my holistic practice. I had no idea it would be so spiritual an experience - much like I find gardening - connecting with the earth or with human being-ness. Wow.
Anyway enough esoteric musings. S'all for now, over n out earthlings.