Raw Juice and Other Such Nonsense

I just finished a three day raw juice fast. I have been wanting to try one for a while, but the stars had never aligned quite properly. Among other reasons for not starting it sooner, i didn't have a juicer, and if all you're having is juice, one should really be making it oneself so it's as fresh and wholesome as possible (most juices are pasturized, taking out a lot of the enzymes the body needs to fully digest juice, and they usually have added citric acid -- which agitates the digestive system). But last weekend, i was at the Bogs' house, and i mentioned this to them, and they said, "oh! We have a juicer we haven't used for three years! Would you like to borrow it?" Yes, of course! Especially after what i've been eating recently -- particularly all the fatty-carby Jew-food i ate as a result of Seder on Saturday night. Oh my GOD was it all delicious. And i gained 9 pounds over the weekend.

I was ready for a juicefast. And i had a lot of fun with it! I did it Wednesday through Friday, reintegrating solids into my diet yesterday. I had all sorts of fun juices, like what i call my salad juice (carrot, cucumber, apple, pear, and parsley), pineapple-grapefruit juice (mmm), kiwi-strawberry juice cut with some apple, and my personal favorite among the vegetable: beet-carrot-orange juice. That was both sustaining and delicious. I also had a vegetable broth for breakfast with my soy cappuccino (broth is easier to digest than juice, which is important for me in the morning), and i had a lot of soymilk. At one point on Thursday, i got lightheaded, so i decided that was unhealthy and had a handful of peanuts to get some protein into my system -- good to balance blood sugar levels.

Why did i do this? Well, i've got sensitivities to a lot of foods that i have been eating quite a lot of lately, and i decided i needed to do something extreme to kill two birds with one stone:
Bird #1: clean all that stuff out of my system
Bird #2: establish some more self-discipline and consciousness around food again

and i feel really great! I've been extremely TIRED, but oddly refreshed. And MAN, do i love eating again :)


A Weekend in Maine (this should have been written on Monday, April 17)

Last weekend, as you may have inferred, daN and i were in Maine last weekend, staying at the Bogs' house, and we had a marvellous time. Long story short, i taught the Boggies yoga on Saturday morning, and then i went to the Second Read all by my lonesome to just hang out and see the regulars and my former co-workers. I got to talk to the owner, too, and it was fantastic to see her, and then i ran into Laura (we used to work at the Read together, and then we moved down to Boston together) who was doing exactly the same thing. We had the best time just chilling out there, drinking coffee, looking at books, and shooting the shit with each other and people we knew.

I eventually made my way back to the Bogs' in time for Seder! [yay! this is the dinner that typically kicks off Pasech (Passover)] I'm not Jewish, but i love holidays, particularly those that involve food and being grateful for all that i have, and keeping in mind all those who suffer. I loved the event in particular this year.

Sunday, daN and i went to Union to hang out with my Mum on the land that she and her fiance Rick recently purchased on none other than North Union Rd (where a few other friends in Union live) and the progress of it all up there... it's beautiful. On a clear day, she can see Mt. Washington all the way the fuck in New Hampshire. WOW. Then, daN went to get a haircut while Mum and i got some us time. For the evening, daN and i went to his brother and sister-in-law's house for dinner and catching up on all kinds of TV watching. I sincerely enjoyed the Food Network Challenge and Desperate Housewives, and now i'm ready not to see TV again for a couple months.

On Monday, we came back to Boston after stopping in Union again to have breakfast with his Mum and see some more of the Miller-Watier clan. We were TIRED on the way home. But i did get to stop at Mexicali Blues and get a new turquoise ring! YAY! I've been wanting one for a while. I'm so glad i took a three day weekend. I needed to just have time to chill in Maine rather than rush around. I never felt rushed at any point, and it was so refreshing! We'll live there again someday... and Rockland seems ripe for a yoga teacher...