7 Goals to Set During the Pandemic

I want to share some realizations I've had throughout these last 4.5 months of quarantine life:

I am a workaholic. I thrive off being busy and having projects, and when I have down time I often don't know what to do or how to handle it. I feel like I don't always have purpose without some kind of a plan...but as we all know, how quickly plans can change! 

In the past few months, I have been able to find balance between taking care of myself (something I had been neglecting for years) and getting serious about my craft and taking this newfound time off and making good use of it - all while giving myself grace, no deadlines, and no pressure. 

Now, this might sound a bit selfish at first, but I challenge everyone to take the rest of this year and really think about yourself - what do YOU want? What are your goals? What is something you've wanted to do for years and never have the time or resources to execute? For me, that was creating this business. Maybe for you it's learning to take time to relax, learning to cook, traveling more, spending time with family, starting a blog, etc! 

Something I have learned is that you can't pour into other people if you yourself are empty. 

I challenge everyone to really listen to what your body, mind, and heart needs right now. For those of you who need a break, I am with you. I understand and hope you carve out some time for yourself! For those of you who are itching to do something creative and are getting really bored of sitting around the house, here are 7 simple goals to set to stay productive during quarantine: 

•  Self-Care (Most important!)

•  Exercise (Just 30 mins a day keeps the blues away)

• Cleaning/Re-organizing your work and home space (this makes a huge difference in productivity within your home) 

• Put on some of your favorite tunes (This can really help turn your day around)

• Have an accountability partner and friend (Set goals together) 

• Set tangible goals for yourself, and start small ( Make a list with a goal a day on it. Got a big goal? Chomp away at it a little bit at a time, a few hours a week) 

•  Write it down (Having a goal and plan that you can see as soon as you wake up is key. Get a planner, write on a post it, make a list on your phone, set alerts - whatever works for you!)

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Did you know that a daily dose of Vitamin D can help fight depression, body aches and pains, fatigue, hair loss, infection, and help with overall immunity?! 
Get outside and enjoy some sunshine - even just 30 minutes a day is extremely beneficial for your bod! 

• 
  I want to challenge you this week to:
  Do a daily check in with yourself - how am I feeling today?
  Feed your mind and heart with positive, loving, and uplifting thoughts.
  Exercise and get moving daily! 
  Start each day with a glass of water first thing in the morning.
  Pay attention to how you're breathing throughout the day. Slow down and take deep, meaningful breaths.  

Take care!

Alyssa

No Sweat Rep Owner

Supplements for Immunity and Sickness Prevention

We are now almost a year into the pandemic, and as much as I hate to admit it, we are nowhere near being in the clear. In the meantime, what can one do to continue being safe and keeping that immune system in check? 

Aside from the obvious things: wearing a mask, gloves, hand sanitizing, washing your hands like your life depends on it (because it kinda does), and not going out when not necessary, I have compiled a list of PROACTIVE things you can do to help build that immune system up! 

I am a little bit of a natural supplement nerd, but I only became this way due to noticing I had a weakened immune system a few years back. I never encourage other people to take things that I don't take myself, so this list has been compiled of things that have been keeping my immunity strong since last March! 

• Zinc (Up to 4x a day)

Zinc has been proven to be beneficial against Covid-19, and if taken on a regular basis it can do wonders for your body.

• Immucore OR RM-10 supplements

These supplements are comprised of a mushroom blend, and are STRONG in immune support and function. They can be taken daily in addition to a multivitamin, or you can take up to 4 a day when you are feeling the sickies come on. The two I've listed below are basically the same supplement, just different brands of it. I have taken both and noticed differences with both. 

https://www.metagenics.com/immucore

https://www.gardenoflife.com/content/product/rm-10-immune-support/

• Vitamin C tablets (Up to 6 a day, 1000MG)

• Sinus Rinse

I never go without this stuff. It is a safe alternative to allergy medication like Zyrtec and Allegra, and it not only helps with allergies, it also works against bacteria and virus particles in the nose as well! I spray a little anytime I come home from being out in public to cleanse my airways of any intruders. 

https://www.mynaturesrite.com/product/sinus-relief/

• WATER 

It goes without saying, but water is the most powerful weapon in staying healthy! 

• ACV Shot

I used to always make fun of my mom for taking apple cider vinegar shots when sick, but now I take one every day! Make this ACV concoction to keep PH levels balanced - it also helps with immunity, or when you feel a sore throat coming on.

Mix Together in a Glass: 

Cold water, a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar (make sure it has the mother in it) , a squeeze of honey, and add a few squirts of fresh lemon juice - and drink up! 

• Herbs

I first tried herbs earlier this year when coming down with Covid symptoms after hearing Laura Bell Bundy RAVE about them after she came down with covid herself. 

This clinic in Los Angeles takes phone consultations with new clients, where they ask you very thorough questions regarding your health and symptoms. They then mix you a custom blend of chinese herbs to help combat symptoms, and send them your way.

Sound expensive? They actually take payments on a sliding scale based on your income! 

https://universalfamilyclinic.com/

• Collodial Silver

There are a lot of mixed reviews online about collodial silver and its benefits, but I have been taking silver anytime I feel like my body is fighting off something - and it always does the trick! I prefer a silver hydrosol, which has a very tiny amount of broken down silver in a water based solution for easy consumption. 

https://sovereignsilver.com/

• Leafy Greens/Smoothie

Your mama always told you to eat your greens - and she was right! Leafy green veggies keeps that immune system in check, but has many other health benefits as well: it lowers blood pressure, keeps your heart healthy, keeps your digestive system happy, and much more! 

Try getting a daily serving (if not more) of spinach, kale, and broccoli. I prefer to mix spinach into my morning smoothies, and then have kale with lunch and broccoli with dinner, making it easy to get greens with each meal! 

• Echinachea 

Weird name, but good benefits. This supplement is a natural herb that builds immunity. 

• Elderberry Syrup

People have started catching on to taking elderberry - because it works! Drink a tablespoon of syrup a day to keep the sniffles away. 

• STEAM HEAT, BABY!

  Steaming just 10 minutes a day (especially during the cold winter months) helps keep the nasal passages hydrated, meaning bacteria and viruses don’t have a place to hangout. Any steamer will do, but I highly recommend the MyPureMist brand.

Wishing you a healthy and happy 2021!

Alyssa

No Sweat Rep Owner

Integrative Health + Performing

Has anyone watched the Healthcare Heroes series on Playbill.com? I must admit - I totally geeked out over it, but that may just be because I am a total health nerd. 

If you haven't checked this out, Broadway stars sit down with various doctors from different medical backgrounds, and discuss how we as performers can up our health game during covid, but also while performing a show. I binged and watched all of these in a single evening, and let me tell you, there's some good stuff here! Check it out below! 

https://www.playbill.com/healthcareheroes

If you know me, you know I have a slight obsession with Broadway veteran Jessica Vosk. She is my spirit animal and just an all-around awesome human. She held one of the above healthcare forums this past week with medical doctors on how performers deal with stress, and I summed it up below: 

Mindfulness:

• Ground your breaths when overwhelmed.

• Place one hand on chest, and one on stomach. Feel yourself breathe.

• Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 8 counts, out for 4 counts. 

• Set the mood before going to bed: Run essential oils, go through your bedtime routine, turn off your phone or leave it in another room. 

Take care!

Alyssa

No Sweat Rep Owner

HAIR VITALITY

I recently heard some very interesting news this week. A new side effect (an after effect, actually) of Covid-19 is hair loss. People that have made full recoveries are seeing their hair fall out in chunks for weeks, sometimes MONTHS after recovery. 

This virus truly is so unique in how it effects so many different parts of the body – even down to your hair! 

I fortunately have not had Covid, but I have experienced hair loss in the past (and am still dealing with it at times) due to various circumstances: wearing pincurls for wig hair, constantly pulling my hair back, poor diet and nutrition, stress, hormones, the list goes on and on. 

There are a ton of hair loss products out there that I’m sure all of you have heard about – but with questionable ingredients. I’m not here to bash any other products, but I also want to let you know that I would never recommend something that I have not used myself and had wonderful experiences with! I have started diving into hair care education during my down time, and in my search, I randomly happened upon this product from a Facebook ad. Curiousity hit, so I read review upon review, and looked up the ingredients. 

• CRISAN  is a hair mask made up of nothing but 55 different kinds of pure essential oils, and is made in the home of a woman in Texas who just wanted to recover from her hair loss after having children. It is a family owned and operated business, and unlike many other companies, they are not out to make a quick buck, but rather want to educate everyone on the importance of hair loss and what it means. They even go so far to have monthly forums online with their customers to answer questions about hair care!

I have started using this product myself, and while it does take a few months to notice any new growth, I have already noticed less hair fall, lots of shininess, and my hair lifted more from the roots with less frizziness! I am excited to see what happens in the coming months! 

If anyone is interested in trying this product, use this link for 5% off, and type in ALYSSAFLOWERS in the promo field. 

 https://crisanbeauty.com/?ref=alyssaflowers 

Take care!

Alyssa

No Sweat Rep Owner