ZzzQuil Sleep Review

I've had sleep issues since I was 12, so for nearly 20 years getting to sleep has been an effort and chore for me almost every night.

I recieved a sample to try from Influenster's VoxBox program. I was pretty amused by the situation before I even got my box. 

Here's my very simple review:

The ingredient is the same exact ingredient that's in Benadryl and nearly every over the counter sleeping & allergy medication: diphenhydramine. 

It has 25mg in each capsule. It says to take only one, & that you should fall asleep in less than 20 minutes.

I didn't even try to hold back my laughter after reading that. Take 2 if needed or as directed by a doctor? How much are they selling this stuff for? 

I don't know, but I can tell you this: You can get 100 generic tabs with the exact same ingredient & dosage for about $5 listed under allergy or sleep aids. I'm guessing they probably sell around 10 tabs for $6.

Save your money. Don't buy this. 

And no, I did not fall asleep in 20 minutes. After 45 minutes went by I switched to the same sleepytime routine I've been doing for about 3 years, no overpriced brand names needed.

Vegetarian Taco Salad

I've been trying to look up new salads to make to bring to work since I've been rather bored of the ones I've been making for the past 3 years, that haven't varied too much.

I like Mexican food and have been trying to eat less meat (even though I don't eat much anyway) so for this week's meal prep I tried putting together something of a taco salad bowl, which came out delicious!

Chopped romaine lettuce, organic pinto beans, organic cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, pineapple salsa & Tapatio.

Previous I had thrown in ground turkey,  so if you're not vegetarian, there's another healthy option. 

Documentaries on Netflix to Watch This Weekend

I don't really watch TV, and my Netflix watching is usually limited to an hour in the background before I go to sleep. For the days I "get" to stay home and do "nothing", I like to catch up on some documentaries, usually to feed the nerdy-health-person in me:

PlantPure Nation - The first one I picked, since it had to do with whole and organic foods, and I hadn't seen it yet. If you liked Food Matters, Forks Over Knives, or Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, you'll probably like this one. If you've ever heard of The China Study (the biggest & most in-depth study of food in relation to health ever done) the guy that wrote that is a main guy in this.

The Human Experiment - The effect of chemicals on/ in our bodies and in our environment. It helps explain a lot of disorders and diseases which are now common in our modern time that weren't before, and still aren't in some under-developed nations. Lots of focus on things like cancer and reproductive issues in both men and women.

*Cowspiracy - My top pick out of this lot to watch if I had to suggest one to see. It doesn't matter if you're a meat eater or vegan, an environmentalist or not, it's full of so much eye-opening information that I was not aware of, especially to that extent, and I like to view myself as someone who is normally at a higher conscious level than most. My reason for suggesting this to people isn't to try and change your mind either way, but to give you the information you should have to make informed decisions for yourself.

Supersize Me - The one where the guy goes 30 days eating Mc Donalds and his health statistics are monitored by various doctors along the way. Bottom line: Fast food is gross, it will make you throw up, and you really could die from eating junk food.

Sugar Coated - Very interesting (and at times frustrating) look at the effect of sugar not just in our bodies, but in our legal and judicial systems. Really crazy history here of the sugar industry over the last 50 or so especially. Will open your eyes to understand how and why foods are in our normal every day lives that we have a hard time escaping, even when we try.

Prescription Thugs - This one was a little personal for me, given my past experience during the years I was sick on medications prescribed to me that made me worse and not better. Watching this may make you frustrated or sad if you or a loved one has gone through any issues of being prescribed medicine that wasn't helpful to you, or if you or someone you know has been addicted to prescription medication. Or... if you are just taking what you believe is a harmless prescription anyway.

Lunchtime Legs Workout

Leg Day! My favorite workout day ever!
Here's the last workout for this week's round of simple workouts to do during your lunch break that require no weights, but contain strength training exercises. Great exercises for your legs & booty!

• Right & Left Lunges, 20 each side
• Donkey Kicks, Right & Left, 40 each
• Squats - 40
• Hip Bridge Hold - 45 seconds

  - 15 second rest

• Curtsy Lunges, 20 each side
• Russian Dead Lift, 20 each side
• Inner Thigh Raise, 20 each side
• Wall Sit - 45 seconds

- 15 second rest

- Repeat 3 times -

Here are some more leg & booty exercises to get you inspired!

 

 

Lunchtime Upper Body Workout

Working out your upper body may seem a little limited during lunch without weights, but there is plenty to do! For this 20 minute workout, I've thrown in a small bit of cardio to burn more calories while working the smaller muscles, hitting your shoulders, biceps, triceps, and back:

• Wall Press x15
• Burpees x5
• Push-ups x10
• Mountain Climbers x20
• Tricep Dips x20
• High/ Low Plank x10
• Superman Hold 30 seconds

Repeat 3-4 times

Here are some more cardio & upper body workouts to get you inspired:

Lunchtime Abs Workout

Since I'm no longer working in a gym full time, I don't get to walk 10 feet on my lunch to a squat rack or elliptical machine. Like a normal person, I won't have much time, nor access to a shower after - so a run along the marina is out of the question.
Whenever there's a shift in my life: A new job position, a new semester at school, moving to a new apartment, etc., I tend to fall off the fitness wagon for a week or two.
Having just finished a very successful second run of my 10 week plan, my hard work & efforts are quickly going out the door with scarce workouts and over eating. Time to get back on track! What am I going to do with 20-30 minutes and no equipment?

Let's start easy. This week I'm going to break down three workouts to do during the week focused on body weight exercises: Abs, upper body, and lower body.

Today, we start with abs:

Simple 29 Minute Ab Workout:

• 1 minute each.
• Rest 10 seconds.
• Repeat twice.

1) Basic Crunch
2) Right Oblique Crunch
3) Left Oblique Crunch
4) Bicycle Crunch
5) C-Sit Rotation
6) In & Out Teaser
7) Heel taps
8) Right Side Plank Lower & Up
9) Left Side Plank Lower & Up
10) Pilates Roll Up
11) Scissors
12) Diagonal Crunch
13) Kneeling Side Bends
14) Plank Hold

Here are some more ab workout ideas for inspiration!

 

May Products of the Month

This year seems to be particularly crazy for allergies. Here in the Bay Area we've had super bi-polar weather with it raining in the 50s one week and sunny in the 80s the next, back and forth for months. Many of my friends have had allergies from hell, and my roommate has been coughing for about a month straight after traveling for work. I've fortunately haven't had anything bad myself, and can ward off symptoms that come with contagious respiratory issues fairly quickly. It's the perfect time to not only share what I use for this, but share what doTERRA has for their products of the month this May too:

My secret weapon for stuffiness and breathing issues

I always have Breathe on hand, and like diffusing it at night if I have breathing or stuffiness issues before bed. I'm getting the vapor stick this week to try out and so I can be prepared the next time something hits my home.

All doTERRA members can get a FREE Cedarwood if placing a 125+PV order before the 15th!

There is a bunch of free stuff you can get this month too. Check it out from my store front at: mydoterra.com/mssamanthamarie
Always feel free to message me with any questions you may have!

 

This month you can also get 10% off doTERRA's non-scented lotions.