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Welcome back Warriors! This is the continuation of our series all about YOU.

Happy Fall, y'all! 🎃 🍂 I have missed you all, and am happily back for a few months to celebrate this Year of YOU. ♥️

Seasonal Relaxation

Let's get spicy this month! Pumpkin spice, that is!

Fall is a time of change, of comfort, of joy, and of peace. Have you ever noticed that fall seems to bring a gentle calm into your life unlike any other month? It is a time where we can take a breath, slow down, enjoy our coffee or tea a little bit more as we look at the changes happening in nature all around us. Fall color is amazing! Oranges, yellows, and reds abound all around us amidst the greens. People seem calmer, walking in the welcome coolness of a nice fall evening. We start to decorate our work and home areas with pumpkins and leaves that reflect the season. Sweaters and hoodies start to come out of storage as the days get a little shorter, a little cooler, and the nights get a little longer. Favorite movies that celebrate the season start popping up on our TVs, inviting us to just curl up with a light blanket and sit, relax, and enjoy them, quietly feeling an inner peace that is so different than the other months of the year.

Yes, October is a very special month. During this wonderful month of YOU, we also think about taking some downtime for ourselves, of taking care of ourselves. It is so important to take care of "us" — if we don't do it, who will?

Remember to still take the time to stretch while at work — get up and walk a bit every hour or so, to keep up your energy levels and to keep that relaxed feeling flowing through you as you power through your day! As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, try and get some morning sunlight in your eyes to help your biological clock (circadian rhythm). Some people benefit from using a special light during the fall and winter months to help them to wake up and sleep better, and help ward off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is a real thing, and affects a lot of people during these shorter days and longer nights.

This month’s Treat for YOU 

Now, let's talk about spice! Do you like pumpkin spice? I recently learned how to make a guilt-free, sugar-free, pumpkin spice ice cream, and a pumpkin spice coffee ice cream. I will share the recipe with you, and next month I will share a different recipe with you for another guilt-free item that you can enjoy during the upcoming holidays. 

For the totally guilt-free ice cream, you will need 1 pint of heavy whipping cream, 5 egg yolks, 2 capfuls of real vanilla extract or a vanilla bean, and 6-10 packets of stevia leaf powder or monk fruit. That is our base. It makes for a delicious vanilla ice cream. To make it more fall-like, add a teaspoon or two of Pumpkin Spice, and if you love pumpkin spice lattes, add a tablespoon or two of instant coffee crystals.

Mix it up with a hand mixer, or a whisk, or stand mixer. If you have an ice cream maker, you can then add it to the machine. If you don't have an ice cream maker, do not despair! Just put it in the freezer for 45 minutes, then mix up again for a few minutes, then back in the freezer for 2 hours. Then enjoy this delicious guilt-free treat! 

Have a wonderful October, Warriors! I'll see you next month as we continue to Celebrate this wonderful Year of YOU! 😊