Apple Cider Donut Muffins

I love the crisp autumn air, the leaves changing colors on the trees, the pumpkin spice everything and most of all, these apple cider donut muffins!

These apple cider muffins are one of our favorite healthy breakfast options. They have the perfect amount of sweet from the cider and brown sugar and the sour cream helps keep them extra tender and moist. 

Does your family have any fall traditions? I’m not sure if it’s like this everywhere else, but when fall rolls around here in Utah, all sorts of pumpkin patches pop up with corn mazes and fun activities for families. One of our favorite places is down in a little town called Santaquin at Rowley’s Red Barn. It is the cutest farm with a red barn where you can buy ice cream, fall produce, the best apple cider on earth AND the most outrageously delicious apple cider donuts. I don’t know what they put in those donuts, but they are dangerous!

These apple cider donut muffins are those donuts but in muffin form because, let’s be honest, muffins are just easier than donuts! Everyone has a muffin tin but not everyone has a donut pan. It’s time to make these donut muffins a new fall tradition in your family!

Read more

The feeling that we’re putting on a different face or adopting a slightly different persona is something many of us have experienced. But for some, social masking is a way of life, and seems like the only way they feel they can fit in

We’ve all done it. That moment at work where a question arises and we just aren’t quite sure how to respond, or a friend makes a comment we think is a joke but aren’t 100% certain. We surreptitiously check to see how everyone else reacts first lest we choose the wrong thing to say. In many ways, we all practise a bit of social masking to help us avoid social faux pas. However, some of us rely on it much more than others.

Social masking, also known as social camouflaging, is thought to be one of several potential reasons as to why autistic women and girls often receive a diagnosis later in life.

In early 2018, a TV documentary revealed that more than half of undiagnosed autistic adults could be women – a figure that shocked researchers and experts alike. Of the 750,000 participants, more than 11% met the criteria pointing towards a diagnosis, with an unprecedented 52% of them being women.

With previous studies indicating that the ratio of male to female autistic individuals stood at anywhere between 2:1 to 16:1, experts put forward a range of theories to explain why these results suggested women may be under-diagnosed. The conscious and subconscious use of social masking is one of several popular explanations.

Psychiatrist Dr Louis Kraus specialises in autism. He suggests that, while the indicators of autism can be less obvious in women, many learn to mimic the behaviour of others around them, helping them to mask their difficulties in understanding social norms and cues.

Experts think girls and women may do this more often, as they want to socialise, be part of the group, and make friends, which can lead to them attempting to mimic the behaviour of their peers.

Autistic girls may also be more likely to recognise the signs of social expectations, even if they don’t fully understand or are unable to meet them. This can include mimicking facial expressions, memorising acceptable topics of conversation, and adopting physical behaviours observed in others, such as maintaining eye contact during a conversation.

While social masking may seem like a positive way to learn social cues through practise, many mimic these interactions, rather than fully understanding them. This form of social camouflaging, while helping individuals to blend in, can also delay diagnosis and support.

Many who practise social masking report still feeling disconnected or overlooked in social situations. To an outsider, they may appear to bounce between activities, conversations or groups, as they struggle to connect or have trouble recognising typically expected responses and behaviours. To combat this, many will create a “social script” of conversational phrases that can be reused when required, or copy social behaviour from friends and sometimes even TV shows.

Can it increase anxiety?

Those who regularly use social

When energy reserves are running low, try this yoga flow to restore and replenish

Exercise might not be the first thing you think of when you’re overtired and looking for ways to boost your energy levels – but perhaps it should be.

The science behind this works in a few different ways. Firstly, when you exercise, cellular changes take place inside your body, with the exertion prompting you to produce more mitochondria – often described as the ‘powerhouse of the cell’ – which creates fuel from the food you eat and the air you breathe. This, in turn, increases your energy supply, giving you a boost to keep on going. Beyond that, exercise also increases the oxygen circulation inside your body, plus it triggers the release of endorphins, feel-good chemicals that’ll give you that up-and-at-’em attitude. Of course, finding the motivation to actually move can still be a challenge. But here’s where yoga comes in…

“Being overtired is a sure sign that the body needs rest, so I would always recommend keeping movement gentle and almost always floor-based,” says yoga teacher Iain Ross. “Often when tiredness or fatigue sets in, forcing yourself into a dynamic physical practice can be counter-productive. At best, you’ll feel totally unmotivated, at worst it can lead to injuries. Listen to your body and respond as necessary.”

Iain’s golden rule is: always let your practice meet you where you are – a sentiment that stresses the importance of listening to your body, and moving in ways that make you feel good. He recommends focusing less on what you think your practice should look like, and more on what you need from it. “Sometimes that may simply be 10 minutes in a meditation and that’s enough, others it may be some gentle strengthening or perhaps a longer Yin or restorative practice,” he explains. “Let your body guide you into what’s needed, rather than sticking with anything too rigid.”

With all that in mind, if you find yourself low on energy, give this sequence a try. Take it at your own pace, let your intuition guide you, and open your heart to the energising and empowering effects of yoga.

Over to you

Try this yoga sequence, created for you by Iain Ross.

Seated twists

Sit up tall on the sit bones and let the spine be long as you inhale. As you exhale, place the left hand to the outer right thigh and the right hand behind you as an anchor point. Inhale here, and as you exhale allow your body to move deeper into the twist. Repeat on the second side, and then flow between the two shapes, using the inhale to bring you through the centre and then exhale to twist.

Seated side bends

Place the right hand beside you and reach your left hand upwards, as you inhale to create length in the side body. On the exhale, bend the right arm to a side bend towards the right. Repeat on the second side, and then flow between these two shapes using the breath. Inhale to come through the centre and exhale to bend.

Seated heart openers

Inhale to bring your hands into prayer position at the heart centre. Exhale as you interlace the fingers and push your palms forward. Inhale and raise your hands above your head, keeping the interlace of the fingers if it

Welcome to the weekend, friends! I’ve had a great time catching up with family and friends in Phoenix for the past few days, but I have to admit that the jeans, boots, and jackets in the closet at home are calling my name again. Bring on the fall weather, please! I can hardly wait to be back in Ohio. (Fingers crossed for no travel delays today!)

ON THE BLOG this week: Strawberry Banana Smoothies are simple, easy, and refreshing as a snack or even a meal all on their own. This smoothie is delicious with only four ingredients!

I’m not exaggerating when I say this Peanut Butter Fudge is one of the best fudges I’ve ever tasted. Rich, creamy, over-the-top fudge that is so easy to make, you might laugh.

While we’re on a peanut butter loving roll here, Peanut Butter Ice Cream tastes like the inside of a peanut butter cup, transformed into cold and creamy homemade ice cream.

Tender green beans, baby potatoes, smoky bacon, and sweet onions are perfectly combined in this irresistibly classic southern side dish.

Walnut Cookies are tender buttery sweet cookies with a center of chewy brown sugar, walnut, and sour cream filling. Not a fan of walnuts? Try them with pecans. However you make them, these cookies are likely to be a new holiday favorite.

What I’m CRAVING: My friend Sue’s banana oat bread with a warm maple walnut glaze caught my eye last week and I can’t stop thinking about it. I definitely need to make it this fall.

My FAVORITE THING this week is this cozy heated throw blanket. As the days start cooling off, this is a great way to stay warm and cozy without heating up the whole house. I ordered another one as a gift for a friend this week and was thrilled to see that a few of the colors are on sale for 40% off.

What we’re READING: Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan. After asking on Facebook for a few new book recommendations, several of you suggested I read this one. As soon as it was available from my library, I inhaled it.

This is the true story of a 24-year-old woman who woke up strapped to the bed in a hospital room, unable to control her movements or even speak, with no memory of

Food has the ability to transform our wellbeing – so here’s how to use it

From meditation and mindfulness tools, including classes and apps, to a broader offering of therapies, and a wide variety of courses involving movement such as yoga – there’s a lot on offer when it comes to effectively soothing anxiety. However, one key topic has not had as much publicity, even though it plays a crucial role in our mental health and mood, as well as providing the foundation for our body to function and restore balance.

After creating and delivering numerous presentations on the link between nutrition and mental health, I really felt so passionate about this subject and it has now become a major part of my clinical practice. So, to give you an idea of how powerful food can be when it comes to mental health, I will share my top tips on what to eat to soothe anxiety.

1. Healthy fats

Healthy fats, such as omega 3, are crucial for brain function, and are strongly linked to our mental health. Research shows that an imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats can increase our risk of developing mood disorders. To help restore balance, try to include three portions of oily fish in your diet per week – such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.

While oily fish are the best food source of omega 3 fats available, you can also include shelled hemp seeds, ground or soaked flax/linseed, and soaked chia seeds on a daily basis. These are an excellent source of omega 3, as well as protein, fibre, and other beneficial nutrients. You can sprinkle these over salads, stir them into porridge or overnight oats.

Also, try to limit processed foods made with sunflower or corn oil (crisps, biscuits, chocolates, cakes, and many ready meals), as these are particularly high in omega 6 fats.

2. Tryptophan

The amino acid L-Tryptophan is a crucial precursor of serotonin, our happy hormone. While serotonin also has many other functions in the body, it is best known for its role in stabilising our mood. Without enough tryptophan, the body can’t make adequate amounts of this essential hormone.

To ensure you get plenty of tryptophan in your diet try to get at least 1g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. Getting adequate protein is one of the best ways to cover your tryptophan needs, and remember to always eat protein with carbohydrates (from vegetables, fruit, or whole grains) as the body can only properly utilise tryptophan when consumed with carbs.This is because carbs are needed in order for tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier, and be converted to serotonin.

I often see clients who report chronic low moods and increased anxiety when trying to lose weight on a very low-carb diet. Some foods, which are particularly high in tryptophan, to add into your meal rotation are turkey, oats, nuts, seeds, bananas, and cherries.

3. Magnesium

Otherwise known as ‘nature’s chill pill’ (among nutritionists), magnesium aids relaxation and helps to regulate neurotransmitters. A 2017 review that looked at 18 different studies found that magnesium did reduce anxiety. The studies looked at mild anxiety, anxiety during premenstrual syndrome, postpartum anxiety, and generalised anxiety. Including plenty of magnesium-rich foods is important not just for anxiety, but also helps build stress resilience, and improves sleep quality. To meet your daily needs, I