BEST FRIENDS & MORE 


PUMPKIN SPICE OVERLOAD 

As summer fades and leaves begin to turn, pumpkin spice takes 
over. Coffee shops roll out lattes, grocery stores fill with pump-
kin-flavored snacks, and fans rush for their first taste of fall. For 
many, the warm, spicy flavor brings back memories of family, 
cozy kitchens, and holidays ahead. But why are we so hooked on 
something so simple? 

It comes down to comfort and tradition. The spices (cinnamon, 
nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) remind us of pies, chilly evenings, 
and family gatherings. Add “limited time only” marketing and 
a flood of social media posts, and pumpkin spice becomes more 
than a flavor. It’s a cultural event people don’t want to miss. 

So what are the most popular pumpkin spice items? At the top 
of the list is the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). Starbucks 
introduced it in 2003, and it has been the star of the season ever 
since. Today, nearly every coffee chain offers its own version,
from iced pumpkin spice cold brews to bottled pumpkin spice 

Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 

coffee drinks. 

professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness 
classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit. 

com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness Right behind lattes are pumpkin spice creamers. Instacart 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness. reports that sales of these creamers jump more than 1,400% 
once fall hits. That means people aren’t just ordering a PSL, 

they’re making pumpkin spice coffee at home every morning. 

Then there are the snacks and sweets. Walk into any store in September and you’ll see shelves 
of pumpkin spice cookies, protein bars, muffins, cereals, candies, and even pretzels. Trader 
Joe’s alone launches more than 30 pumpkin spice products each year, including donut holes, 
waffles, and ice cream. 

And let’s not forget the novelty items. From pumpkin spice marshmallows to pumpkin spice 
beer, companies try to outdo each other with new twists. The pumpkin spice market in the 

U.S. now tops $1 billion a year and is expected to double in the next decade. 
But all that cozy flavor comes with a cost—both for your body and your wallet. 

Let’s start with health. A standard grande pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks has around 390 
calories and 50 grams of sugar, more sugar than you should have in an entire day. Add whipped 
cream, or drink one several times a week, and stack up quickly. Pumpkin spice creamers may 
seem harmless, but a splash here and a splash there can add up to hundreds of calories each 
week. Snacks like cookies and muffins are usually loaded with added sugar and fat too. 

The financial cost adds up as well. A single PSL costs around $6–$7 depending on where you 
live. Have one multiple times a week, and you’re spending more than $100 a month on just 
one drink. Add creamers, cereals, and special treats from the grocery store, and pumpkin 
spice can quietly drain your budget long before the holiday shopping season arrives. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to give up the flavor you love. There are realistic ways to enjoy 
pumpkin spice without breaking your health goals or your bank account. 

Make your own latte at home. Brew strong coffee or espresso, warm some plant-based milk, 
and add a teaspoon of real pumpkin purée with a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. 
Sweeten lightly with honey or maple syrup. You’ll cut the sugar by more than half and save 
money too. 

Use spice blends instead of syrups. A small container of pumpkin pie spice costs just a few 
dollars and can last the whole season. Shake it on top of oatmeal, yogurt, or plain coffee. You’ll 
get the flavor without all the additives. 

Try healthier snacks. Instead of buying processed pumpkin spice cookies, bake your own using 
whole wheat flour, less sugar, and real pumpkin. Or stir pumpkin purée and spices into 
yogurt for a protein-rich snack. 

Keep it special. One reason pumpkin spice feels exciting is because it’s seasonal. If you limit 
yourself to a weekly treat instead of a daily habit, you’ll enjoy it more, and save money and 
excess calories. 

Pumpkin spice isn’t just about food. It’s about feelings. We crave it because it makes us feel 
safe, warm, and connected to traditions we love. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying that 
comfort. But being aware of what you’re actually consuming can help you make better choices. 

So the next time you’re tempted by a pumpkin spice latte or a box of pumpkin spice cookies, 
pause for a second. Ask yourself: is this the cozy flavor I’m after, or just the sugar rush? If it’s 
comfort you want, you can get that feeling with a homemade version, a simple spice blend, or 
even just the smell of a cinnamon candle. 

Mountain View News Saturday, September 19, 2026 

UNLOCK YOUR LIFE 

THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES: 
What Story Are You Telling Yourself About Yourself 

We all carry narratives about our abilities and limitations. “I’m not good 
at technology.” “I’m bad with numbers.” “I have a black thumb.” These 
statements feel like facts, but as a for-mer defense attorney I know that 
facts are subject to change. What if, Instead they’re just stories we’ve accepted 
without question? 

These self-imposed labels might seem harmless when they apply to 
things we don’t care about. But watch what happens when “I’m bad at

Lori A. Harris 

math” becomes a reason to avoid starting a business, or when “I’m not 
tech-savvy” prevents us from exploring new opportunities. Suddenly, 
these innocent-sounding beliefs are quietly shaping the boundaries of our lives. 

When Everything I Touched Died

I used to believe I had a black thumb. Everything I touched seemed to wither and die. For years, this 
story kept me away from gardening entirely. Why try when failure seemed inevi-table? 

But then I started questioning that narrative. Was I really cursed with plant-killing powers, or was 
I simply uninterested in learning what plants actually needed? The truth was un-comfortable but 
liberating: I hadn’t failed at gardening—I’d never really tried. 

My transformation began with curiosity instead of resignation. Instead of assuming I was destined 
to kill plants, I approached them as living beings worth understanding. I re-searched their needs, 
paid attention to their signals, and most importantly, I allowed myself to care. 

Today, I tend to a Meyer lemon tree, something the old “black thumb” version of me would never 
have dared attempt. When problems arise (and they do—citrus trees face real chal-lenges from pests 
and diseases), I no longer catastrophize. I breathe, research, seek help, and follow through. The 
woman who once killed houseplants now lovingly applies treat-ments to diseased leaves. 

If you had told my younger self this story, I wouldn’t have believed you. 

The Power of “What If?” 

What if our perceived limitations are really reflections of where we’ve placed our interest and attention? 
What if lack of competence stems more from lack of confidence than lack of ability? 

The stories we tell ourselves matter because they become the lens through which we see possibilities. 
When we believe we’re “bad at something,” we stop trying. When we stop try-ing, we never 
improve. The story becomes self-fulfilling prophecy. 

But stories can be rewritten. 

Your Turn to Question the Story

This week, notice the limiting stories you tell yourself. Pick one that matters to you—something that 
might be holding you back from an opportunity or experience you actually want. 

Ask yourself: 
-Is this story absolutely true? 
-How does believing it serve me? 
-What would be possible if I approached this area with curiosity instead of resignation? 
-What’s one small step I could take to test this belief? 

You don’t have to transform overnight. Start with curiosity. Start with caring. Start with trying. 

The most beautiful gardens begin with someone willing to plant a single seed, even with uncertain 
hands. 

Lori A. Harris is an Award-winning Integrative Change and Transformational Coach. You can learn more about 
her at loriaharris.com 

ALL THINGS by Jeff Brown 

THE LIGHT EATERS: HOW THE UNSEEN WORLD 
OF PLANT INTELLIGENCE OFFERS A NEW 
UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE ON EARTH 

It takes tremendous biological creativity to be a plant. To survive and 
thrive while rooted in a single spot, plants have adapted ingenious 
methods of survival. In recent years, scientists have learned about their 
ability to communicate, recognize their kin and behave socially, hear 
sounds, morph their bodies to blend into their surroundings, store 
useful memories that inform their life cycle, and trick animals into 
behaving to their benefit—a fascinating display of plant behavior and sensory abilities, 
to name just a few remarkable talents.
The Light Eaters is a deep immersion into the drama of green life and the complexity 
of this wild and awe-inspiring world that challenges our very understanding of agency, 
consciousness, and intelligence. In this captivating exploration of plant intelligence, we 
see that plants, rather than imitate human intelligence, have perhaps formed a parallel 
system. What is intelligent life if not a vine that grows leaves to blend into the shrub on 
which it climbs, a flower that shapes its bloom to fit exactly the beak of its pollinator, a 
pea seedling that can hear water flowing and make its way toward it? She takes us across 
the globe, digging into her own memories and into the soil with the scientists who have 
spent their waking days studying these amazing entities up close.
What can we learn about life on Earth from the living things that thrive, adapt, 
consume, and accommodate simultaneously? More important, what do we owe these 
life forms once we come to understand their rich and varied abilities? Examining the 
latest epiphanies in botanical research, Schlanger spotlights the intellectual struggles 
among the researchers conceiving a wholly new view of their subject, offering a glimpse 
of a field in turmoil as plant scientists debate the tenets of ongoing discoveries and how 
insights into plant communication influence our understanding of what a plant is.
We need plants to survive. But what do they need us for—if at all? An eye-opening and 
informative look at the ecosystem we live in, this book challenges us to rethink the role 
of plants—and our own place—in the natural world, tackling the enthralling question 
of plant consciousness along the way.
Longlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Nonfiction Prize • Finalist for the Los 
Angeles Times Book Prize • Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award for Natural 
HistoryABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Zoë Schlanger is a staff writer at the Atlantic, where she covers climate change. She 
previously covered the environment at Quartz and Newsweek. Her work has appeared 
in The New York Times, the New York Review of Books, Time, NPR, and elsewhere. 
Schlanger was the recipient of a 2017 National Association of Science Writers reporting 
award. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. 

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