Malnourished?

Last week while I attended Dina's Nutrition Seminar I had an AHA moment.  She was going into detail about carbohydrates and then talked about portion size.  She also gave me my personal breakdown of my macronutrients and what I should be consuming(grams) on a day to day basis.  I would consider myself a healthy eater ~ I am not a calorie cutter and believe in food for fuel.  Therefore, I try to eat variety, I try to eat consistently throughout the day and I try to eat protein with every meal.  I have always had a rough idea of what I should be consuming in terms of my protein, carbs, fats, sodium, fibre, etc.  BUT I have never had it personally designed for me and my needs (which is fat loss~body fat %).

So now that I have that breakdown I decided to follow Dina's advice and input my meals into a calorie counter to see what my final breakdown is looking like daily.  I use LiveStrong My Plate Calorie Counter which you can find at http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/.  I was quite surprised to find that I am not stacking up quite the protein I thought I was ~ yes I eat protein with every meal and snack BUT the amount (grams) sure is not to what my personal recommended amount is.  I think it is a great tool to get an idea of what the food you are eating is providing you in terms of nutrients.  To me it is not a long term tool ~ I can see myself using it a couple times a year ~ say if I have fallen off the nutrition wagon a bit and need a little kickstart reminder of what fuel foods are giving me.

Part of my AHA moment was: YES! you should be aware of how many grams of your macro nutrients you should be ingesting daily.  Not just thinking "oh I eat very healthy" or "I eat lots of vegetables", etc.  BECAUSE though you could be super nourished in some areas YOU could be malnourished in some others (even if you think you are getting enough!).  So what to do?  Well I highly recommend finding out your personal breakdown to suit your needs and then record what you are eating in a calorie counter like My Plate and see where you are at.  I am now also thinking about my sodium, fibre, sugars, etc.  Here are a couple screen shots of my breakdown:

You can see how nicely is it broken down for you.  When you input your food item it also lets you pick the amount/serving size as well ~ so you can get very specific feedback.  This is a good foundation for me as I have forgotten over time what foods I eat contain.  For example, I know that cottage cheese is a protein BUT I could never tell you before the grams of protein I get from it.  Like I mentioned before it is not something to be married too but it will give you an idea of where your nutrients are sitting!  My plan is to use this tool for a few more days.  By that time I will have inputed pretty much everything I consume on a regular basis.  I might pop back on when I am curious about a new food item I am trying to see where it sits.  

I bet, like me, so many folks struggle with weight loss, muscle gain, getting their health on track because they are not thinking about the macro nutrients being consumed on a daily basis.  People seem really focused on exercise (yes it is important) BUT you need to focus on your nutrition!  You will not make much progress if you are malnourished and kicking butt in the gym.  A very insightful article that reiterates this can be found here at Precision Nutrition's blog.  

I know I have heard the 80/20 rule regarding food ~ 80% of the time eat well and then 20% of the time you can veer off the path ~ this helps keep you "on the wagon" so to speak ~ cuts cravings, etc.  But I have also been seeing and reading about 80/20 rule in regards to exercise and nutrition.  Meaning 80% of your weight loss, maintenance, healthy body comes from your day to day diet, what you consume.  20% is the exercise, working out, training part of things.  Something to think about for sure.  Obviously keep active, keep training but keep what goes in your body nourishing!  

  

INSPIRE ME #5: Brent Fairweather

This is Brent ~ he is awesome.

What Brent thinks we see...

what we ACTUALLY see :)

Brent is inspiring for a lot of reasons ~ he is not only a volunteer firefighter, but coaches hockey and has even been a trainer for the military.  Not only does he do all of that but he also is a trainer at Excel (besides having a "day" job and a family!)  Brent has a killer work ethic and is very dedicated to being active and knowing your stuff.  If you are partnered up with Brent, he doesn't let you wimp out.  He pushes you to work a little harder, move a little quicker, lift a little heavier ~ especially because he is one strong dude! Try to keep up to this guy!  He is also very funny so that makes him an awesome workout buddy!  If your building was on fire trust Brent to carry you down the stairs SUPER FAST!  Thanks Brent for being one inspiring guy and being such a great role model!

Here is his interview:

1. What is your health/fitness history? 
I was always involved in sports throughout school.  I focused on hockey and football.  Played Junior Hockey until I was 20.  Got into the bodybuilding and powerlifting scene between age 20 to 25.  I graduated from the University of Alberta with Degree in Physical Education in 1998.  I have been a Personal Trainer since 1998 as well.  I was employed by the Canadian Forces as a Fitness Coordinator/Instructor from 2000 to 2003. I currently operate a personal training side business called "FitnessFix Personal Training and Wellness Consulting" where I work primarily with elite athletes in sports such as hockey and football.  I also do specialized training for persons pursuing Firefighting and Police employment. 

2. How long have you been a member at Excel?
I have been a member at Excel for almost two years now. I have been a trainer at Excel for almost one year (Mondays 6pm BLAZE).

3. How often do you exercise?
I exercise 4 to 5 times a week.

4. What is a typical set of meals/snacks throughout the day for you?
I eat like a horse!  At least 7 times a day!!!  I eat small meals throughout the course of the day! I estimate my daily caloric intake to be about 2200 to 2700 calories per day.  I try to make foods I eat as balanced as possible.  I don't concern myself with diets and fads.  Could I eat better?.....YES.  We all could.  Do I want to get wrapped up in measuring food into tiny grams, etc?.....NO!  Life is too short for that.  I keep an eye on what I eat, I cheat a bit here and there (insert M & M Candy here), I try to keep my coffee intake down and I drink loads of water.  Plus I train my ass off in the gym!

5. What would you say is your biggest strength in fitness?
My biggest strength in fitness is definitely anything that involves power such as sled push/pull or squat move.

6. What would you say is your biggest weakness in fitness?
My biggest weakness in fitness would be anything aerobic such as long duration cardiovascular exercise.  I always have been an athlete in anaerobic sport so my muscles have been conditioned primarily for those types of requirements.   Obviously when I was younger and playing multiple sports, my cardiovascular fitness wasn't an issue but it is now.  I suffered from a few injuries such as a real bad case of shin splints one year which flare up quick when running so using running as cardiovascular training isn't much of an option.

7. Is there anything in particular you are training for? 
All my training for the last 5-6 years has been focused on preparing myself for Firefighter Recruitment Fitness Testing.  I am also thinking about entering a Firefighter Combat Challenge this year as a personal test and challenge!

8. What would you say is your favourite work out?
Afterburn and Catt Combine.  Also BLAZE on Monday @ 6pm!  Cause I teach it!  So for those of you who haven't tried it ~ it's time to get your butts down to Excel on Monday evenings and light your muscles on fire!  Trust me ~ You wont be disappointed!

9. How do you keep motivated day-to-day?
How do I keep motivated day-to-day?  Wow that's a tough one.  Sometimes I need to kick myself in the butt and say "Suck it up princess and get your butt to the gym.  You may not feel like going but you won't regret going when you are finished!"  Also I find it easier when you have a goal, event or something you are working towards.  It doesn't always have to be something big but it can get you into the right mindset to prepare and give it your best effort when training.

10. What would be your biggest advice to someone just starting out on his/her journey to improved health and fitness?

Nice fitness pose!

The biggest advice I can give to someone starting out........Congratulations!  You have made one of the most important decisions in your life and what you are going to accomplish personally can impact others around you in a positive way.  It will be tough and some people will support you and some won't.  You will be sore, tired, sweaty, and somedays you will say to yourself "This sucks and I don't want to do it anymore!"  You need to push yourself thru those negative thoughts.  Fitness is a tough road to follow and many people drive off the road and over the cliff never to be seen again.  Trust in yourself ~ that you can do it because you can do it!  Reach out to others for help because we are here to help you!  Fitness can free the mind and body of stress, improve your self confidence, and give you a better quality of life.  So get out there, get a sweat on and kick some butt!

11. If you could be any superhero you wanted who would you be and why?

If I could be a superhero I would choose Captain America! Strong, agile, fast, powerful, honest, integrity, values and compassionate! 

Go ahead and ask him what made he crack up for this photo;) HAHA!

Just a regular old day in Brent's life:)

Answers from a Nutrition Wizard

One of the phenomenal things about being apart of Excel Fitness is the fact that you have full-on access to an incredible nutritionist, Dina.

If you are a member of Excel Fitness, you have the privilege of attending free nutrition seminars held every Monday evening after her afternoon class (5:30pm).  They are very informational and can be shaped by us, the members.  If you have a question or what to find out something more on a topic drop her a line.  If you are not a member of Excel and you are interesting in working with her, you can find Dina here.  

She has a vast knowledge of nutrition and can really help you get back on your feet.  I know she has had a huge impact on my lifestyle changes!  She kicks butt and we are lucky to have her!  

I was lucky enough to get her to answer a series of questions I was curious about (and I bet these are questions you had too!).  

QUESTION:  What is the one food people should eat EVERY day?
ANSWER:  "Answer to this one is a toss up!  Yogurt is a great source of bone-building calcium, but its real strength lies in the probiotics that keep down the growth of harmful bacteria in your gut.  Eating more yogurt could help with inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, urinary tract infections and vaginal yeast infections."

How much?  Dina recommends 3/4 of a cup with LIVE cultures is one serving of milk/dairy products.  OR Flaxseeds.  A tablespoon of ground flaxseed sprinkled over cereal or yogurt provides 2.3 grams of fibre.  Lingnans act like estrogen in the body ~ blocking estrogen receptors on cells and contributing to reduced rates of certain hormone-related cancers such as breast cancer.  Dina recommends 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed into your diet daily.

QUESTION:  What is the "perfect" breakfast?
ANSWER:  "Oats, almonds, blueberries.  Oats keep your digestive system healthy and helps control blood cholesterol levels.  Women need a minimum of 25 grams of fibre a day and ½ cup of uncooked oatmeal provides 4 grams or 16% of your daily recommended intake.  Almonds for protein.  Centres for Disease Control recommends that women consume at least 46 grams of protein a day and 1/4 cup of nuts provide 5 grams.  And blueberries for vitamin A and C, two powerful antioxidants."

QUESTION:  How long after I wake up should I eat breakfast?
ANSWER:  "I am not sure that I follow any rule with regard to eating breakfast...as long as a person is hungry then eat.  If you aren't hungry, don't eat.  That is part of the obesity issue, people eat when they aren't hungry.  Consider energy balance (calories in/out) and how many calories to consume for the day.  Make sure its all balanced and when you do eat that it is full of fibre!"

QUESTION:  What is a great snack option?
ANSWER:  "Snacks!  Veggies with hummus, fruit like an apple with peanut butter, nuts, fresh berries, yogurt, cottage cheese, dried fruit, pita with hummus, hard boiled eggs, trail mix, tortillas with peanut butter and raisins or bananas."

QUESTION:  How long after a good workout should I wait to eat?
ANSWER:  "This is a debatable question all of a sudden.  I have always taught that the 20 minute window is key.  But lately they are saying that as long as you way within 2 hours it is good.  It also depends on your activity, that will determine WHAT you should be eating."

QUESTION:  What is a great pre and post workout food?
ANSWER:  "Again this depends on the activity.  Our body uses different fuel for different activities."  

Dina has provided me with further information on this ~ the material below shows what to eat based on activity.

DINA'S PRE/POST WORKOUT: WHAT TO EAT

Because our bodies utilize different fuels for different activities I am providing some suggestions on what to eat for what activity you are planning.
Yoga/Stretching:
Before:

•   lower impact, less concern about upsetting the stomach
  
•   Morning classes - eat fibrous foods like a whole grain cereal perhaps or yogurt - Greek or
  traditional - with fresh berries.
  
•   Some protein will help build muscles and healthy fats are great, but also that fiber content will
  further promote digestion and won't weigh you down
  Yogurt and Granola Parfait Recipe:
  Layer 6 ounces plain fat-free Greek yogurt with 2/3 cup granola mixed with 1/2 cup puffed wheat cereal, and 1 sliced peach.
  
  After:
    Replenish after a workout, so try a sports energy drink
    If its morning - you'll want to have a healthy, simple snack that won't make you nauseous like an
  egg white burrito, while your body is still burning calories. It will help build more muscle.

• Egg white Burrito Recipe:
  Egg whites, tomato, onion, whole grain tortilla
  1 whole grain tortilla 1 egg
  3 egg whites
  1⁄4 tomato
  1⁄4 onion
  1⁄4 green pepper
  2g parmesan cheese 15g salsa
  Directions
  1. Scramble egg and three egg whites.
  2. Chop green pepper, onion, and tomatoes into small pieces.
  3. Spray pan with cooking release spray
  4. Cook onions and peppers until onions are translucent. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder. 5. Add tomatoes. Cook for another minute and a half.
  6. Add egg mixture. Cook through.
  7. Place on whole grain tortilla
  8. Add salsa of your choice.

Cardio:
Before:
               Because of the physicality of the exercise, you'll need a little more energy, but you don't want a heavy meal. For a midday cardio workout, eat a healthy snack beforehand and your actual lunch afterward.

•   Eat a banana, trail mix or an energy bar. You mainly need energy and you're going to get that from healthier carbs, fruits, grains and good fats like nuts.
  
  Health Power Balls Recipe:
  Ingredients:
  •1/2 cup dates
  •1⁄2 cup pecans
  •1/3 cup coconut
  •1/3 cup peanut butter •1⁄4 cup ground flax
  •3 tbsp wheat germ
  Directions:
  1.Place all ingredients in your food processor and blend.
  2.Form into 1 inch balls and roll in wheat germ and coconut mixture.
  3.Store in a container in the fridge.
  *If you find the mixture too thick add 1⁄4 cup of warm water and blend again.
  
  After:
  

 After your workout, choose a salad with mixed greens and some lean protein like chicken breast or grilled fish. Stay away from bottled dressings or anything that has high fat content. You've worked your metabolism up and your muscles are hungry, so it's going to absorb that protein right into your muscles.

Salad Recipe:
Grilled Chicken Salad
2-1/2 ounces cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon pecans
2-3/4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 onion, minced

1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 large handfuls spinach - rinsed, dried
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons sliced fresh strawberries

Strength Training:
Before:

•   Eat 2 ounces of protein (approx. half the size of your palm) 2 hours before you work out, stay away from heavy meals. Your muscles are going to be working extra hard, so they need that type of food to sustain you throughout the workout. Your body is depleting those resources, so you need to introduce them back in. Portion control is also really important because, if you consume too much, your muscles will focus on digesting that food instead of the workout. Try a bowl of oatmeal with added walnuts, whole-grain cereal with milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, or even sweet potato or yam as a pre-workout meal eaten two hours before your workout. If you have to eat directly before your workout, a small piece of fruit—like an apple or banana—will do along with a handful of almonds.
  
  After:
  
•   Eat 4 ounces (size of your palm) and healthy grains like brown or Basmati rice. Stay away from heavier starches like potatoes and reward your body with yummy pieces of grilled fish or shrimp and vegetables. For a balanced meal, it's very important to include high fiber veggies with your protein.
  
  Shrimp, Cucumber and Quinoa Salad with Feta:
  Prepared quinoa
  1/3 c fresh lemon juice
  12 oz precooked peeled or thawed frozen shrimp, coarsely chopped 3/8 tsp black pepper
  1 c diced cucumber
  1 pint grape tomatoes
  1/2 c chopped red onion
  1/2 c chopped parsley
  2 Tbsp olive oil
  1/2 c (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese 1/4 tsp salt
  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
  2. Place shrimp in large serving bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in cucumber, tomatoes, onion, parsley, oil, and cheese. Add salt, remaining lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss.
• 4. Stir in cooled quinoa.
  5. ENJOY! 
  
  
  THANK YOU DINA FOR SHARING ALL THESE NUGGETS OF INFORMATION WITH US!
  
  

INSPIRE ME #4: Carla Buchanan

This is Carla ~ she is awesome.

Carla is an amazing woman.  I met her at Excel and have worked out with her a lot over the pass year or two.  She is someone who inspires everyone around her to work harder and do better.  I love how she believes in you and pushes you that extra little bit.  Let's just say Carla don't let you slack off if you are working out with her!  I admire her knowledge of fitness and the body (she is a massage therapist! which is wicked!).  I love how balanced she is and how infectious her positive personality is.  She is truly someone I look up too and I am so happy to have met such a beautiful and inspiring person! Thank you Carla for being fabulous!!   

She is one Tough Mudder!

Here is her interview:

1. What is your health/fitness history? 
I have always been very active and involved in Sports. I grew up playing baseball, soccer, volleyball, and basketball (among other things). Eventually I focused on basketball and played 2 years post graduate at University College of the Fraser Valley. Both years I was there we made it the CCAA Basketball National tournament. After basketball was over I was looking for something new, so I joined the Vernon Shotokan Karate-Do club. Jon and I have trained/been involved with the club since 1996 and I have achieved my 3rd Dan (black belt).

HIYAH! Watch out ~ Carla can kick your butt!

2. How long have you been a member at Excel?
I have been a member of Excel since the doors opened! I have trained with Rhonda for almost 10 years now!

3. How often do you exercise?
I would say 5-6 days a week. Between Excel and Karate, I do something just about every day. Not every day is intense though. Sundays are the "recovery" day and Jon & I usually enjoy a nice hike with the dogs. And pretty soon the mountain bikes will come back out for some nice weekend rides.

4. What is a typical set of meals/snacks throughout the day for you?
If I train in the morning, I usually have a yogurt and banana before class. Breakfast after is usually toast and peanut butter, or granola and kefir. Lunches are usually some form of lean protein (chicken breast, etc.) and a big serving of steamed veggies with coconut oil. Dinner is much the same. And a mix of organic whole grains (steel cut oats, brown rice, kamut pasta, etc.) can also be found with some of our meals. I do love eggs, and often make an omelet packed with veggies. I snack on almonds, pecans, walnuts. Every mid morning snack is a Gala apple with either cheese or peanut butter. I always have a protein bar in my bag too. I, like Jon, am a sucka for a glass of red or a nice dark beer, and sea salted Kettle chips! But my kryptonite (as Jon calls it) is cookies!!! Oatmeal chocolate chip, chocolate chip, anything with chocolate chips...you get my drift?! :-) Instead of relying on a bakery, I have now taken to making my own (spelt flour, coconut sugar, some nuts, chocolate chips, oatmeal, sunflower seeds etc.) I certainly enjoy a cookie (or 2) with my morning coffee :-) I love to eat, so, I really believe in "everything in moderation" when it comes to my food!

5. What would you say is your biggest strength in fitness?
I have always had a pretty decent work ethic...when it comes to my fitness! I like to work hard at workouts.

6. What would you say is your biggest weakness in fitness?
AN UNASSISTED PULL-UP!!!! haha....that is a goal of mine....and has eluded me! Jon likes to reassure me that it is due to my long levers :-)

7. Is there anything in particular you are training for? 
The last 8 months or so, a knee injury has kept me from training for big things like Mudder, Beast, etc.  I did do Tough Mudder in 2012! Was a highlight of the last couple of years. Loved the training we did do for that. Currently, I am overdue to test for my 4th Dan level in Karate, and so I am looking at that for a goal in 2014! And I have to say.... I really loved when Rhonda named her program LifeFit many years ago....and that is truly how I feel with my fitness/training, that I am fit for life!

8. What would you say is your favourite work out?
I don't have one particular favorite....I love the variety, and group of people...and the motivation that comes from pushing one another!

9. How do you keep motivated day-to-day?
I think for me that fitness is just part of my day to day routine. A habit (kinda like my cookie/chocolate consumption :-)...and I really enjoy it!  For those days when a little lack of motivation is there I really just try to figure out if that means I need a recovery day (if yes, then I take 1 or 2), and if not, I get my butt to a workout and am always rewarded for that! The people at the workouts ALWAYS help when the motivation level is a little low, and instantly I find my level elevates again! Not to mention how lucky I am to have a partner in life who enjoys fitness as well, that helps with motivation too....always trying to catch Jon! :-)

Powerhouse INSPIRATION couple!

10. What would be your biggest advice to someone just starting out on his/her journey to improved health and fitness?
For me the most important thing is to get out and JUST DO IT (yep, the NIKE slogan, lol)...and not compare yourself to others! Everyone is at different stages in their fitness/health journey, and we need to be there for ourselves and not to make someone else happy! And to remember that it is indeed a journey...not a race.

11. If you could be any superhero you wanted who would you be and why?
hmm....do Jedi's count as superheroes?! haha! May the Force be with you! :-)

Can't Wait for Spring!

I don't know if there are less germs flying around or more vitamin D or just a "sunnier" outlook that improves my health come Spring but boy I can not wait for Spring to finally arrive!  I have had a bit of bad luck lately with illness ~ it for sure throws you off your game.  About a month ago I had the flu ~ this lasted about three solid days.  Fever, aches, vomiting, weakness ~ it sucked to sum it up.  That was probably the most sick I had been in recent memory.  Then a couple weeks later… bam…scratchy throat.  Somewhere I picked up a cold.  I always find the first three days to be the worst ~ foggy head, congestion, coughing, aches.  I took a couple days off from the gym and rested up as much as a mom of two little ones at home can.  Then about day seven of the cold (which is simply just snot at this point), my three year girl asked me to go out to dinner.  So being a Saturday evening I thought it would be fun for just us "girls" to go out together!  Thinking of a kid-friendly place in town, I decided we would go to Red Robin.  I ate there with my family one other time when they first opened in town and it wasn't that bad ~ and you don't really have tons of options when you have a couple little kids.  

Here is some back story ~ we RARELY eat out…literally once in a blue moon.  We prefer to prepare our own food and being on one income doesn't really allow us the splurge on restaurants.  Plus we just find it a bazillion times easier to eat at home when you have an 18month old and a 3 year old.  Not only do we rarely eat out but we also eat very "clean" ~ minimal processed foods, lots of fruits and veggies (tend to have more organic and local), organic and local meats as well.  So long story short eating out is a novelty and Marley, my daughter, was very stoked to be "eating in a store".  We receive our meals ~ and it just didn't taste right but I sort of figured it just might be my tastebuds since I had a cold recently.  My daughter only nibbled at the food ~ she was excited to order ~ made up her mind fast ~ was excited when it came to the table ~ had a couple bites of this and that ~ but then wasn't interested.  So I had some of hers and I tried to entice her to eat some of mine (For reference we shared a caesar salad, a kids chocolate milkshake, I had a bite of her little red robin cheese burger which she took a couple bites from, she ate her melon slices, I only ate barely half of my chicken burger on a whole wheat bun ~ it had those fried onions which tasted gross and when Marley's strawberry sundae came she had a little lick and said she didn't like it which is COMPLETELY not like her ~ she loves treats!  But I think at that point her tummy wasn't feeling right).  I actually gave her a little lecture about asking for food and then not eating it!  Ha! It retrospect I am SO happy she didn't eat as much as I did because I would have hated to see her go thru what I did within a couple of hours!  I usually gobble up my food as well but stuff just tasted "off".  We left and returned home with a big "doggy" bag with all the food we didn't eat.  Within an hour or two I was throwing up.  Marley had an upset tummy.  Luckily she never threw up and was able to fall asleep.  I, on the other had, was so sick I lived in the bathroom and was horizontal any chance I got.  What added an extra "suck" factor was that my husband had a course the whole weekend so I was on my own with the kids ~ who are very curious about what mommy is doing in the bathroom.  Poor kids ~ hopefully they are not traumatized!  Marley's tummy seems to be better today.  I am getting over it a bit more ~ still feel a little queasy at times and am only eating bland foods.  Taking in more fluids today which is good and hoping I feel 100% with a day or two.  My cold has lingered a little bit longer now that I had food poisoning to juggle as well.  I am fine with a little congestion as long as my stomach isn't constantly cramping and I don't have to look in a toilet anymore!    I do wonder if our super clean diet does make us a little more more susceptible to bacteria, etc. when we do eat out ~ either way I will NEVER ever ever ever visit Red Robin ever again.  Never.  I called and told them what we ate and how sick we were ~ they were nice enough about it.  What do you do other then make them aware and hope someone washes something more, or preps something with a little more care.  

Bad things come in 3's I am told so I am hoping that is it for my winter illnesses and I can just look forward to sunshine, warmer temperatures and better health with Spring just around the corner.  So MORAL(S) OF THE STORY: appreciate good health when you have it and get a babysitter if you have food poisoning and little kids at the same time!