very now and then I get a burst of fresh enthusiasm about healthy living. This time it was brought on by the Halloween party at Fort Hamilton. Now ok, I had one or two drinks, but I think my Sunday morning doom and gloom was largely due to the toxic combination of what I?d put on myself, rather than in myself. It took a lot of mousse, a can of hairspray and multiple layers of make-up to transform me into a Charlie?s Angel for the night ? all very amusing but I think my lungs are still covered in a fine mist of Extra Firm Hold.

So this week I?ve spent some time cleaning up my act a little. Just like anyone, I find it difficult to stick to all my good intentions. Farrah-induced chemical exposure aside, my diet has also been suffering. Not that you?ll find me drinking a blue, chemically loaded drink or eating a hot dog, but sometimes I find myself slipping down a very sugary slope. Sugar has always been my vice - I absolutely love everything sugary and spent most of my childhood in constant quest of anything sweet. These days I generally avoid it, but sometimes after one cookie too many, I?m suddenly hooked again.

It?s amazing how the sugar can rack up in your diet without you noticing. I?m constantly advising people that they eat too much sugar and they are always, without fail, surprised. I?ve recently been on a crusade against sugary children?s drinks, but adults are exposed to a huge amount of sugar too. And when I scrutinised my own diet I found sugar everywhere. It was in my crackers, oatmeal, yoghurt, sauces and gluten-free bread ? and this is me, someone who?s generally careful.

Now whilst the body and brain do both require glucose (sugar) for fuel, we can get all the glucose we need from complex carbohydrates such as wholegrains and fruit. Refined sugar (table sugar ? the kind that?s used in cooking and that you add to food) instead does us more harm than good.

It actually depletes the body of valuable nutrients such as the B vitamins, disrupts hormones, contributes to weight gain, imbalances blood sugar levels and causes fatigue.

So getting rid of all the excess sugar you can in your diet is one of the best steps you can take towards optimal health.

Whilst ditching the sugar in my own diet, one of the best things I did was to switch back to plain oatmeal rather than the flavoured sachets I was having before. This is because refined sugar intake at breakfast time can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels for the rest of the day. As your blood sugar is directly tied to your mood and energy, it?s well worth aiming to keep it balanced by having a healthy and low-sugar breakfast.

One of the best breakfasts I recommend is plain oatmeal, with grated apple, cinnamon and a few chopped almonds. This provides complex carbohydrate for energy and protein to keep your appetite satisfied. Oats, apples and almonds are also high in fibre which lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and protects against colon cancer and other bowel diseases.

However, few people have the time to grate apples for breakfast during the week. This means that many of us need something that is super-quick and easy in the mornings ? something we can have in five minutes before we rush out of the door. This means that cold cereal is often the simplest and healthiest solution ? but a choice that?s often made badly.

So this week I?ve done a comparison of good vs. bad breakfast cereals. There are so many to choose from that sometimes it?s hard to identify which are healthy ? especially which are healthy. For example ? check out the Kellogg?s Froot Loops in the chart. The name implies the goodness of fruit, it has a high vitamin content and it?s ?multi-grain?.

In actual fact, although Fruit Loops do contain added vitamins, the ?multi-grain? label is misleading. Whilst it contains flour from different grains (corn, wheat and oats), it doesn?t contain any of the wholegrains that have the health benefits. Each small serving contains 16g of sugar ? that?s the equivalent of four teaspoons and finally, Froot Loops contains yellow 5, yellow 6, red 40 and blue 1. Other cereals are more obviously unhealthy. My lovely husband currently has his nose in the Oreo O?s box and is trying to find some redeeming information on the nutrition label. However sadly it?s almost as bad as the Froot Loops, containing lots of sugar and something called sodium hexametaphosphate ? mmmm!

It?s a shame that the sugar loaded, marshmallows-for-breakfast cereals aren?t healthy, because let?s face it some of them taste great. However, try and think about how you after you eat this kind of cereal. Most people find themselves feeling lethargic and quickly very hungry again ? so in the long term, it?s not a very satisfying breakfast experience.

Fortunately, many of the healthy cereals taste great too. My favourite is the Oaty Bites, which is nice and sweet, but is lower in sugar than most other cereals. Nature?s Path also do a great ?Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola? that has 3g of fibre and only 5g of sugar per serving.

The clear winner amongst the healthy cereals is the Kashi Go Lean. This is because it is jam-packed with wholegrains, has 13g of protein (keeping you feeling full) and a massive 10g of fibre. If you struggle in the bathroom department, then this is the cereal for you! However, although I know lots of people that love it, my husband thinks it looks and tastes like sticks and bark. If after trying it you agree with him, then mix it with some Oaty Bites and fresh berries to liven it up.

This chart should give you a general feel for which cereals are good and which are bad. However, if you are in doubt, check the label. A really good cereal will have less than 7g of sugar and less than 1g of saturated fat per serving. It will also have at least 2g of fibre and contain wholegrains. If you find a cereal that?s extra high in fibre high in protein (such as the Kashi Go Lean) then that?s even better. So do yourself a favour and buy a healthier cereal this weekend! More try this, not that next Friday.

@EDITRULE:The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Clinical Nutritionist. She can be contacted at 291 4725 or