New house, new insect saga. Having moved into a brand new home and escaped the worm invasion, I was hoping for a relatively insect-free existence. However, it seems that I’m meant to be tormented by bugs for the rest of my days, as on my second night in the new house, I saw a king-sized cockroach scaling the wall and heading towards the bathroom window.This doesn’t make for a very relaxing shower routine. Washing your face and hair while keeping one eye open and your muscles tensed for action is a stressful experience. Add to that the mother of all ant invasions and I might as well phone ahead and book my cardiac surgery in advance. Bermuda may be paradise, but there’s an awful lot of creepy crawlies lurking in among the palm trees.

Now I’m normally a positive person, always looking for and finding the bright side of a bad situation. However, here’s the next tale of woe. Because I’d been warned that I was moving to the wrong side of the roundabout, I was delighted when I found that my journey to work still only took me 20 minutes. Twenty fours later however the honeymoon was over— it’s amazing how much chaos a tiny little trench can cause — 60 minutes of chaos in fact.

So much so, that for now my leisurely breakfasts have been put on hold. I currently have two options: spend the night in Hamilton, or leap into the car at the crack of dawn with wet hair and breakfast on the go. The bright side is (you see there is one after all), it’s made me much more creative when it comes a nutritious but speedy breakfast.

Question of the week: What’s a good choice for a healthy breakfast on the run?

I bought a yoghurt yesterday but saw it had 23g of sugar. — T.T. Parerson, Warwick

Twenty-three grams of sugar is a lot. Divide the grams of sugar by 4 to give you the approximate number of teaspoons of sugar. In this instance, the yoghurt contains almost 6 teaspoons — would you put that in your coffee? Most people wouldn’t, however if your stomach is growling with hunger and you’re two steps away from starvation, it may be the best of a limited option. A fruit yoghurt is always a better choice than a bacon sandwich or mystery-meat sausages after all.

However, with a little planning, breakfast on the go can actually be healthy. If you have arrived at work with nothing but your knuckles to gnaw on, then pop out and buy a yoghurt/granola cup — which at least provides you with some calcium and one serving of whole grains.

If you work close enough to Down to Earth, try a smoothie from their juice bar. As smoothies can easily get way too high in sugar from all the fresh fruit and juice — there are two rules of thumb here. Have the smoothie mixed with soymilk (not juice) and always add-in a source of protein. One of my favourite combos is their Very Berry smoothie with soy milk and almond butter as add ins. The berries are super-rich in antioxidants and the almond butter provides a serving of both protein and good fat. You’ll only need a small or medium though — these are filling!

Fruit salad can also be a good option and many of the takeouts and grocery stores have a great selection. The MarketPlace in Hamilton probably has the best fruit salad bar I’ve seen in Bermuda, where you can select your own combination. If you can, choose fruits that are lower in sugar — for example berries, apples, peaches and oranges. Don’t pick a high sugar combo such as bananas, melon, grapes and pineapple. Again, if possible add in a source of protein — this will keep you feeling more full for longer.

If you are at a grocery store you can buy some unroasted and unsalted nuts — almonds, brazils and walnuts are all super healthy options. Limit yourself to a small handful though as otherwise it’s easy to overdo the calories.

Whatever you do, don’t be tempted by hot breakfasts on a regular basis. If you must, select scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes and then have a piece of fresh fruit too. Generally speaking, hash browns, fried eggs, bacon and sausages are loaded with bad fats and sodium — bad news for your waist line, skin and heart.

However, if the temptation is usually too great, then the best solution is to stock up with quick breakfast options both at home and at work. Buy a weeks worth and keep them in ready to grab bags at home, at your desk or in your staff kitchen. Kashi TLC bars are relatively low in sugar and high in protein. They also count as a serving of wholegrains and coupled with some fruit (e.g. an apple) make a great start to your day.

The bonus is that these can be eaten on your commute or at your desk with a minimum of fuss.

Alternatively stock up with a good wholegrain cereal (Total, Alpen, Kashi and Weetabix are all good brands) or plain natural yoghurt (soy or dairy) and have this at work. Add nuts for protein and fresh fruit for antioxidants. If you find your fresh fruit goes off too quickly, then have a small glass of 100 percent juice instead — but limit this to 8oz, as juice is extremely high in sugar — natural or not.

This should give you lots of healthy options. Eating healthily is not as tricky as it seems. It’s just a matter of being prepared and deciding in advance what you’re going to look for, rather than succumbing to temptation at the last minute. Good luck! 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 Nutritional Therapist. She can be contacted at 291-4725 or clinicalnutrition[AT]gmail.com. Course details: www.nutrifitbermuda.bm.