By Jamie Jefferson
The jury is still out on just how bad too much processed sugar is for our bodies. But we have all experienced how too much sugar provides lots of non-nutritional calorioes and is bad for the teeth.
Not to mention, it can make you feel hyperactive followed by a crash, which just makes you irritable and tired.
Here are six tips to help you break your sugar addiction.
1. Don't go cold turkey. It can be hard to cut out all added sugar and refined carbohydrates, no matter how motivated you are feeling at the moment.
Make a plan to gradually reduce your sugar intake. Making small changes each week can really add up.
Also, do your best not to replace the sugars in your diet with artificial sugars. You want your body to gradually loose the taste for lots of sugar, and the introduction of more artificial sugars can really prolong this process.
2. Substitute the most obvious things first. When you go to the store, buy brown rice and quinoa and use it when your normally cook up some white rice. Dilute your fruit juice to the point where it's pure water with a splash of juice on top.
3. Know all of the alternative names for sugars. For example, look on ingredients labels fo anything that ends in "-ose" as well as the ingredients that contain the words "cane juice" and "syrup".
4. Use protein to moderate energy levels. Having a small portion of protein in your snacks and meals can go a long way in keeping your energy levels high. When the munchies hit around 3pm, reach for a small snack of complex carbs and lean protein.
5. Choose your treats wisely. If you can't imagine life without chocolate, indulge in a bit of fine dark chocolate when the cravings strike. When the indulgence that you choose is a high quality and in small supply, you will be more likely to savour it and not gulp it down.
If you have a passion for ice cream, buy a small container of the really good stuff or make this kind of treat something that you have to go out to enjoy. That way, it isn't even in the house when a snack attack strikes.
When you do treat yourself, keep your snack small and moderate any blood sugar spikes with a little bit of lean protein.
6. Keep track of the changes you experience as you begin to break your sugar addiction. Write notes in your diary or personal journal. How does the reduction of sugar affect your energy? When do you crave sugar? Are you sleeping better? Are you losing weight?
Instead of focusing completely on your sugar intake, try to focus on eating a well balanced and healthy diet. Over time, your sugar cravings will begin to fade and you'll be on the road to better health and more sustained energy.
FROM THE DESK 
Good cooking and fine beers are seen by many as part of Belgian culture. One of the many beers with the high prestige is that of the Trappist monks. Technically, it is an ale and traditionally each abbey's beer is served in its own glass. There are only seven breweries that are allowed to brew Trappist beer. 
They are happy when they can enjoy a safe and comfortable life with their family and friends. They also highly value privacy. Belgiums have a clear aversion toward moralizing, towards telling other people how they should or should not behave and they take "live and let live" as the basis for their philosophy; the Belgians are "open-minded opportunitists".
Festivals play a major role in Belgium's cultural life. Nearly every city and town has its own festival, some that date back several centuries. 
