I had an appointment with a nutritionist last night. Not something I'd ever thought I'd hear myself say! While I agree that eating healthily is important, I've always been a bit cynical about the somewhat 'sexed-up' claims of some healthy eating plans.

Headlines that scream "this diet cured my cancer" really get my back up because, although I'm happy for the person who benefitted from the plan, I wonder how many people tried it and didn't get the results they'd hoped for...

I feel a palpable shift in attitude these days towards self-medicating, and the mindset that we are somehow cabable of warding off life-threatening illnesses, if we'd only eat the right stuff.

With respect, b*££*($! There are so many factors that conspire to bring on conditions, diseases and illness. It's not realistic to think that we can be well from diet alone...

That said, I put my reservations aside because, as I say, I do think what we eat is obviously important. It's a no-brainer. So... the consultation went well. I was given a day-to-day plan of things I can and can't eat (no chocolate, no wheat - what the...?!) and bundled off with an armful of supplements to give my flagging system the boost it needs.

I'm following a low GI plan, with extra-strength liquid vits thrown in to soup up my energy levels. A blood test indicated that this was best for my type, also taking into account other minor ails such as PCOS, IBS and high cholesterol - all of which are a nuisance but within my power to manage, apparently.

So if nothing else, this plan should mop up the more niggly worries, leaving me better able to deal with the ongoing malignant melanoma schtuff.

I'll keep monitoring how I feel over the next few weeks and see if, while living the nutritional dream, I actually notice any change. It would be good to feel better because I feel a bit pants at the moment. I saw an old aquaintence on the bus tonight and she looked fabulous. i know it's a trivial thing, but I felt so self-conscious about how scruffy and haggared I looked, I avoided her. Duh!

Bring on the radiant, carrot-munching new me!