My natural instinct is to get out there and hunt, to grab life by the throat and get whatever I've set my sights on. Whilst being a painfully shy and quiet child, as an adult I was always described as being assertive, go getting, ambitious etc.

So when my Genotype diet book arrived in early January, I expected 100% to be a hunter, albeit a curvy one! After all I'm a type O, what else could I be? Or so I thought....

Once I'd completed my measurements, many, many times, I had to accept that actually I was Gatherer. It's true, I am good at prolonged and concentrated brain work, I'm a great problem solver, I like new things (and get bored easily!), I am kinda sweet natured and I'm definitely exercise challenged .

I had admit that I do tend to look slightly padded even when I was only 6 1/2 stone. Although I've always had a very small waist compared to my hip measurement, I hadn't really thought about that as being a good or a bad thing and most people described them as 'child bearing hips', much to my annoyance as a shy teen.

I take comfort in Peter's words that I have 'terrific mental endurance', am highly motivated (er yes, up until I get bored ...), am fertile (I guess that's a good thing) and I should age well. For example my Hunter brother is younger than me, but looks a lot older, not that I tease him about this at all ..... well maybe just a little

I've started taking kelp, bladderwrack, quercetin, and a suitable multivitamin. Now I need to learn to plan ahead a bit more, think about meals well in advance, perhaps add a few snacks ready chopped/prepared to the fridge for those 'moments of weakness' when I'm hovering at the fridge door. Or when, like tomorrow, I'm out on calls, and find it hard to take compliant food with me. I've packed some oatcakes, sliced turkey, salad, peaches and lots of bottled water. Let's hope I remember to actually put them in the car before I leave the house?

Tonight as I eat stir fried turkey breast, cooked with onions, indian spices, spinach, salad, mushrooms and whatever else I can find, I'll smile contentedly, knowing that if I can summon my motivation, staying power and just 'stick with the plan' then I'll conquer my health demons, look great as I age gracefully, and feel better and better each day.

But as always, I know that if I stumble today, all is not lost, tomorrow is a fresh start and the good things I do eat are every bit as helpful as the things I avoid .

Thanks Dr D