Thanks for kind and supporting words Sarge much appreciated, and no I understand fully your sentiments re guilt trips and I most certainly haven't taken it as such. (smile)

I empathise with your pal and like you think if only he had done something to help himself, but as my late father use to say, every man ploughs his own furrow.

The diet side has never been a problem insomuch as sweet treats,cakes and biscuits (in the British sense) and other sugar laden things are something I've never really bothered with. A throwback to my horrible youth where because these things never crossed our threshold, money being the scarce commodity it was, I never grew a fondness for them in adult hood.

My diet is mainly protein based, chicken thighs, beef plus white and oily fish being my mainstay alongside fresh vegetables and fruit.

So the signs are all positive and I'm feeling pretty good mentally having been given this news.