Six days into her visit and Mum has restored a sense of calm and order to our house. The worm invasion is under control, new plants are lined up for potting and she’s rapidly worked her way through the laundry mountain.

All comments such as “when you have this much washing, what do you actually wear darling?” are going straight over my head as I relax in the comfort of my immaculate home.

Although, who was it that said that nothing perfect ever lasts?

Just as I was thinking that things couldn’t be more peaceful, whilst rummaging around in the cupboards, Mum has managed to empty a gigantic bag of pasta all over the kitchen floor.

She’s now having a battle with Jasper the dog, who’s eating it more quickly than she can sweep it up.

I’m not sure golden retrievers understand the logic of “but you’ve just had your supper!”, however she is trying to reason with him nonetheless.

In the meantime, as the pasta power struggle ensues, it’s my job to answer this week’s question: can good nutrition improve cellulite? So here we go—.Question of the week: Can good nutrition improve cellulite? — Lumpy in Paget

If I had a magic bullet answer for this, I’d probably never have to work again.

Even those with ten percent success rates have made millions from the lotions and potions that claim to eradicate cellulite.

As a woman there’s nothing cosmetically worse than watching your thighs become increasing dimpled.

The thing is, I don’t know anyone over the age of 16 who doesn’t have a little of the orange-peel effect going on. Thanks to the air-brushing phenomenon, both women and men think that a peachy behind is not only possible, but also the norm. What we have to remember however is that in the real world, 99 percent of women have some kind of cellulite issue.

And the one percent that don’t, don’t have any friends.

The thing is, as women age, the connective tissue structure immediately below the epidermis becomes thinner.

This means that the fat cells below this structure become more visible as they migrate up into this layer.

In addition, the walls between the fat cells become thinner, allowing the fat cells to enlarge. All this results in the development of alternating depressions and protrusions that form what we know as cellulite.

However, all is not lost (it never is.)

While I wouldn’t say that a healthy diet and lifestyle can actually eradicate cellulite forever, there’s an awful lot you can do to improve it and to prevent it from getting worse.

Trust me, even though I’m skinny, I have my own cellulite issues.

Here are my top six tips for gaining the upper hand:

1. Buy (and actually use) a skin brush.

You can buy good skin brushes from the Body Shop and from most good spas.

Skin brushes have lots of fairly soft, but densely packed bristles.

Every day, before you get in the shower, brush your body (er... you must be naked) from the extremities towards your heart, i.e from your fingertips, up your arms and from your toes, all the way up your legs.

Use firm, fairly brisk strokes, but don’t scratch yourself!

The aim is to stimulate circulation and tone up your skin. For this to work, you need to do it every day.

2. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise (at least 30 minutes, five times a week) helps to maintain your correct body weight, which reduces stress on connective tissue and helps to control the size of fat cells. However, if you are trying to lose weight — easy does it.

If you lose weight too rapidly, it can actually make cellulite more apparent.

If you are unused to exercise, or if you have a health condition, always have your regime approved by your doctor.

3. Restrict your saturated fat intake.

Saturated fat hardens and clogs up fat cells, making cellulite worse.

Unfortunately saturated fat is everywhere — in all meat and dairy, in fried food and— sniff— in chocolate.

Therefore, to cut down your saturated fat intake, you need to choose only lean red meat and poultry, but consider really reducing the amount of meat you eat.

Vegetarian sources of protein tend to be lower in saturated fat — try having more beans, lentils, hummus and if you can bear it, tofu.

Choose low fat dairy options, and avoid all fried food — baking or grilling instead.

Good fat on the other hand can be beneficial! This means that avocadoes, olives, fish and unroasted nuts and seeds have the green light in moderation.

4. Detox slowly and gently. Toxins in the body are often stored in fat cells, exacerbating the appearance of cellulite.

However, I’m anti hard n’fast detox programmes — without strict supervision from a professional.

The problem with a hardcore detox is that it is largely unsustainable and you tend to land back where you started very quickly.

In addition, a rapid detox can overload the liver, causing more harm than good.

However, you can benefit greatly from gently cleaning up your diet — getting rid of the rubbish and having plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, salads, water and herbal teas.

In addition, you may want to consider buying more organic produce, which helps to avoid artificial fertilizers and pesticides. If you can’t afford to go entirely organic (who can?) I would prioritise organic grain (think about the surface area).

5. Avoid constipation. There’s no point detoxifying if you simply replace those toxins on a regular basis via a sluggish digestive tract.

Aim for at least one bowel movement daily — otherwise toxins from impacted matter on your colon wall may be reabsorbed.

If you struggle in this department, them make sure you are drinking at least 1.5 litres of water daily (largely inbetween meals), having five servings of fruit and veg and replace any refined grains (white rice, white flour) with brown whole grains.

6. Consider supplements If you have a health concern or are currently taking any medication, always consult your doctor before taking supplements.

Also, follow directions carefully.

Discuss these options with the staff at either Down to Earth or Rock On.

* Gotu Kola is thought to improve the strength of connective tissue, which helps keep the fat cells where they should be — underneath the epidermis and further out of sight.

* Horse Chestnut is thought to have anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties, which help to maintain the integrity of cell walls.

* Milk Thistle is an excellent herb for helping to support the liver’s detoxification pathways.

* Friendly bacteria (e.g. L. acidophilus) are great for looking after the health of the digestive tract — especially if you have taken antibiotics, are on the pill or have a history of constipation>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.