“She has (put on) at least five pounds,” says a source close to the actress. “She wants to prove she’s trying to change.”

The newly brunette Richie has even “distanced herself from a lot of (old) friends,” adds the source. Among those old friends is Rachel Zoe, her old and annoying stylist for the past three years, with whom Richie split last week.

Richie, whose brittle, skeletal frame had fallen to around 90 pounds, somehow found the energy to attend the American Music Awards last week in a vintage Christian Dior dress with the help of new style consultant, Cristina Ehrlich, looking “much healthier***,” said an onlooker.

Now she’s ready to shoot the fifth season of her reality show, The Simple Life, which was postponed due to her treatment. Says her on-again pal and co-star Paris Hilton:

“She looks better than she’s ever looked. I love it.”

So, it would seem, does Richie. But really, how significant is putting on five pounds when you’re withering away to nothing. I mean come on. Please see our gallery of recent Nicole Richie pictures and the pic in this very post before you believe this PR crap. Does this look like a healthy person? No. Thank you.

*** – “much healthier” = “like she stole Britney Spears’ breasts.”