Arm and leg

By Friday night I had painful gout in both my left arm and my left leg. It was probably aggravated by drinking a little whisky at a party and tasting some nibbles which turned out to be somewhat spicy. Yesterday, Saturday, it had gone away again - but the arm did not take long to get sore. My left eye is also a little sore - confirming that the left-side syndrome is raging again.

Two months after developing this sore arm I'm beginning to think I need to take it seriously, quite seriously. So I got my montelukast renewed and plan to take it daily. I've been eating oily fish, sardines last night and salmon with cabbage and rice for Sunday lunch today. I had a heart health check last week - apparently commissioned by the NHS. I was told I probably need to lose a stone in weight. The last time I lost weight was when I thought I had wheat allergy and I lost half a stone. That was miserable - although it might have been the anti-histamines. I lost a few pounds on holiday and I guess I've put that back. I'm afraid my healthy meals probably won't help - they're far too filling. The nurse recommended exercise - she's right and provided I can stop my limbs going stiff I need to do more. If I "lose" my left arm and leg it's going to be challenging - right-handed table tennis possibly?

She took some blood and promised to get it tested for enzymes. As she took it from my left arm - which was full of gout - I wonder what enzymes they are going to find. I'll await the doctor's summons.

RAS

Elbow and fish

My left elbow is still a little sore and that's after about six weeks. I nearly got rid of it. Over five days earlier in the week I ate six meals of fish and just one of chicken and at the end the arm was just about back to normal. That shows the power of fish. Indeed the meals included a McDonalds fillet o'fish and other catered items.

Mostly it's not stiff - just a soreness which feels like stiffness. Regular readers will know most of my problems are on the left and it's quite worrying as I'm left-handed. I'm trying to make myself ambidextrous. Typing is an amidextrous activity and maybe I need to move the mouse to the right hand side - like everyone else - in order to prevent RSI on the left. Just to be clear, this problem is not at root RSI. As well as the stiffness there's a red rash  indicating that's where the salicylate reactions are concentrating at the moment.

RAS

Good caterers!

I went to an event and gave them my dietary requirements. Yes, the caterers will do salicylate-free, I was told.

So there I am waiting for my dry  tuna and cheese sandwiches. Then I glance at the hot-dishes from which they are serving food. That looks good, I think. It looks like salmon, spinach and leek?

Sure enough it is. And everyone is eating a healthy salicylate-free meal. Now that's what I call good catering! Congratulations. (I wonder whether they got the idea from this site?)

RAS

But this is bad news...

http://www.hpa.org.uk/NewsCentre/NationalPressReleases/2010PressReleases/100929SalmonellaBariellybeansprouts/

Not long since I kept a packet of bean sprouts in the fridge for quite a long time. Has anyone ever successfully managed to cook bean sprouts?

RAS

Too much fish oil?

Well too much of anything is always bad for you.

http://news.msu.edu/story/8389/

RAS