MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

That's why I stopped eating them! I think I'll stick to canned prunes.....
PS, I have said this in Today I shall be Mainly by mistake. The increased salt seems to be working, swelling in ankles has gone down, pains in leg vanished and as a bonus I slept for seven hours solid last night. But early days.....I shall be patient.
PS I have another message to call the surgery! Couldn't get though yesterday, line busy all day so it can wait now until Monday.

[Sue]

No I am not diabetic. I am classed as pre diabetic, which seems to have stabilsed for the moment

[Stanley]

Diet can hold that there Sue..... Wendy's low carb diet has served me well and on the occasions when I have got careless about it I have had sharp reminders. You also have the advantage of being slim!
I promised David I would report on the prunes. Half a can a day for two days has had a gently corrective effect and I shall repeat the treatment twice a week I think.....
I'm still getting the improvement in my legs from the increased salt. The effect was instantaneous and I no longer have the muscle pains that were plaguing me before..... Like Peter's potassium, so simple!

[Stanley]

I just wanted to emphasise the beneficial effect that increasing my salt intake has triggered. All over my body, random pains and creaks in joints that I had taken for granted with increasing age have been vanishing, some faster than others but definitely improving. I took too much notice of advice to cut back on salt intake and paid the price.
I was telling my son in law Mick about it yesterday and he pricked his ears up because he has been getting the same pains and they have been a salt-free household for many years. I suspect he will be having a word.....
So a big thank you to Peter who alerted me to this when I first realised that the blood test query about my salt levels was actually quite important.
PS. Another effect I am now sure about is that it has made my ears clearer of obstructions in my Eustachian Tubes, I can 'click' my ears easier now to clear my hearing.....

[Stanley]

I stayed up to try to get my call in at the surgery and managed it, I was trying all day on Friday. As I suspected the lady immediately apologised because the message that was waiting for me was about the blood test results.... That has all been dealt with, a plan agreed and a new blood test set for Friday February 2. The lady was nice enough to apologise..... Think of the time it has wasted for them as well.....

[Tizer]

It's important that sodium and potassium are balanced in our bodies, as described in the following article. The reason so many people have high blood pressure these days is that they have high sodium levels and that's because, unlike you Stanley, they're eating too much convenience food, ready meals etc. In comparison you have probably too little!
`Sodium, Potassium and Health' CDC

[Tripps]

I've been interested in salt for a long time, and have approached it from my usual position as a "cautious contrarian"

Remember that the word salary derives from the Latin for salt and dates to the times when if you worked for a Roman your pay was given in salt.
Check out King Solomon's MInes Go to 35 mins to see how valuable it is. "A bag of salt is worth 100 times its weight in beads.

I read a long time ago that the daily intake for an adult should not exceed 6 grams (that's 2.19 Kilos per year) so I weighed six grams out, looked at it, and it seemed a a lot - far more than I put on my food. Then I started to read labels and I found e.g. that a tin of Heinz Tomato Soup has 2.2 grams per can so it soon adds up if you eat shop bought food.

I also read and heard on the radio items from experts who said that the body had a control system which regulated the level of salt. Excess was excreted, and paradoxically someone on a low salt diet caused the body to 'hoard ' the salt that it had, so the desired result was not always achieved.

Stanley's experience is fascinating - I guess his somewhat quirky diet (assuming no added salt to the veggies) was almost totally lacking in salt. The 'side effects' and the improvement in well being after adding a moderate amount to the diet is astonishing - and very pleasing.

After watching "Diners Drive ins and Dives " I became curious about "Kosher Salt" which Americans seem to use in everything. I find that British Table salt has added iodine as a public health anti - goitre measure. Thanks Government -it's working. Seems this is not acceptable to Jews- I don't know why - so Kosher salt is just pure sodium chloride.

Here's my current line up from the Armageddon cupboard - The Himalayan is a recent addition from Home Bargains. It's really just like rock salt but one wouldn't want to be out of fashion. It will last me for a few years - all other things being equal.

Salts.JPG

[PanBiker]

I had a blood test booked for 10.40 this morning at the surgery. I received a text at 9.06 to say that it had been cancelled. I rang to confirm and book an alternative, it took three goes, first one I was 5th in the queue so hung up. Second and hour later 4 ahead of me so I hung up again. Third time lucky half an hour later only 3 so I waited, 15 minutes later I got through. Apparently the nurse I was booked with is poorly. Re-arranged for 3.30 on Wednesday. MyGP app has caught up and I am back with Nurse Lucy, I hope she has recovered OK in a couple of days!

I received another text this morning from NHS Bookings for a targeted lung health check. It's a short telephone assessment. Sally got the invite as well, probably because we both ended up with really bad chest infections last year which required antibiotics to see them off.

[Big Kev]

I received another text this morning from NHS Bookings for a targeted lung health check. It's a short telephone assessment. Sally got the invite as well, probably because we both ended up with really bad chest infections last year which required antibiotics to see them off.

We've both had those too. Details are here https://www.lancashireandsouthcumbria.i ... alth-check

[Tizer]

The Himalayan is a recent addition from Home Bargains. It's really just like rock salt but one wouldn't want to be out of fashion.

I have a specimen of the Himalayan rock salt and this is my note that goes with it...
The purple-red, massive, crystalline specimen is rock salt composed primarily of halite (NaCl). The colour and pungent sulphurous smell are due to traces of the iron sulphide greigite (Fe2+Fe3+2S4). Used in cooking and Ayurvedic medicine.

I hope you enjoy it!

[Tripps]

It's just very salty. No trace of sulphur thank goodness. Very 'on trend ' though, which is what matters.

Next door has just been in for a catch up - it's bin putting out day so we talk. I told him briefly the salt saga, and he laughed and said exactly the same thing had happened to his brother in Cumbria. Low salt diet followed by low sodium levels.

Moderation in all things seems good advice.

[Stanley]

Just to clarify I was using what I thought was a 'normal' quantity of salt. I think the problem was how I was using it. I always used it in the cooking water and thus was chucking most of it out when I drained the veggies after boiling. I tend to undercook my veggies if anything, I never believed in boiling into a mush. The results are so startling after salting the veggies after cooking that I can only assume this was the case. I have no doubt that my next blood test in February will be fine.
I am quite pissed off actually because I was given the impression by all the dietary advice out there that we actually needed very little salt and so deliberately reduced my consumption. It now seems that they spoke with forked tongue! The changes are really startling, all the pains gone that I was assuming were a result of old age, ears clearer and you wouldn't believe the orgasms I am having now!

[Tizer]

always used it in the cooking water and thus was chucking most of it out when I drained the veggies after boiling.

When Mrs Tiz saw your posts about your low salt problem that was the first thing she said - you're throwing out the salt with the water, not only the salt that you add but the soluble components of the veg. Always cook them in the minimum amount of water.

[Big Kev]

Always cook them in the minimum amount of water.

I use my microwave a lot for cooking veg, a few tablespoons of water is usually more than enough. If gravy is required the veg water goes in that.

[Big Kev]

I received another text this morning from NHS Bookings for a targeted lung health check. It's a short telephone assessment. Sally got the invite as well, probably because we both ended up with really bad chest infections last year which required antibiotics to see them off.

We've both had those too. Details are here https://www.lancashireandsouthcumbria.i ... alth-check

I phoned in for the lung health triage today, 10 minutes of questions and I'm at low risk of lung cancer.

[PanBiker]

My re-scheduled blood test for tomorrow has been cancelled again! I assume the nurse is still poorly, having said that, I feel sure there would be someone else at the surgery who could spare the two minutes it takes for a standard blood test. Anyway back onto the merry go round, 3rd in the queue this time so only an eight minute wait. Re-booked now for the 17th of January.

[Stanley]

Yes Janet was right and I am taking notice. It might be time to get the pressure cooker out again and dust it off. I haven't used it for years.

[PanBiker]

I had a dental appointment for tomorrow morning but that has also been cancelled. I have re-arranged that for mid February. It's few days after my next blood donor appointment so wont have any bearing on that. If it was later this month I would have had to rearrange that as well.

[Big Kev]

Yes Janet was right and I am taking notice. It might be time to get the pressure cooker out again and dust it off. I haven't used it for years.

I bought a fancy new one a couple of years ago, it gets used a lot here. I still have my original, with a weight on top to regulate the pressure, in the cellar. Couldn't bring myself to throw it away in case the new one, which is adjusted with a dial, stopped working

[Stanley]

I didn't do anything different yesterday when cooking veggies apart from cutting down on water used and length of cooking time. Everything al dente!I have got my old salt cellar out and filled it, I shall make sure I get plenty!

[Tizer]

Don't overdo it, though!

[Stanley]

Peter. My barometer is the pains I was getting in my legs and all over my body which have miraculously vanished. As soon as I see them coming back I shall take further measures. Isn't it strange how such a small matter can have such extreme results. It seems to me that the older we get the more prone we are to these imbalances. One of the reasons why I voluntarily started taking multivitamins and specifically vitamin D3 and K2 as a precautionary measure. Again, my barometer is how I feel and perform. On present showing I am doing quite well I think considering the mileage. (I am 88 next month remember.)

[PanBiker]

My re-scheduled blood test for tomorrow has been cancelled again! I assume the nurse is still poorly, having said that, I feel sure there would be someone else at the surgery who could spare the two minutes it takes for a standard blood test. Anyway back onto the merry go round, 3rd in the queue this time so only an eight minute wait. Re-booked now for the 17th of January.

Dawned on me late yesterday that because my blood test has been delayed from week 3 of my change of medication to after week 4, I will run out of medication. I rang the surgery and explained, receptionist said she would get a doctor to look and re-issue an electronic prescription which goes directly on the pharmacists system so can be picked up anywhere. Not had any notification that this has been actioned. Medication runs out tomorrow. The 3rd week blood test was to check that the new pills aren't adversely impacting my liver or kidneys.

[Stanley]

That's the position I keep finding myself in Ian. If all goes to plan I shall have a phone call from the Diabetic Nurse this morning and I shall ask her to check again. My next blood test is on February 10th.

[PanBiker]

Best laid plans and all that, and I did try!

Set off 40 minutes before my intended appointment time for my blood test this morning at 10.50. Got as far as next door on the back street then could see now way to stay vertical on the pavements or road. Turned round and went on myGP app to cancel my appointment, too late to cancel that way, had to ring the surgery. Fortunately got straight through and now rearranged for next week when I may be able to walk across town without breaking something.

Whichever nurse I get she had better do a good job or I will fall foul of the dark blue nurse at blood donors next month.