Something strange is going on in my left foot (although my previious gout attacks have always been in the right). I really hope that it is not a gout attack waiting to happen, only uric acid being stored. That I can make go away with my normal diet.
​Todays weather and temperature: Cloudy but warm. Gusts of wind in the evening.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 3
Breakfast: Banana sandwichon whole wheat bread, and an improvement in that if you add camembert or brie to it, it tastes even better. Just a thin slice.
Lunch: Leftover pulled pork and cabbage curry stew. Finally out if pulled pork!
Snack: One piece of chocolate; and spicy pumpkin seeds.
Dinner: Tomato soup with plenty of mushrooms, and eight pieces of karaage fried chicken(from yesterday).
Todays supplements and dosage: 2 teaspoonfuls of Bulk Supplements celery seed extract, one in the morning, one in the evening. And 6 fish oil capsules.
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 9.5 mg/dL. Well, I will give those celery seeds some more time.
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 15587 steps.
How much did I drink today?: Coffee 1 liter, water 1.5 liter, milk 0.3 liter, no-purine beer-like drink 0.6 liter.
This weeks weight: 119.6 kg
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 85
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 145/102 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 7 times, #2 2 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? Not at any time during the day
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, day off today.
​

The celery seed extract really smells and tastes like it contains a lot of essential oils. Which it should since those are extracted for the perfume industry. But if any part of it has any effect on the uric acid production, I have yet to see it.
​Todays weather and temperature: Beautiful spring weather, a bit warm in the middle of the day.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 3
Breakfast: Corn soup, fried egg, leftover bagel with grilled cheese, salad from daikon and flying fish roe cream (to krep the purine level up during my test of the effect of celery seeds).
Lunch: Leftover stew wirh cabbage and tomato sauce. And still some pulled pork left.
Snack: Aojiru smoothie. Maybe should try that with the celery seed extract.And a bit later a few slices of French sausage. Probably the thing I miss most in the low-purine diet.
Dinner: Tomato soup, whole grain bread, and 6 pieces of the kids karaage (deep fried chicken, but without oil since we have a new air fryer).
Todays supplements and dosage: Celery seed extract from Bulk Supplements, 1 teaspoon in the morning, one in the evening. With lemon juice because it tastes horribly in itself. If bad taste is any indication of medical effect, celery seeds are right up there with apple cider vinegar. And 6 fish oil capsules.
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 7.4 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 11000 steps
How much did I drink today?: Coffee 1 liter, water 2 liter, lemon-tasting soft drink 0.3 liter.
This weeks weight: 119.6 kg
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 85
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 144/100
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 8 times, #2 2 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, working on the garden today.
​

We had gone to the store, the kids got to choose a gift for mom (in the 300-yen-store, so did not break the bank). I am guessing the thing she will find most useful is the dishwashing with built-in brush, her hands are sensitive so she always has gloves while cooking or washing.
​Todays weather and temperature: Warmer than yesterday (we had to open the bedroom windows to get some air), but cloudy.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 3
Breakfast: Whole grain bread, cheese, and a packet of "natto" for good measure.
Lunch: Very nice "balance lunch" with 14 different local dishes, centered around a tofu burger. For dessert, Taiwanese tofu with sweet potato.
Snack: Cauliflower puffs and Thai coconut rolls while re-watching Star Trek Enterprise.
Dinner: Burdock soup and whole grain bread.
Todays supplements and dosage: Aojiru and celery seed extract in a little soy milk (better than lemon juice), one in the morning, one in the evening. Six fish oil capsules.
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 9.7 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 6952 steps
How much did I drink today?: Water 2 liter, coffee 1 liter.
This weeks weight: 120.6 kg
​Waist circumference: 117 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 91
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 149/102 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 7 times, #2 2 times
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, today is a day off.

I got accused by a member in a Facebook group of harassment. Naturally I did nothing of the sort, I try to be nice and I want people to know how effective diet can be to manage gout and hyperuricemia. Although she did not report it to the admins, in that case she would have found the solution: Block me. The constantly evolving Facebook has a number of very useful filters which enable you to build your iwn bubble around yourself. So I blocked het, and now she will not have to see my posts any more. Nor I hers (which, weird as it may seem, is a gramatically correct sentence).
​Todays weather and temperature: Almost hot - 25 degrees centigrade. Occasional clouds.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 3
Breakfast: "Gyudon", a beef and rice bowl with egg and pork soup. Not very healthy.
Lunch: Salad and onion soup gratin.
Snack: No real snack, going back and forth.
Dinner: "Natto" fermented beans with rice, a lot more natto than rice. And a few dumplings. If you fry them in the air fryer they become deliciously crispy without added fat.
Todays supplements and dosage: Aojiru and 2 teaspoons of celery seed extract in lemon juice with hot water. It actually became much better when you mixed it with aojiru powdet.
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 8.6 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 5426 steps
How much did I drink today?: Coffee 1.5 liter, water 1 liter, lemon-tasting soft drink with 3 g vitamin C per bottle 0.6 liter.
This weeks weight: 120.6 kg. This is bad, and I blame the high-purine diet.
​Waist circumference: 117 cm. No progress there ei ther.
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 85
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 142/105 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 7 times, #2 2 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, on a break today.
​

We went on a road trip, but mostly to get to the seaside and get some fresh seafood. Especially hoya, which is a kind of sea animal, usually known as sea squirt, which people eat in this part of Japan. Turned into karaage it becomes delicious.
​Todays weather and temperature: Occasional rainstorms but mostly nice.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 2
Breakfast: Tomato soup with vegetables and bread.
Lunch: Amazing sushi and freshly boiled (in their own juice) oysters. Lucky I decided to go high purine for the celery seed test.
Snack: Nuts and various snacks I picked up in the variety food store, the most intetesting were the broccoli puffs.
Dinner: Fried potatoes with meat sauce and fried chicken.
Todays supplements and dosage: None.
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 9.1 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 16339 steps. Mallwalking.
How much did I drink today?: Water 2 liter, vitamin C drink 0.3 liter, coffee 1 liter, wine 0.5 liter.
This weeks weight: 119.6 kg
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 92
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 113/96 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 7 times, #2 2 times
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, day off.

My uric acid level has been going up alarmingly. But I am going to eat a mon-purine-free diet for a few days, and then try celery seeds while I continue that diet. You see, celery seeds supposedly contain compounds which inhibit the creation of the enzymes that become uric acid, so if it works it would be like a natural allopurinol. I think I will start on tuesday.
​Todays weather and temperature: Rainy all day.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 3
Breakfast: Tofumeat burger in a bagel. With fried egg.
Lunch: Cabbage stir-fry from yesterday, plus one of the bagels the kids did not want.
Snack: Nuts and a sugarfree chocolate.
Dinner: Korean remen, which was extremely tasty - even though my wife made me a vegetarian version.
Todays supplements and dosage: None
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 7.9 mg/dL, so I was not entirely successful in getting rid of the meat.
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 8323 steps
How much did I drink today?:Water 1 liter, coffee 1 liter, beer-like no-purine drink 0.6 liter.
This weeks weight: 119.2 kg. Huh? I have not done anything! Maybe that is the problem.
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 88
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 134/102 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 8 times, #2 2 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 7
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? 10
​

Today was the another holiday, the last in Golden Week. Kids have school tomorrow, but I have a day off since I need to cut the hedge with my new electric trimmer.
​Todays weather and temperature: Cloudy but warm-ish.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 2
Breakfast: Omelet with fried vegetables inside (actually the salad from day before yesterday). If you make a salad omelet, be careful to remove the stem part of any leaves, They will be hard while the leaves are soft.
Lunch: Yakiniku, meat you grill yourself at the table.
Snack: Japanese traditional sweets and salt crackers.
Dinner: Tofu tempura in ponzu sauce, bamboo shoots grilled with mayonnaise, and since I need to elevate my uric acid to test if celery seed extract can lower it, a small plate of steamed chicken with fish roe, cheese. and asparagus. Probably more purines in the fish roe.
Todays supplements and dosage:  2 teaspoonfuls of celery seed extract from Bulk Supplements, one at breakfast, the other at dinner.
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 7.8 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 6470 steps
How much did I drink today?: Coffee 1 liter, water 2 liters
This weeks weight: 119.6 kg
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 97
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 140/98 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 7 times, #2 3 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 7
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, holiday today.
​

Another public holiday, today is Greenery Day.
​Todays weather and temperature: Beautiful spring weather, perfect temperature, a little wind, changing clouds.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 2
Breakfast: Starbucks coffee and sandwich - the herb tomato & soy patty foccacia was indistinguishable from chicken.
Lunch: Junk food at the amusement park. In this part of Japan, this includes konjac bars with sweet miso sauce. And konjac is probably one of the healthiest things you can eat. Hamburger and sausage are not, and neither is fried potatoes, thenorher parts of my meal.
Snack: A bagel with grilled cheese.
Dinner: Stew made from leftovers. With meat.
Todays supplements and dosage: 1 large teaspoon of celery seed extract from Bulk Supplements at breakfast, one before dinner ( so two in total).
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 8.6 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 10005 steps
How much did I drink today?: Water 2 liter, vitamin C soft drink 0.3 liter, coffee 0.5 liter.?
This weeks weight: 119.6 kg
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 77
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 168/106 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 6 times, #2 2 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, today is a holiday.
​

So from tomorrow I will try celery seed supplements. Celery is an amazing plant, really. I should try to grow some in the garden.
​Todays weather and temperature: Very windy and occasional rain.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 2
Breakfast: Leftover salad, kara-age
Lunch: Japanese lunch in a buffet-type restaurant, where you take accessories for your rice from a display. Tofu, octopus balls, and konyakku; and a piece of fish.
Snack: No real snack today. Had some with the beer in the evening though.
Dinner: Soba noodles with pork.
Todays supplements and dosage: None
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 9.3 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 9858 steps
How much did I drink today?: Water 2 liter, coffee 1 liter, beer-like purine-free drink 0.3 liter.
This weeks weight: 119.6 kg
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters):80
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 153/106 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 7, #2 1 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? None, today is a holiday.
​

It appears I am very sensitive to salt. I did not realize this before, but my blood pressure goes up drastically when I eat salt food. This is what happened when I took bicarbonate of soda - the soda is sodium, same as sodium chloride. Sodium chloride, plain table salt, is a dangerous trigger for high blood pressure. And it takes a couple of weeks for the blood pressure to go down again.
Apart from the immediate risk of heart failure and death, how does high blood pressure affect gout - or the other way around?
First, the high blood pressure increases the pressure in the capillaries, the small blood vessels where the blood from the heart turns around in the cells and the oxygen and other nutrients are passed into the cells, to be used in their metabolism. This can lead to disruptions in the cartilage cells in the joints, where uric acid is stored. And the ruptures and pressure will force the uric acid crystals out into the joint fluid, where they will cause a gout attack.
Second, there are capillaries throughout the body, not just in the joints. In particular in the liver and kidneys. The kidneys especially is a very cool network of narrow tubules that weave together in ways that let things pass from the blood to the water transporting tubules, and lets water go back again. This is why urine can become more concentrated if your body needs the water.
The pressure in the water transporting tubes is constant, unless you hold back your pee so that it is pushed back into the kidneys. This is not likely to kill you, because your bladder will burst first.
But if the pressure on the blood side is too high, the capillaries will be ruptured, and the urine production will be less effective. Less uric acid will be released into the urine, which means more crystals in the cartilage, and more risk for gout attacks. Plus the permanent damage to the kidneys will make them work less well even when the damage has healed, as scar tissue does not work like undamaged cells.
So I can not take bicarbonate of soda for my gout, even if I believed it worked and did not think it was neutralized in my stomach. Too bad it took so much effort to find out.
​Todays weather and temperature: Nice and quite warm. Completely cloud free until lunchtime.
Current stress level (scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high)): 4
Breakfast: Egg, toast, and granola with milk
Lunch: Vegetable stew with fried eggs (left over from breakfast)
Snack: Nuts and rice crackers
Dinner: Soup and grilled vegetables. And asmall piece of the kids grilled meat. Hope it was small enough.
Todays supplements and dosage: 6 fish oil capsules
Todays UA reading (before breakfast): 5.7 mg/dL
Todays step count (total at bedtime): 3749 steps (no walk today)
How much did I drink today?: Coffee 2 liter, water 1 liter, tea 1.5 liter, wine 0.3 liter
This weeks weight: 118.0 kg
​Waist circumference: 116 cm
Heart rate before beadtime (read more here to see why it matters): 102
Blood pressure before bedtime (read more here to see why it matters): 117/84 mmHg
How many times did I go to the toilet today? #1 7 times, #2 2 times.
My urine pH this morning (for why this matters, read more here): 6
Was my urine strange in any way? No
How many minutes did I use the Sixpad Foot Fit Plus? 10
​