I have a sore hand. Gout. Which makes writing painful, but not impossible.

And, because I can still hold a glass thank God, allows me still to enjoy the odd wine.

But doesn’t wine, red in particular, cause gout, the so-called “disease of kings” suffered by Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, the musical genius Beethhoven, and the gluttonous King Henry VIII?

Also suffered these days by one in 40 Britons, a rise of 64 per cent in 15 years, and, even more disturbingly, by more elderly New Zealanders than any other people in the world.

First, what is gout?

It is a painful arthritic condition that results when too much uric acid builds up in the body. The uric acid forms crystals, which settle in the joints, usually of the big toe, instep, heel, ankle, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows.