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Chronic fatigue syndrome affects some, is ignored in those who have anything-at-all wrong, might be accepted with a shrug and a pat on the back for the otherwise healthy, and is otherwise unknown. Until now, no one has had anything to go on — but now, there's a way to show that seemingly healthy people are, in fact, affected by something. Well, it's a start.
Using a test to judge the stress of the immune system, researchers at Stanford have now identified those symptomatically diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome as having a condition that is not identified in a control group. While this is very little to go on, it is more than nothing to go on, and so could start a search for a treatment for an otherwise clueless grab at nothing. The simple fact that there is now a distinction is itself news, but also that the research uses a lab-on-a-chip to assess change in current of a sample of immune cells, giving them an indicator of the health (or stress) of the sample is an example of a technology that hasn't been considered until the last few years — and a hint at advances offered by even simple, routine advances of technology.
As a shameless plug, I consulted a trusted holistic health friend (note: whole-health/holistic, not homeopathic/pretend) about CFS, and she mentioned that she feels it's a general toxicity problem. The immune system does play a role in clearing various toxins from the body, so perhaps another clue for researchers to pursue. (Tip: up until 1990, lead-based solder was used in household plumbing. How much that matters, perhaps not a whole lot.)
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday May 08 2019, @02:06AM (5 children)
Pro tip: getting rid of your mortgage is nice, but is far from the whole answer.
We got rid of our mortgage by moving from Miami to Houston - same pay, better benefits, and the house was in a nicer neighborhood, twice the square footage, 4x the lot size, and 1/2 the price. Strangely, property taxes were still $5K per year, insurance didn't go down, cars cost the same, as did travel, clothing, food, saving for retirement, etc. Ultimately, the unhealthy air drove us out, and back into a house twice the price.
The mortgage is a big bill, but after you have slain the big beast, you notice the horde.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Farkus888 on Thursday May 09 2019, @07:06PM (4 children)
Never mind the horde... Just a car will do it. A new mid size suv loan is the same as the principle and interest part of my mortgage. A standard student loan payment is not far behind these days. If the wife and I didn't have our young adult professional starter kit debt we could take an all inclusive vacation every month. I can't even imagine being one of the people who fell for credit cards.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday May 09 2019, @08:47PM (3 children)
My wife's older sister fell for credit: cards, home refinance, buy this couch on credit, you name it.
She had a net worth of essentially zero on her 60th birthday. We've let her squat in her deceased parent's mobile home and essentially given her our half of it without a legal fight - maybe someday she will give us our half when she sells? Not likely. But, rather than give 40% of the value to probate lawyers, and earn her scorn, we've opted to let her earn our scorn instead. So, now she has a net worth of one mobile home, which I expect to see squandered to zero over the next 10 years, at which time she can take her chances with state run elder care.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Farkus888 on Friday May 10 2019, @05:28AM (2 children)
Our current rate of pay has us free and clear in a decade despite the current situation. I could understand still digging out but to not even see the hole at that age is crazy. That kind of behavior is why a lot of people think we shouldn't help others.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday May 10 2019, @01:26PM (1 child)
I forget our mortgage rate, it was a 2013 deal somewhere around 2.75%. At that rate, it's a strategic leveraging - we're getting higher returns on our investments, so pay that debt as slowly as possible, and home mortgages have been our only debt incurred since ~1999, my last car loan was in 1992 and that was just leveraging to buy a first home (against the rules, but there are ways....)
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Farkus888 on Friday May 10 2019, @08:03PM
I like the leveraging idea with the mortgage. I will definitely consider it when I get to that point. I'll probably clear PMI then slow down.