Scientist develops disposable "microfluidic" devices to identify allergies.

PHYS.org

Gabriel Caballero Robledo from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV)at Monterrey, Mexico, is working on the design of a small medical device capable of detecting allergies or diseases quickly and at a low cost.

A Microfluidic Device:

"We want to design disposable devices, which could be purchased at the pharmacy, can be used and discarded, and aren't expensive. The device would be similar to a bar of 2x1 centimeters, and be made of plastic with an input that processes blood or saliva."
According to the specialist, the device will detect allergies. However, he discovered that the devices are very sensitive to the density of the package of the iron particles within the microfluidic channels, which had not been previously considered for blood tests.
"What I will do is optimize the device and see how densely compacted the grains of iron are, as well as the amount of nanoparticles that can be caught (with grains of iron), because the more it catches, the more sensitivity it will have to detect allergies or various conditions ".

Microfluidic devices can be applied to medicine through miniaturizing processes that are common in conventional large laboratory appliances. The idea is to integrate them in a small device, conferring the advantages of portability and disposability.

Read more at: phys.org...

Nanotech working for our health..
How do you all feel about this? I see the potential for BIG discoveries and advancements in the field of medical treatments with the application of this new tech.

I see it as a possible good diagnostic tool. Allergies are different than metabolic intolerance though. I wonder if this works with metabolic intolerances or deficiencies? If the balance of electrolytes or minerals or vitamins gets off, gene expression changes which can effect our thinking or health. This is evident throughout the industrialized world and can be corrected by diet. Eating too much of one kind of food can cause intolerance to other foods and little has been done to identify these things in our culture. Everything is a fad diet with wide swings in what we are told is right for us. These swings create imbalances in the body which lead to problems many times which they throw pills at.

Changing of the food chemistry too fast is always a bad thing unless it is necessary to restore balance, then moderation and diversity should be observed consuming things in a wave like pattern to make sure enzymes don't get depleted. If you eat too much of something for too long you can build up an intolerance to it. If you jump in and eat something without feathering it in over generations, it can cause problems. But since we have been doing this so long, we have lost the sight of what normal is really like, being constantly a little doped up or sick and weak. We can not even comprehend that we can feel so much better.

Good thread, S&F. Don't listen to what I say though, I am just here to get you to start thinking on your own. Pay attention how food reacts in your body. When you find something that makes you feel energetic, eat it before you go out and do something where you need energy. When you want to relax, find foods that relax you. Many foods have healing properties but shift the energy to healing, consume these when you need to heal and not when you are going to go hiking or running, eat them after you get back.

Also remember that histamines give us energy, too much at the wrong time is not good but adequate amounts at the right time sure are nice.