Now days, it’s easier than ever to track and monitor your health. From fitness apps to calorie counters and chronic condition monitors, technology is our best friend when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Here’s our top 5 health apps to download…
1. Track your fitness
APP: MyFitnessPal ; free on Android and iOS/Apple
What does it do: MyFitnessPal is a website and app that tracks the amount of kilojoules you consume and burn in a day, and helps you track your weight loss. After entering your information and goals, you get a kilojoule goal for the day. After entering the food you eat, and any exercise you do, MyFitnessPal keeps track of how many kilojoules you have left.
Benefits: Your MyFitnessPal profile syncs with many other health-related apps, like RunKeeper, which tracks your exercise via your phone’s GPS. The MyFitnessPal app gives the website’s functionality on the go, letting you track your kilojoules, check your progress, and connect with friends for motivation and some healthy competition.
2. Know what you’re eating
APP: CSPI Chemical Cuisine; free on iOS/Apple. Free as E-Codes Free on Android.
What does it do: Have you ever read the complicated ingredients list of your favourite packaged food and wondered what, exactly, you were putting into your body? Thanks to CSPI Chemical Cuisine, you don’t have to.
Benefits: The app offers a database of over 130 food additives, and gives comprehensive information on each one: the type of additive it is, how it’s used, and a brief explanation on what it is, as well as its safety rating like “safe”, “caution” or “some people should avoid”. While the information is US-centric, it’s still a useful app for anyone who wants to keep track of the additives in their food.
3. Get better sleep
APP: SleepBot, free on Android and iOS/Apple
What does it do: If you’re constantly exhausted, it might be time to track your sleep to spot any problems. SleepBot uses your phone’s microphone and accelerometer to track the environmental noise as well as your movement, so you can tell that you tossed and turned at the sound of the neighbour’s barking dog.
Benefits: Also included is an alarm that wakes you at the optimal time of your sleep cycle. It saves your info, so you get long-term sleep trends. The app’s quick tips on falling asleep, or staying awake, help keep you full of energy.
4. Manage your chronic condition
APP: FolUp, website.
What does it do: The trouble involved with taking care of a chronic medical condition can add unnecessary stress to an already tricky situation, and the long times between medical check-ups can distort information. The FolUp app lets people with chronic conditions keep a diary of their emotional wellbeing, physical indicators, and activities.
Benefits: This allows the doctor to identify any patterns or problems with your health. Healthcare providers can securely access their patient’s information, meaning quicker reactions to any issues. To find out how one woman improved her quality of life by tracking her epileptic seizures, read our article in our August issue, Living with epilepsy.
5. Figure out what’s wrong
APP: WebMD, free on Android and iOS/Apple
What does it do: Whenever you’ve got a troublesome pain or an irritating symptom, just check your WebMD app, as it has a great comprehensive symptom checker feature.
Benefits: After selecting your age and gender, the app lets you select the body part where your issue is, and any associated symptoms, and the app lists the most likely causes of your problem. Be thorough – the more info you give, the more accurate your diagnosis is. In addition to the symptom checker, the app has other great health features, like first aid information and health tips.
