When it comes to your health, there isn’t just “an app for that,” there are almost too many. People searching for health-related apps for their mobile devices are finding a cluttered market, where it can be difficult to know what’s reputable, and what isn’t. After all, virtually any aspect of your health and life can be tracked by an app, often for free or just a few bucks. But which ones provide an actual benefit and which ones are just bad e-medicine?
Great for monitoring sleep, this app also helps determine optimal sleep cycles, so you can discover your body’s perfect wake-up time. The app’s free and dependable. With sleep being an important cornerstone to overall health, pretty much everyone can benefit from this one.
A very comprehensive resource about all things diabetes. This app has a huge database, articles by experts, healthy recipes, food lists and more. It’ll even keep track of blood sugar levels. Great for diabetics and their families.
There is certainly no shortage of weight loss apps, but this one is comprehensive, clean and well-respected. It tracks numerous stats including weight, blood pressure–even sleep. On top of all that, there’s also calorie management, the ability to set and track weight loss goals, and advice on how to eat properly. There are lots of apps focused on weight loss but Lose It! provides very little clutter and lots of straightforward information. Pretty much an all-in-one weight loss app.
Take this one with you to the grocery store, where you can scan items and learn more about their plusses and minuses. An easy way to feel better about what you’re eating (and the value you’re getting). The app even provides healthy alternatives when available.
Finally, who doesn’t want a little more inner peace in their life? Calm is a straightforward app where you can choose between two, five and 10 minute “guided relaxation” sessions. Perfect for falling asleep at night or just taking a moment to re-charge throughout the day.
No matter what medical app you find, it’s undeniable that technology is playing an ever larger and more important role in personal health. But this does have a downside. As the marketplace becomes crowded, the wrong types of apps can appear legitimate to the unaware consumer. Still, experts agree that the technology can definitely do more good than harm, as long as legitimate apps, developed by professionals, are used in conjunction with regular medical check-ups.
Originally posted on September 10, 2013 @ 1:09 pm