How often have we said to ourselves: “That’s it, I’ll start running on Monday” or “I’ll quit smoking next week”? Believe me, the vast majority of such promises will never be fulfilled. Why? Because there is no one to give a kick so that we start fulfilling them.
However, recently this situation has become easy to change. You just need to install the necessary application on your smartphone. On Monday morning it can remind you that you were going to run, and at the beginning of the next week it will inform you that you promised to smoke your last cigarette that day, encourage you before such an important step and will support you throughout the difficult period of quitting tobacco.
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We want to tell you about ten useful applications for your smartphone that will help you start leading a healthy lifestyle. These will not be ready-made sets of exercises or endless diets. Ready-made solutions are not suitable for everyone and not always. Rather, we want to offer useful tools that, if used correctly, can change your life.
Sleep Better
One of the most important components of our life is sleep. A person's health largely depends on how he sleeps. There is a whole science about sleep. But not everyone can study its wisdom, but everyone wants to sleep correctly. There is a solution - a smart alarm clock. This smartphone program will not only calculate the optimal time for your sleep, but will also track its phases throughout the night, and will wake you up in the morning at the most favorable moment, so that getting out of bed is easy and waking up is not harmful to your health. The same program will help you keep a sleep diary to identify patterns: what determines good or bad sleep in your particular case.
The secret weapon of the Health app.
Where Health really shines is in its unique ability to allow apps to communicate with each other.
When you grant permission to an app in the Sources tab, you'll often see two categories: write and read. “Write” - allows the Health application to receive data; reading allows it to transfer data. By enabling read permission, applications can receive information from fellow applications. Let's take the following example. You use the FitBit Aria to track your weight, which is currently recorded in the Health app. You perform a workout in 7 Minute Workout, which you have set up to record your calorie burn and weight data. In this case, 7 Minute Workout will now have access to your recorded weight and correctly calculate your calorie expenditure.
There are many variations of these scenarios, and they will become more useful as developers integrate their apps with Health. Some apps like Argus have tried to offer the same inter-app functionality, but lack the tools to make the experience successful.
My water
Humans are 70% water. We have known this since school. Therefore, in order to feel better, a person needs to consume more moisture. Unfortunately, we almost never consume the optimal amount of water. A special application, a water tracker, helps you maintain water balance in your body. It will automatically calculate how much water your body needs and, based on the readings that you enter into it (drinking water, juice, tea, alcohol), it will remind you to drink another glass of liquid throughout the day. This will increase your tone and performance, and will have a beneficial effect on the metabolic process.
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Self-monitoring diaries for diabetics
DiaMeter: Your diabetes diary
Diary application for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It has sections for recording information about sugar levels, the number of bread units eaten, insulin injections, well-being and symptoms.
MedM Diabetes
The application builds graphs and diagrams based on the information entered into it and can receive data from popular models of glucometers. The user can also provide access to personal data to relatives or doctors.
I do not smoke
We all know how difficult it is to quit smoking, even if you haven’t smoked a single cigarette yourself. Almost all of us have a friend who tried to quit but couldn't. A phone application, of course, is not a panacea or some kind of miracle cure, but it can add motivation to a person who has seriously decided to take this important step. The program will help you determine the day when you smoke your last cigarette, encourage you to take this step, and then work to support you in your struggle for a healthy lifestyle. The application will clearly show how many days you have not smoked, how much money you have saved during this time, and most importantly, how much better your body has become.
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Interface, main functions and settings
Figuring out how to set up the Health app is fairly easy. When you first launch the program, you will be prompted to create a medical card (“Medical ID”). Fill out the form and answer all questions. You must indicate your blood type, height, weight, whether you have allergies or any chronic diseases. You can also write a phone number to call if something happens to you.
Only you will manage this data. And you will decide whether to show them or not. The application will not send or publish anything to anyone without your permission. Therefore, you can safely enter reliable information. It will be useful to you in any case.
Next, configure the program to suit your needs:
- Go to “Meddata” (“Health Indicators”, “Health Data”). There you can indicate details about your daily routine, nutrition, habits;
- The same tab has counters for steps, calories, and even the number of floors climbed;
- For example, you can turn on the pedometer in the Health app. It will show the distance you have walked. To do this, open Meddata - Fitness. Find the desired function there and activate the “Show in Review” toggle switch. The parameter will appear in the corresponding tab as a widget;
- To change the data in your medical record, click “Medcard”;
- In the Sources field, you can choose which apps or devices Health will collect data from. Accordingly, in order to display information about pressure, you need to download a pressure meter program. When you first start, the partition will be empty. Other utilities will automatically ask for permission to integrate with HealthKit when you change or update your health data;
- You can view statistics for a day, week, month or year.
The Health app has many useful features.
To view basic medical data directly on the lock screen, do the following:
- Open the medical card;
- Enable the “On Lock Screen” option;
- To view the information, when entering the unlock password, press “SOS” and select “Medical card”.
For the program to function fully, you must install iOS version 8 or higher. A built-in motion coprocessor for the pedometer is also required. Various sensors are used to collect medical information. For example, to measure heart rate you need a camera with a flash.
If the Health app or any of its functions does not work, this may indicate a hardware problem. Most likely, some sensor has failed. But software glitches cannot be ruled out.
Cardio
One of the main indicators when it comes to our health is the pulse. It talks about the number of contractions our heart makes per minute. This indicator alone can tell you a lot about a person’s health status. Previously, to measure the pulse, we needed special equipment or special knowledge that would allow us to be able to calculate our own pulse and draw some conclusions. Now all you need is a smartphone. Just turn on the program, place your finger on the main camera for a few seconds and measure your pulse. The application will not only show how many times per minute our heart beats, but will also tell you what the optimal heart rate should be, how to achieve it, and even suggest an endurance training program.
Heart Rate Apps
They will be especially useful for fans of fitness and any physical activity, but also suitable for people who care about the condition of their heart and its endurance.
Cardiograph
The app will measure your heart rate if you place your finger on the device's camera. Moreover, the data will be more accurate if you do this in a well-lit room. The cardiograph is easy to use; after the measurement, data appears on the monitor screen that can be saved. It is possible to view the dynamics by day.
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Pulse
Pulse allows you to measure your heart rate using your smartphone camera and flash. The application analyzes the data received from the touch of a finger. It can save and process all received data into graphs. Contains a heart rate calculator: the application can give individual recommendations based on age and resting heart rate. In the settings, you can set the time allotted for measurements and the sound if a heartbeat is detected.
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However, it is worth noting that we do not recommend using both of these applications instead of medical devices.
Pacer
Not all of us can afford to exercise regularly. In any case, many people think so. Fine. But even in this situation, we can do something for our health - just walk. A special pedometer program will tell you how useful your walk was. It does not require any additional devices, such as fitness bracelets, to operate. You just need to install it on your phone and go for a walk. As a result, you will find out how many steps you took, how many calories you burned and how useful your walk was. All this ultimately motivates you to move more often and more. You will notice how, without resorting to strenuous exercise or grueling jogging, you can lead a healthier lifestyle and even gradually lose excess weight.
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How does a pedometer work on iPhone?
A feature of all iPhones, from the 5th model to the latest X, is a built-in electronic-mechanical pedometer. The function based on the amplitude of vibrations of the smartphone transforms impulses into the number of steps taken, in other words, it counts steps.
If you don't see your step count in the Today tab, tracking may not be enabled.
It's easy to enable by following the step-by-step instructions:
- On the main screen, select the “Settings” icon (gray gear), then look for the “Privacy” item, then click on the “Movement and Fitness” link.
- Opposite the Fitness Tracking function, activate the switch so that it lights up green. In the same way, move the slider opposite the “Health” application.
After this, the iPhone will begin collecting statistics on its owner’s activities: the number of steps, floors walked, and counting the total distance.
There are also third-party programs with similar functionality. It is recommended to install them from the App Store repository.
Runkeeper
If you do decide to run, the main problem becomes how to obtain data. In order to run correctly, you must know how much you ran, at what pace you covered the distance, what speed you developed, what the difference in elevation was, etc. A special fitness tracker will help you find out, record and analyze all this. In addition, it will track your jogging route via satellites and put it on a map, showing where and at what pace you covered the distance. While jogging, the program will encourage you and report your current results so that you can make adjustments to the training process right during the session.
The Best Apple Health Compatible Devices
Apple Watch
As you'd expect, Apple's own media works well with Apple Health—it would be a big surprise if they didn't. So, if you are in the market for a device that seamlessly syncs activity across the Apple ecosystem, then this is another reason to buy an Apple Watch.
Runtastic Road Bike
If you prefer cycling to jogging, then you can’t do without a bike tracker app. It can turn your smartphone into a full-fledged cycling computer that will track all the necessary indicators: speed, distance length, number of kilometers traveled uphill, downhill, on a flat surface and much more. As a result, the smartphone will show how far you have traveled, at what speed, how many calories you have burned, and even give some advice, because the application was created with the help of leading experts in road racing on bicycles.
Question answer
What is the Prisma app?
How to install?
Before you can turn on the Health app, you need to download it. If it is already installed, you can start using it right away:
- Go to the AppStore. Its icon is usually located in a visible place: on the gadget’s desktop or on the quick access panel;
- Enter the word “Health” or “Health” into the search bar;
- Find the program you need and download it;
- Once it downloads and installs, open it.
The same can be done through iTunes on a PC.
- Open iTunes;
- Go to the store;
- There is a drop-down list at the top left. Click on it and select "Programs";
- In the search bar (in the upper right corner) write the name of the application;
- Select the required utility and click “Download”;
- Enter your Apple ID and password. If you don't have an account in the App Store yet, now is the time to create one. Without this, you will not be able to download programs from the Apple store;
- After syncing your iPhone or iPod with iTunes, the application will appear on the device.
You can monitor your heart using iOS devices
Lifesum
Leading a healthy lifestyle means eating right. You don't have to follow any strict diet to do this. Sometimes all you need to do is eat the right foods, which will ultimately lead to the correct balance of all the necessary substances that you consumed during the day. A special program will help you learn everything about what you eat. There is no need to manually enter all the data into it. You can simply scan the barcode on the product packaging, and all the necessary information will be automatically saved in the program. As a result, the application will show you how much fat, carbohydrates and protein you consumed per day, and also give advice on how to make your diet healthier.
Apps that remind you to take your medicine
Medisafe
The application, according to a user-configured schedule, will remind you that it is time to take a pill.
To understand which one, you don’t have to pick up a smartphone: you can choose your own melody for each medicine. The service will also remind you that the product is running out and you need to buy a new package. In addition, you can enter data on weight, blood pressure, blood glucose levels into Medisafe, and also save medication reports in PDF and Excel formats to send them to your doctor.
Reminders to take medications
In the application, you can set reminders to take your medicine, keep a log of missed and confirmed pills, track a graph of changes in weight and blood pressure, and exchange health information with family members.
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Reminders to take medications
Developer: smartpatient GmbH
Price: Free
My Tablets Light
In the free version of the My Tablets application, one active course is available. You can customize any medication regimen, postpone or reschedule taking the next pill, save completed courses in the archive or repeat them as needed.
The paid version with advanced features will cost 229 rubles for iOS and 199 rubles for Android.
Zombies, Run!
The last app in our collection was created for those who want to take up running, but find this activity too boring. This program will simulate the apocalypse that has come to our planet. Using headphones, you will receive messages from the base that will guide you on your difficult journey. Along the way, you will collect supplies necessary for the survival of humanity and... escape from zombies! From time to time, evil spirits will overtake you, and in order to break away from the undead, you will have to speed up your run. The app will turn an ordinary run into an exciting adventure. There is, however, a downside to this application - for now it is only available in English.
Good mood: Happify
Photo: contractiq.com
The application can track mood and emotional well-being and helps fight anxiety and negative thoughts with simple and quick exercises. But the developers warn that even regular use of Happify cannot replace a psychologist and drug treatment for certain clinical conditions.
Platform: iOS, Android. It is available in Russian, can be downloaded for free (but there are paid functions