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The science of medicine is that we test. We often test your blood, your urine, your stool, and other various technologies for imaging and evaluation, but all in efforts to gather data that will help the doctor accurately diagnose and treat that patient.
Sadly, even with the testing that doctors employ, and the great advancements in medicine, the tragic truth is our children for the first time in history have a decreased likelihood of living as long as their parents.
What is stealing and killing them is chronic disease, although in the last 2 years murder rates have roared and raged, in additon the the Covid19 pandemic, taking the lives of the those with co-morbidities.
Chronic disease in the state of California is $98 billion annually, with “recent evidence suggests that more than half of Americans suffer from 1 or more chronic diseases, with the estimated cost of treating these conditions exceeding $1 trillion annually”.
Chronic disease is often the result of diet and lifestyle, says the CDC. Sedentary lifestyle being a great contributor.
While technology has progressed, and some would fault it for our declining health, there are opportunities it is presenting us with.
Personally, I’m excited that more people are taking health into their own hands, and wrist we may say, be using wearables that give them health data. In the last month I’ve tried 2 wrist devices.
People now have ample access to various health metrics for their own information, which can help guide them for better health outcomes potentially. A few of the current devices available are: Oura ring, Polar, Apple Watch, FitBit, and Whoop.
Most often the following data is measured:
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Heart rate
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Heart Rate Variability
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Sleep cycles
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Skin temp
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Blood Oxygen
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ECG
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Workout strain/intensity
The goal is the feedback they get will help them lead a healthier and more active life, now we all know the 10,000 step goal thanks to the original pedometer, which many started wearing a long time ago. If nothing else, it would alert the user that sleep or oxygen aren’t adequate, which can then aid in someone seeking medical advice.
The first device I tried was the Apollo Neuro. It is a unique device that wasn’t data driven like those mentioned above, but it solely oriented to help the body recover, using a special gentle vibration, to actually change and improve your heart rate variability. The Apollo Neuro gives people the potential to de-stress, aid in recovery and more, all while just wearing this. I think if someone suffers from stress, anxiety, and insomnia, the Apollo Neuro is definitely a try.
The second device I tried was the Whoop. It gave me info of my workout strain, sleep recovery, and provided a score that was a blend of those 2 assessments, as well as my sleep oxygen levels, sleep heart rate variability, and skin temperature. I used it for 30 days, and got confirmation that I was mostly good, but often not getting enough strenuous activity.
Overall with the other devices the goal is the feedback they get will help them get better sleep, be healthier and have a more active life. Now we all know the 10,000 step goal thanks to the original pedometer, which many started wearing a long time ago.
If you have been struggling with your health, it may be worthwhile to get one of these wearables. One note of caution is that most of these do emit small amounts of EMFs (Electromagnetic field), which is a topic for another time. I’d say it’s worth trying a device for 30 days to see what data it shares with you about your health, and how you feel.
Sources:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/today-s-children-set-to-live-shorter-lives-than-parents-nr5p5xsd3
