High-Tech Tools for Staying Healthy

We usually revert to nature when in pursuit of wellness, but the New Age has no shortage of solutions for keeping yourself healthy. With the long-awaited debut of the iPhone 4 came a salvo of new web apps to address the user’s every need. When Apple claimed the iPhone would “change everything,” they meant everything; their applications can help you find a restaurant, track your finances, translate languages and, of course, maintain your health. Here’s a list of some of the most useful apps for staying healthy in a fast-paced, high-tech world.

• Yoga Stretch – This is a great app for those seeking physical and mental balance on a tight schedule. Yoga Stretch lets you choose your own soothing soundtrack to create a peaceful ambiance for your routine. You then follow voice prompts and instructional images that guide you through a set of yoga poses. You can customize your own session according to your personal preferences or you can try out one of their preloaded routines. So skip the yoga studio after work and channel your chi from the comfort of your own home!
• Quick Health Calculator – Diabetes is a growing epidemic in our society and awareness is often the best prevention. This app allows you to quickly and easily calculate your level of risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. By inputting height, weight, and waist measurements, you can also determine your Body Mass Index, another indicator of potential health concerns. If the Calculator determines that you are at risk, you can seek the help of a professional.
• Be Happy Now with GBM – This app claims to take you from Bummerville to Happytown in 30 seconds using unique meditation technology. GBM stands for Gratitude-Bliss Meditation, which aims to increase your sense of happiness through the art of peaceful reflection. In addition to making your day a little brighter, happiness is linked to many additional physical and mental health benefits. What’s more, a daily dose of Be Happy Now could quash your need for a daily dose of medication.
• MyNetDiary – Food and Exercise Log – Based on the popular MyNetDiary.com, this app gives you easy access to your own digital food and exercise diary, as well as your own custom weight loss program. You can use it to plan and analyze your diet, set nutritional guidelines, keep track of your meals and workouts, and view updates from your nutritionist. You can also use this app to calculate body fat, bone weight, and water and lean muscle percentages.
• Calorie Counter – To supplement your diet and exercise regimen, the Calorie Counter is an easy way to keep your diet on track and your weight in check. Use it in addition to your Food and Exercise Log to check the calorie content of your food or use it by itself when you’re looking for a reasonable meal at a restaurant.
• Quitter – For all those struggling smokers out there, the iPhone has you covered. This great app offers support and incentive to stay smoke-free by telling you how many days you’ve been without a cigarette and how much money you’ve saved by quitting. You just need to type in the price of your packs, how much you had smoked previously and when you stopped. It will do the rest of the work. Sometimes, this gentle reminder is all you need to beat the habit.
• SymptomMD – Even when you’re taking care of yourself, sometimes things come up that make you question your health. Whether you’re suffering from a bad cough or a nasty rash, this app will help you get to bottom of your ailment. Just type in your symptoms and you will get back descriptions of a few potential causes. This can be a huge help, but never diagnose or prescribe to yourself. If your symptoms are bad, make sure you consult your medical physician or Naturopathic doctor.
• Men’s Health Workouts  – Men’s Health Magazine sponsors its own app for their gentleman crowd, but ladies can also benefit from this body-building tool. The app features 23 workout options and over 150 step-by-step exercises that target the lower and upper body. Turn your iPhone into your trainer, without the cost or the sweaty spotter.

With all these capabilities at your fingertips, there’s no excuse to shortchange yourself. New technologies, like the iPhone, make it easy for you to stay healthy, even in this hectic culture. Wellness for the twenty-first century? Yes, there’s an app for that.

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