Mobile Applications

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, i.e. a state in which the structure and function of all tissues and organs are not only normal, but also provide internal balance and adaptability to surrounding conditions – including social conditions. WHO defines health as: a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, i.e. a state in which the structure and function of all tissues and organs is not only normal, but also ensures internal balance and adaptability to surrounding conditions, including social conditions. Let’s jump in!

Each of us wants to enjoy good health and be full of vitality. Positive health, otherwise known as functional health, can be measured in three ways:

• Performance-how our body functions physically and mentally (e.g., ability to cope with the demands of life or positive attitudes toward other people).
• Absence of signs of ill health-symptoms of disease.

Longevity-Length of Healthy Life and Length of Time Maintaining Physical Activity

When a person is healthy, he or she can truly enjoy life. Good health means a constant and high level of energy, emotional balance, mental clarity, resistance to infectious diseases, the ability to defend against cancer and cardiovascular disease, resulting in a slower aging process and a long life. Health is not just the absence of physical suffering and pain, but the actual state of our body and mind in which we can enjoy and benefit from life without interference. Following a proper diet, exercising regularly, living in a healthy environment, changing bad habits, and properly managing tension and stress can help you achieve excellent health.

We are all born with different strengths and weaknesses, and different levels of resilience. Some of us have what are popularly known as “good genes” and others do not. Health is the result of the interaction between inherited adaptability and various external factors. Thus, if the environment is largely unfriendly to us (improper diet, environmental pollution, contact with viruses, allergens), our ability to adapt is insufficient, and then we get sick. In the case of cancer, the risk is greater when we smoke tobacco, frequently use alcohol, eat large amounts of meat, take certain medications and hormones, and have contact with exhaust fumes and other pollutants. Eating plenty of adequate vegetables, fiber, antioxidant vitamins such as beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and a non-polluted environment minimize the risk of getting the disease.

Proper nutrition means providing your body with the best possible nutrients to keep it healthy and functioning at its best. Proper nutrition means taking in nutrients that:

• Can provide good mental performance and emotional balance,
• Ensure good health,
• May reduce the risk of disease,
• Enhance the length of a healthy life.

Fifty nutrients have been identified as essential for health. Supporting and maintaining our health at the highest level also depends on providing optimal amounts of each of these nutrients. Gradually the entire body including the skeletal system is remodeled, renewed and strengthened.

Goals of Proper Nutrition

• Improve concentration
• Increase intelligence
• Improve physical performance
• Improve sleep quality
• Increase resistance to infections
• Protection against disease
• Prolonging life

The Role of Dietetics in Treatment

This treatment is based on the principle that diet in general and certain vitamins and minerals in particular can prevent or treat various diseases. In practice, this boils down to using a balanced, health-providing diet, to taking megadoses of vitamins or minerals for prevention or as a way to treat mental illness. Research findings seem to increasingly indicate that nutrition is much more important in preventive medicine than formerly thought. Doctors and nutritionists emphasize that for most people, a varied diet low in fat and sugar, rich in fiber, and low in calories is sufficient to maintain a healthy body weight.

Physicians have prescribed special diets since ancient China, Tibet, India and Greece. Mega vitamin therapy (which involves taking at least 10 times your daily requirement) was pioneered by Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dr. Linus Pauling, who in 1968 introduced the term orthomolecular therapy into medical terminology, meaning treatment with the right molecules. Pauling advocated the administration of massive doses of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of the common cold. In the 1970s, megadoses of vitamins were proposed as an alternative treatment for mental illness.

Top 5 Health Apps

Self-diagnostic apps are the first step toward identifying a disease or making an initial assessment of one’s health, far more adequate than panicked reading of Internet forums. They cannot replace a doctor’s checkup (at least for now), but they can be great helpers. We have selected five iOS- and Android-apps that are useful in different life situations.

1. LoveMySkin makes an almost complete map of the human body on which to mark moles that appear – or erase moles that disappear. A clear and short ABCD chart (A – asymmetry, B – borders, C – color, D – diameter) is built into the app to help distinguish dangerous moles from non-dangerous ones. In addition to these four characteristics, the date of mole appearance and changes are also noted; if there is any suspicion, you can mark the item “mark as a concern” for a particular mole so that you do not forget to show it to the doctor on occasion.
2. Zyrtec AllergyCast. Not really a diagnostic app, but more of a preventative one that helps allergy sufferers plan their day. Zyrtec AllergyCast measures allergenic pollen levels in the air (of various types), sends alarm notifications when levels become dangerously high, and allows you to note symptoms and assess your condition for the day. So far there are only three symptoms (itching, runny nose, and sneezing), but more are expected soon. The nice thing is the nice interface and the ability to win certificates for Zyrtec drugs. 
3. uHear. Hearing problems threaten all age groups (the creators of uHear cite an unexpected statistic: 65% of people under 65 experience them), which is why it is so important to periodically monitor hearing aid performance. You can do this with your smartphone; the app allows you to take three tests: to determine the softest sound you can hear, the ability to recognize speech in noise and a small questionnaire. All tests take no more than six minutes, but allow you to assess the current status and dynamics of your hearing ability. 
4. iTriage is a library of symptoms, diseases, medications, and doctors that you can’t get lost in. The information is clear, easy to find, and allows you to learn more about your current physical condition, no matter where you are: at home, at the airport, or at university (the age limit for downloading is 17 years). One of the most valuable features of the app is a search for the nearest hospitals and other medical facilities. Otherwise, iTriage is a really functional application that not only allows you to make a diagnosis to the extent that only a non-physician can do, but also to take away paranoid thoughts like “my leg is cramped, I’m going to die soon”. 
5. First Aid, an initiative of the American Red Cross, contains a compendium of first aid instructions – its effectiveness has been noted by Stanford’s main medical app site iMedicalApps, which is trusted.

Bottom Line

These apps can be used directly in emergency situations – to identify symptoms and quickly take suggested pre-hospital care measures – or as an educational resource where you can learn everything you need to know, BEFORE an accident and in more detail.