Ahh, the phone app. It is a loyal friend, always there to pep us up when we are down. We have tumultuous relationships with some, on again off again regularly. We allow them to tag along with us to every corner of our life, tracking our steps, and even how long we sleep. Beyond the fun-loving, sweet crushing apps, some apps can save lives. These health-inspiring apps deserve some serious recognition and attention. Below are our favorite health-supporting apps.
This app deserves it's five-star rating. When I think of Think Dirty, I think of makeup. The app has an extensive database of makeup products and is adding new products regularly. At last login, they were up to 1.7m different products. Each product is scored and attached to a comprehensive explanation for the said score. The product's ingredients are listed below the score, and the ingredients of concern are highlighted, making it easy for the user to identify which items to review most closely. The app contains more than just makeup; ratings for sunscreens, detergents, hair products, soaps, vitamins, baby products, and more are included. Critics of the app claim the rating system is unfair, given that some products do not release all their ingredients. When comparing products, you may get a false positive if comparing to like products. While that might be the case, if a product has a high score, you can be sure that steering clear of it is advisable.
This is an app whose mission I admire. The app was designed by the Environmental Working Group to make users' lives healthier. To do this, the Healthy Living App publishes scores of most of our everyday things. The app will tell you if a product has ingredient concerns, processing concerns, or nutrition concerns with explanations behind their score in each category. Everything from fragrances to foot care, makeup, food, and oral care and sunscreens are included. This app is insanely useful for educating yourself on what to pick off the shelves before you get to the grocery stores. Think a product is organic? Check the app before heading to the checkout aisle, you might be surprised by the results.
This app is a tried and true app. Downloaded years ago; this one is a go-to for outdoor runs. It will track your route, so know how far you have run on its built-in mapping dashboard. It will monitor your pace and remind you how far and how fast you are going during your run. The reminders can be set to notify you at different intervals, depending on your preferences. You can even select the type of voice and the stats you would like to hear during your run. There are training plans, challenges, and you can track your stats over time. This app makes running more exciting, and you can compete against your times and paces for that extra bit of encouragement.
This might be the most straightforward app on the list. This app is a great tool to keep you on track if you are into High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). You can work out anywhere and use all those great moves you learned in class at just the right pace and intervals. While away from the gym, this app goes along for every vacation.
MyFitnessPal is a great app to track your food intake. It is a food diary app that has the power to help you lose weight. Tracking your food is a useful tool in weight loss, and MyFitnessPal does just that. It has an extensive database of foods so that entering your meals is quick and easy. You can track macros and see the percentage of fat, carbohydrates, protein, and other nutrients you got that day. It calculates calories and calories net of any exercise. All this, over time, gives you a lot of insight into your habits. After a few days of tracking your intake, you will begin to know what you are putting on your plate. The more aware you become, the better able you are to make choices that best support your goals.
On the mental health landscape is an app called Mood Tools. This app is excellent for anyone struggling with depression, anxiety, or even just everyday stress. The app allows you to create a journal, which is a great way to release stressful thoughts. No longer do you need to be at home near your pen and paper; you can journal anytime you feel like getting something off your chest. You can assign your mood to certain activities throughout your day. This will provide you with feedback regarding what is working for you or against your mental wellbeing. You can also add reminders like "I live for" responses to help you recover during times of stress.
Last but not least, this aptly named app rounds off our list. This Australian app is dedicated to improving your mental wellbeing through mindfulness. You can select from numerous programs to help you achieve a happier, more peaceful mind. There are even programs explicitly geared towards healthcare workers. The makers of the app hope to reach over 5 million young people by 2021. That is an effort we can genuinely get behind. The in-app dashboard will keep you informed about your meditation sessions and minutes, and after you are done meditating and tracking, you can hop over to the Smiling Minds blog. The blog is packed with information to learn more about mindfulness and mental wellbeing. All this information must be why they are Australia's #1 mindfulness app.
Happy App-ing, my friends!😊
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