Saturday, November 26, 2011

Hmmm.. been such a long time hasn't it!

HI! I just realised it's been forever since I last blogged.

JUST KIDDING.

In fact, I've missed blogging about interesting health facts/news/health centered issues for a while. I have been busy, but hey, I am quite free today, and in the mood to write! Sooooooooo let's see then.. where do I start?! I think I'll start with this post I had never published..                                                               

                             1) the TARMY campaign?

Interesting, I caught a glimpse of this in today's papers
before rushing off to work.



                            What on earth is this about?

Well, in Sydney, research commissioned by Pfizer Australia is raising awareness about the effect smoking has on our lungs. So if you take a closer look at the picture, you will realise that the blackish-dark-grey gooey goo is supposed to depict tar found in cigarettes. Why such a focus on tar then and not the remaining chemicals found in a cigarette? That my friends is because tar accumulation if one of the primary causes of lung cancer, and lung cancer is one of the top five leading causes of cancer related deaths. The campaign features a collection of 10 silhouetted figures, here are a few pictures.









The campaign features a collection of 10 silhouetted figures, each figure representing a different smoker profile. I have put up pictures of just three profiles. I particularly like the picture in the middle, of the pregnant lady. That profile is supposed to depict " “Janet”, 32, who is pregnant and smoking, and as a result her baby could be born 200g underweight". So many complications can be avoided for both mother and child if she doesn't smoke when pregnant ( not that we should be smoking when we aren't pregnant, but you know what I mean).

I think this campaign is pretty creative. Will it greatly impact the number of smokers? I'm not quite sure. Although, the research study did find that tar accumulation was rated as the third most significant reason current smokers would quit smoking (76%). Let's see what happens.. 


Moving on...........................


 (2) Health Apps

Just an update on health applications to come, and a brief overview of what already exists. For those of you who own smart phones, this won't come as a surprise-then again, it might. Did you know that Singapore hospitals are set to launch a torrent of medical apps for mobile devices? Currently, many of the apps available offer basic information to the user ( providing dietary tips,information on diseases etc.). However, doctors in Singapore want to take these apps a step further. They want to create a new generation of apps which will personalise advice and even empower patients to monitor and track their existing conditions. 

The above might sound a little ambitious and hard to believe, but the new generation of apps have already begun to take off. For example, health-care group SingHealth had recently released an app for rheumatoid arthritis patients which require patients to provide data on their daily activities, knock in the level of pain they are experiencing and their overall health. From there, the app uses this information and calculates the degree of severity of their rheumatoid condition. The information is then presented  in the form of a graph so that these very users may present it as a print out to their respective doctors. SingHealth is working on similar apps for those suffering from high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes and even those who have undergone organ transplants. I did try to find this app but I couldn't  not sure if it still exists :(

Did you know, that the British government funded research for the creation of an app which tests for sexually transmitted diseases? In fact, the way they were tested for was similar to that of a pregnancy test kit. The app includes a computer chip on which a urine or saliva sample can be placed. Once the chip is attached to a smart phone, the app goes to work to test the sample for sexually transmitted diseases! A M A Z I N G. time saving, money saving, inspiring.. (just added that cause it rhymes. ha ha ha.).. Anyways, I have collated the top free health apps available to all. Download em if you want!

  • Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker

  • Epocrates (provides info on drugs and their side effects)


  • The Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide ( put in your lab results and the guide researches articles and news specific to your diagnosis)


While trying out these apps, just keep in mind  not to believe everything you read. Also, don't get unduly panicky okay ( anybody who knows me well enough will be like, look who talking?) ?
Hahah, always consult a doctor first before trusting your own (or your gadgets) diagnosis! :)

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