Health Apps to Review
With so much attention on health-related issues these days — and a lot of people on hiatus from travel due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 — it's a great time to review the health apps on your smartphone or tablet.
But I'm not talking about any old apps. From looking up information to helping you relax, there are a great number of health apps you can add that relate to health.
Hopefully, our RV Lifestyle Fellow Travelers will do just that and be ready to roll when things return to normal.
Medical reference resources
Looking for information online? You might want to consider one of these health apps:
Epocrates is a reference for medications. Search for drug information by generic name, brand name, or a list of conditions. Drug information includes adult and pediatric dosing, contraindications and cautions, side effects, drug interactions, safety, and monitoring recommendations and photos for easy identification. The app is free for iOS and Android with in-app purchases available.
For general health info, the Medical Dictionary app lists 180,000 medical terms, over 50,000 audio pronunciations, and 12,000 images. It’s a dictionary app that provides clear, in-depth definitions of the medical terminology on just about everything from physiology and dentistry to pathology and treatments. The app is free for iOS and Android.
Looking for specific info about the human body? The app Essential Anatomy 5 delivers more than 8,200 3D structures that are highly accurate, immersive, and visually stunning. The app is used by anatomy professors in thousands of classrooms worldwide, and in many cases, is mandatory. It provides a completely immersive user experience. And is easy to use. The app is $14.99 for iOS and $11.99 for Android.
Connect with a doctor remotely
No, you can't connect with a doctor remotely for free. But the simple fact of the matter is that this type of health app could come in downright handy, especially when you're on the road, boondocking, etc.
Just keep in mind that the costs vary, depending on your need, what kind of insurance you have, etc. Here are three options:
Teladoc connects you with a board-certified doctor 24/7/ via phone or video. Teladoc physicians can diagnose, recommend treatment and prescribe medication, for many medical issues, including sore throat and stuffy nose, cold and flu symptoms, and respiratory infection. The app is free for iOS and Android, with costs for connecting with a doc dependent on insurance and other factors.
Doctor On Demand allows users to connect face-to-face with a doctor through video on your smartphone or tablet. Doctor On Demand works with or without insurance and is available at reduced rates through many major health plans and large employers. Providers are licensed, board-certified, and U.S.-based. The app is free for iOS and Android, with costs for connecting with a doc dependent on insurance and other factors.
MDLive offers virtual doctor visits with board-certified physicians from wherever you are, whenever you want. Users can schedule a non-emergency appointment at a time and day that’s convenient or have an on-demand visit in around 15 minutes. The app is free for iOS and Android, though there are costs for connecting with a doc dependent on insurance and other factors.
We have another great article about connecting with a doctor remotely – find it right here.
Receive discounts on prescriptions
Prescriptions can be costly, but using a health app can help reduce what you pay. Here are three good choices:
Easy Drug Card is a discount prescription app that helps users save up to 80 percent. The card provides access to a discount pharmacy network of 63,000 participating pharmacies nationwide including Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, Walmart, Costco, and more. It can also be used to save on pet medications. The app is free for iOS and Android.
RX Discount Card is accepted at all major pharmacies, and the average savings is 40 percent per prescription. One great feature about this one is the ability to instantly compare prescription drug prices at different pharmacies. The app is free for iOS and Android.
GoodRX lists the price of the medicine at local pharmacies near you. Even better it posts coupons you can use to save money. GoodRX allows users to save up to 80 percent, even with insurance. And it also will help you when buying medication for your pet. The app is free for iOS and Android.
Relax
There is a lot of uncertainty and anxiousness these days. Taking a few minutes to unwind can make all the difference in the world. Using one of these health apps can help you do just that.
Calm offers calming exercises and breathing techniques to help you relax, The new Sleep Stories section features a great mix of voice talent to lull you to sleep. There’s also s a mindful walking meditation, and calming exercises you can access right from your Apple watch. The app is free for iOS and Android with premium services available.
Headpace teaches you how to meditate, breathe, and live mindfully. There are sleep meditations, sleep sounds, and specially-designed sleepcasts to guide you to a place of rest. It’s perfect whether you have trouble falling asleep, or regularly wake up in the middle of the night. The app is free for iOS and Android with premium services available
Slumber is a collection of ultra-relaxing sleep inducing stories and meditations designed to beat insomnia and help you fall asleep quickly every single night. All slumber episodes are designed to put you in a state of deep calm and help to turn off your mind. Nature sounds and background effects create the perfect ambiance to help you stay asleep all night. The app is free for iOS with premium services available for purchase.
Track your sleep
Everyone knows how important sleep is. If you're not sleeping well, or simply want to get a fix on how well you are sleeping, these health apps can help.
The SleepScore app tracks your sleep and shows when you sleep light, deep, and when you wake up. The app uses sonar technology so you only have to have your phone by your bedside for it to work. The app is free for iOS and Android with premium features available for purchase.
Sleep Cycle tracks your sleep and provides analysis to help you get a good night’s sleep and better overall health. The app has an intelligent alarm clock designed to gently wake you up while you’re in your lightest sleep phase. It also integrates with Apple Health. The app is free for iOS and Android with premium features available for purchase.
Nap Bot is an automatic sleep tracking and analyzing app for your iOS and watchOS devices. It presents detailed sleep analysis and analyzes the environment around you to understand how it affects your sleep quality. It, too, works with Apple Health. The app is free for iOS with premium features available for purchase.
Brighten your mood
If you're in need of a way to brighten your mood, you guessed it, there's a health app for that. In fact, there are quite a few. Here are three good choices.
The app called Happify includes games and activities proven effective in helping users become happier and more optimistic. Set goals in different “tracks” of your life, such as helping you improve your confidence. Activities are often as simple as asking you to list things you are grateful for or noticing positive words in a game and avoiding negative ones. The app is free for iOS and Android with premium features available for purchase.
Live Happy is all about positive psychology. It offers a specific focus on activities that can bring about more positive feelings, and also offers up podcasts of best-selling authors and happiness gurus who share their knowledge on topics such as wellness, gratitude, well-being, and mindfulness. The app is free for iOS and Android.
Think Up teaches positive affirmations to embrace. You can set them to music and be reminded to focus on them, tracking the number of positive thoughts you’ve listened to during your day. It trains your brain to focus on positive thoughts throughout the day making you… happy The app is free for iOS and Android.
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