Are You Living a Healthy Life in Mississauga?

Published August 21, 2017 at 8:12 pm

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You know how old you are, but how healthy you are can be an entirely different story. If you’re trying to make healthier lifestyle choices, there are an abundance of resources to help keep you on top of your health. Now, a Canadian doctor has come up with a device that can tell you your “internal age” based on health factors.

iHeart has two components – a device and an app – and it’s compatible on both Android and iOS. Basically, the device offers insight into overall health and objectively tracks improvement based on exercise, diet, and stress levels.

So, if you feel like Mississauga’s stressing you out, you can find out if it’s taking a toll on your “internal age” using iHeart.

You might be 20, 40, or 60, but your “internal age” could be very different based on your health – how old you are on the inside is different from how old you are on the outside.

“To calculate Internal Age, the device is simply placed on a user’s finger and will generate a result in 30 seconds,” said VitalSines, the company behind the device, in a statement. “The goal is that users will be able to make changes to their health habits that, over time, lower their internal age while they pursue a healthier lifestyle.”

The iHeart device was created by Canadian Dr. Jess Goodman.

“Eighty-seven per cent of the world’s population uses Android devices, so we felt it necessary to get a new app out placing vital information into more hands,” said Dr. Jess Goodman, creator of iHeart. “In just 30 seconds — anywhere, anytime, on almost any device — we are giving people the tools to live happier, healthier lives.”

iHeart measures Aortic Stiffness, which, according to VitalSines, is a health metric proven to predict risk of death from all causes and identify people as young as thirty at higher risk for heart disease, stroke and dementia.

Here’s another cool fact about about this metric – stiffness of a person’s aorta, the body’s biggest blood vessel, is a measure of spinal flexibility and core mobility, concepts common to yoga and Tai Chi.

So, iHeart’s smartphone app records Aortic Stiffness data, comparing each reading to the average in order to calculate internal age, allowing users to quickly and easily monitor health improvement. 

This is all well and good, but measuring your “internal age” comes at quite a price tag if you’re willing to pay it. The device and app cost $195 USD (approx. $245 CAD).

There are a bunch of other health-tracking devices and apps that are also on the market, depending on what your budget is – in fact, you might already engage with them.

One popular device is the FitBit, a bracelet with different models that tracks the number of steps you take in a day, has other functions like monitoring your heart rate, and can provide you with health reports through a connected app.

FitBit products range from about $80-$300, depending on which model is right for you.

Then there are free apps like MyFitnessPal, which monitors your health and nutrition and helps make improvements to your diet as you log what you eat on a given day.

Whichever device or app you choose, it’s fascinating to see technology from a fitness aspect, helping us live healthier lives.

Do you use any fitness apps or devices to track your health?

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