On the occasion of World Health Day on April 7th, the global health awareness day which marks the founding of the World Health Organization, it is necessary that we reflect on the type of life we are leading. Having a healthy lifestyle is not just about eating right or sleeping enough hours a day. It’s an equation with key elements to nurture a balanced daily routine. The trick is to think of it as a rule of three; mental wellbeing plus a consistent fitness regime plus good nutrition result in a better and healthier you.
With the help of technology by your side, you have all the ammunition to encourage positive change. However, the biggest advocate to living and being overall healthy should be yourself. The decision to get off the couch and go for a run or to choose the salad over that juicy burger is yours to make.
The UAE government is constantly promoting a healthy diet and active living through various initiatives. Earlier this year, for example, Dubai Municipality kicked-off the ‘Eat Healthy, Live Healthy’ campaign which aims to help people make healthier food choices. The campaign comprises of a new Healthy Food Logo which verifies healthy meal claims by food businesses across the Emirate.
To up your health and wellness regime and support you on your journey, we have put together a guide focusing on the three components: Wellness, Fitness, and Nutrition. From meditation techniques and sleep tracking to fitness workouts and healthy recipe suggestions, the suggested apps will steer you in the right direction.
Wellness
Ever heard the expression ‘Health is a state of body, wellness is a state of being’? Feelings of wellbeing are fundamental to your overall health, enabling you to successfully overcome difficulties and achieve more. The top apps to help you connect with your inner self include.
Breathe: Medical experts have long maintained that deep-breathing exercises can provide a wide range of health benefits from stress relief to cardiovascular improvements.The Breathe app available on Apple Watch encourages you to take moments in your day to do short deep breathing sessions. The haptic cues guide you through deep, full breaths and on completion, you will receive a heart rate summary.
Headspace: Along with amazing health benefits meditation is a tried and tested method for quieting the mind. Headspace is a guided meditation app that starts users off with a free 10-day challenge directing you on 10 guided meditations, for 10 minutes each time.
Sleep Pulse 2 Motion: Sleep Pulse 2 makes the first sleep tracker for Apple Watch even better by putting your watch to work as you sleep — tracking your motion, heart rate and nightly steps to give you the best picture of your sleep.
Download on: iOS
Fitness
From strength training and yoga to running and more, you’ll find apps are a great workout partner. All you need is your workout gear, your Apple Watch, and a favorite workout playlist to get started.
Apple Watch Activity App: Apple Watch counts more than just steps. The Activity App tracks all the ways you move throughout the day, whether you’re walking between meetings, doing cartwheels with your kids, or hitting the gym. Three simple rings give you a snapshot of your progress. Your goal? Close your rings every day and if you need a little nudge, smart notifications will allow you to see your progress updates, and motivate you to keep going. And because ‘healthy loves company’, you can share your Activity rings with friends and family to stay motivated.
Zova: Zova gives you a smarter way to get fit and feel great. When you download the app, you’ll meet Zara, your smart personal trainer. Zara tracks and evaluates your daily activity, before coaching you through runs and full-body workouts that leave you fitter, healthier and happier. What’s even better is that you can bring the gym into your living room as Zova is available on Apple TV.
Download on: iOS
Pocket Yoga: A flexible yoga app that allows you to choose between different practices and difficulty levels. Whatever your skill level and time availability, pocket yoga has over 200 illustrated poses that will let you recreate the experience of being in actual yoga studio and guides you through the entire practice with specific directions and reminders to inhale and exhale.
Nutrition
Eating healthy isn’t always easy, but committing to a healthy diet comes with great advantages. A nutritious, well-balanced diet is the foundation of good health. It helps protect you from certain diseases, regulates your blood cholesterol levels, and provides antioxidants. Below are some suggestions to help you start or maintain this lifestyle.
WaterMinder: Drinking water is one of the healthiest ways to maintain your body. It aids in digestion, relieving headaches, weight loss and better skin. WaterMinder is an intuitive app that will help you track your water intake and based in your body weight, remind you to drink water to make sure you stay hydrated.
Healthy Eating Meal Planner: We’re all busy and have life duties: work, school, kids, pets, social life, appointments, etc. So, we know that eating right can be put on the back burner. That’s where Healthy Eating Meal Planner come in. From breakfast, lunches, dinners, and snacks the app will plan out your daily meal plans along with a handy shopping list for the week.
Download on: iOS
iCalorie: Simplicity is the key to using calorie tracking apps. iCalorie allows you to keep track of what you eat, your activities, as well as your achievements in the most efficient manner. Whether you want to lose weight, or make sure you’re maintaining a balanced lifestyle, iCalorie app is the right partner by your side
Download on: iOS
