Go a step further and take charge of your health with the aid of technology. You can manage your health while on the go, at work, in school or even while you’re out shopping. Excuses such as, “I don’t have the time” or “I don’t know what to do” are no longer an option when it comes to your health. With these made-in-Singapore apps, your future is in your hands (literally). From eating healthy to dealing with anxiety, these apps have got it all covered. Here are 5 such apps that promote holistic mind-body wellness.
1. iDAT
The interactive Diet and Activity Tracker (iDAT) is a free app from the Health Promotion Board (HPB). The app, which is useful for weight loss monitoring, allows the user to track his/her calories consumed against the calories burned. The Diet Tracker helps you search for a meal to track your consumed calories, from a large database of common Singaporean dishes and snacks.
You can even track distance-based sports such as running or cycling through the Activity Tracking feature which uses built-in GPS. Powered by Endomondo, also a fitness tracking system, the iDAT app is a helpful tool to measure your physical activity and food intake to meet your fitness goals. Although the app features a new design, updated food database and bugfixes, the functioning speed might have been compromised, so expect a slowed down user experience. The app is available for download on both Google Play and the App Store on iTunes.
2. Gacha Island
Named after the Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT) mascot, Gacha, this app which comes in the form of a game, acts as an interactive platform for youths facing difficulties with their mental health. Developed by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS), the game lets you collect ammunition to attack the enemies aka creatures symbolising the various types of mental illnesses.
According to Mind Your Body, The Straits Times, “the underlying message is that people need to build an arsenal of tools, such as social support, to deal with mental health issues”. The app also contains useful information on the different types of mental illnesses, ranging from schizophrenia to eating disorders. Polytechnic students who tried out the app suggested that the games be made more challenging, as reported by Mind Your Body. At present, Gacha Island is only available on iOS.
Also read: Singapore Changi Hospital Launches New App For Nurses To Converse In Local Dialects!
3. Health Buddy
Developed by SingHealth and IHiS, this award-winning app carries a wide range of features. Apart from information on health conditions and its treatments, the app allows you to search for specialist services and clinics. The Queue Watch feature lets you view the queues at SingHealth hospital A&E departments as well as various polyclinics, beforehand.
Information provided are reliable as they are written by medical and healthcare professionals. Health Buddy app is a comprehensive one-stop destination for all your health concerns. Available for download on both Google Play and the App Store on iTunes.
4. Thought Buddy
To help keep mental health conditions like anxiety and depression at bay, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital’s Department of Psychological Medicine, and Healthcare Innovation Unit, together with the IHiS, rolled out Thought Buddy to complement the hospital’s psychotherapy services. Patients can log their daily thoughts and triggers in the virtual book instead of a physical notebook. This process is more discreet and allows for privacy of the user.
The diary entries and mood tracker help enable the patient to discuss his/her symptoms and negative thinking during consultation with the psychologist. If you’re facing emotional distress, this app would prove useful in coping and recovery process. As the first mental health app to be launched in Singapore, it definitely paves the way for more similar apps. The only downside is that the app is only available to iPhone users.
5. Axiety!
Derived from the same developers, this app is similar to Thought Buddy. The main difference is that Axiety! targets people who frequently experience panic attacks. From the words “axe” and “anxiety”, this app hopes to axe anxiety from your life. Users first rate the intensity of their panic attack. They are then offered 3 options -music, video and photo- to allay their anxiety.
The music option includes 4 soothing tracks, while the video demonstrates deep breathing methods. Photos of pleasant things such as flowers and animals are displayed in the third option. The app also encourages goal-setting to manage phobias, and the counting of blessings in the form of three good things that took place during the day. Upon completing these tasks, the app launches a game as incentive and interactivity. The app is currently only available on the App Store.
There’s an app for every health concern, so anyone and everyone can stay happy and healthy!
Also read: Think Eating Healthy Is Tough? ‘Prescribe Nutrition’ Wants To Prove You Wrong.
