Apps to Keep the Whole Family Healthy
Given that an estimated 15,000 health apps were introduced this year alone, it's nearly impossible to figure out which ones are worth downloading (after all, you've got Angry Birds to play). So we turned to the experts: These are the real must-haves.
Doesn't it always seem like your kid gets sick when the doctor's office is closed? This app by the American Academy of Pediatrics lets you compare your child's symptoms to photos of ailments and helps you determine whether you should go to the ER, wait a day to call your pediatrician, or simply treat the problem yourself (the app provides reassuringly detailed instructions on exactly how to do so).
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Enter your weight-loss goals and Lose It! determines the daily calorie budget you need to slim down. Plug in the foods you eat and the exercise you get each day and the app will calculate the calories you've eaten and burned. (It's easy, since Lose It! has a vast database of both.)
Got a puffer in the family? This app delivers motivating messages to your phone, tracks how long you've gone without a cigarette, reminds you how much money you've saved, and even tells you about the healthy changes that are happening in your body. A recent study found that smokers who receive these types of messages are twice as likely to quit as those who don't.
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Look up your symptoms on an interactive body map, or scroll through a database of diseases to find out, say, what the symptoms of a concussion are. iTriage also uses GPS technology to search for nearby doctors and clinics.
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