Tracking Your Health

Fitbit, Apple Watch, Oura Ring - the list goes on. There are many devices for "tracking" your health. Do you have one? Do you like it? Is the data accurate? Like most technology, I have a love/hate relationship with wearable tracking devices. Here are some of my thoughts and experiences with my wearable fitness trackers.

The Up Side of Fitness Tracking Devices

• We all need to move more and a device can help you do that be reminding you hourly.
• A device can be used to identify an issue that can be addressed such as sleep apnea.
• A device can be a motivator if you are up for some friendly competition or in app challenges.

The Down Side of Fitness Tracking Devices

• The numbers reported by a device are not 100% accurate and please do not look at the calorie count as an excuse to eat more. Your body is too smart for that and adjusts quickly.
• A device that tells you your sleep was bad does not know that the phone rang at midnight with a wrong number or the smoke detector decided to die at 1:00am or you had 10 hot flashes over the course of the night.
• A device does not know that the reason your temperature was 1.9 degrees higher is that you had a hot rice bag on the hand with your Oura ring because you pulled a muscle or overdid it on the computer.

Scary Messages from my Oura Ring

• Are you feeling OK - this was received after the hot rice bag incident mentioned above. It did cause me you jump out of bed and take my temperature (everything makes us think COVID these days) before I remembered the rice bag.
• Your activity level was more than double your normal so you need to skip the gym today. I get this one lots lately because it is actually cool enough to do more outside. This is normal for me but I started using the Oura Ring in the summer when it was too hot to do much outside after 10:00am so it sees the norm as being unusual and the unusual as being the norm.

This has prompted me to do some reflecting and to realize that I have started relying on a device to tell me how I feel and what I should do today. I remember the day when we just woke up did stuff without having to see if we slept well, had a low resting heart rate or need to skip the gym today because we may not have recovered from yesterday. 

I am taking the months of April - June to return to those days. During this time I will return to listening to my body and my own intuition. The devices are in their chargers, the apps are off my phone and my Timex Expedition watch is on my wrist so I can, of all the crazy things, know what time it is.

Are you ready for a break from your devices? Take a break and see how you feel!

Tapping for Stress Relief

Ever heard of the Emotional Freedom Technique also known as Tapping? It is a way to calm your nerves and relieve stress while improving performance and focus. I do not know about you but I can certainly use some stress relief these days!

Tapping on key acupressure points calms the amygdala, the part of the brain that deals with the fight or flight response. It is not meditation but it can be great preparation for those who meditate. It is more like acupuncture as it uses some of the same meridian points. This is great news for those who are afraid of acupuncture needles.

The picture below shows the points used for tapping. Tap lightly on each point - no need to beat up the energy :-). Start with the karate chop point (for the set up statement) and then move through the other points in order (The Tapping Solution starts with the eyebrow and ends with the top of the head while EFT Universe starts with the top of the head and ends with the under arm point).

The best way to learn the technique is to watch a video and use provided scripts. Once you gain expertise, you can create your own set up statement and sequence. Check out this video from The Tapping Solution and give it a try!

I have used tapping for TMJ, hot flashes, stressful situations (like having a MRI), grief and anxiety. I find it to be a great tool and enjoy the ease of using The Tapping Solution App on my phone. Once you give tapping a try, let me know what you think, and check out the links below for more information.