Every day there’s a new study in the papers… “Poor sleep can lead to depression”… Or “Do 10,000 steps a day to prevent heart disease”…
You know the sort of headlines I mean – they tell us what we should be doing to live a healthy life.
But actually doing the things you’re supposed to do? And sticking to it? Now that’s the tricky part. And it certainly doesn’t get any easier as you get older.
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Take control of your health and banish the worries – sound good?
Living a long and healthy life is near the top of most people’s wish lists (just underneath “world peace”, and “riches beyond my wildest dreams”). So it makes sense that there’s a whole industry out there, working on making websites, gadgets and apps to help people like you and me take control of and manage our own health – often for a small fee, of course… But with all these tools available nowadays, literally at your fingertips, you should be finding it easier than ever to stay healthy.
But instead…
But instead, the fact that there’s all this new health technology can leave you befuddled – how do you know what you need, how do you know what to trust (and what’s just a gimmick), does it need to cost a fortune or are there free alternatives… no-one ever seems to go through it all and explain it properly.
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I’m not just talking about the gadgets you can buy from newspaper ads – panic buttons for when you fall that can automatically send a phone message to an emergency contact, or fitness trackers that count your steps and monitor your heart rate as you walk – although I’m talking about them too. They can be brilliant.
So no, it’s not just those – I’m also talking about all the different health apps on smartphones that can help you train for a marathon or just get yourself from the couch to a mile or two long walk, or help you meditate, or keep track of your eating or sleeping patterns. I’m also talking about online GP services and symptom checkers, home testing devices for things like blood pressure, blood oxygen levels or blood sugar… or assistive technology that can help people with hearing or sight loss to navigate the world more easily with the help of talking glasses or audio labels.
It’s bewildering – or at least it was…
It can be bewildering… how on earth do you work out which things might be helpful to you… which might help keep you healthy, figure out your symptoms, help you live better or make it easier to cope with a disability?
It’s tempting to just stick your head in the sand and make do without. But then there’s always that nagging feeling… Could there be something out there that could genuinely improve your life? Help you feel more in control of your body? Reassure you when things are working okay… and let you know when you do need to get medical help?
Are you missing out on all these benefits, just because you don’t know where to start?
That’s why I’ve written this book:
Health Tech: Websites, Gadgets and Apps.
The subtitle is “Track and take control of your health and wellbeing and know how to find help when you need it”.
A bit of a long subtitle, I know, but I wanted it to sum up what the book covers – I explain all about the different technology that’s out there in the health world – some of it that you can’t avoid and lots that you wouldn’t want to avoid.
I describe in simple terms what each thing really means… and what the point of it is. Then I help you work out whether each particular bit of technology is relevant to you – whether you’d find it helpful.
I’ve put in summaries of the research that shows whether it actually works, and buying tips for the genuinely useful stuff. And (perhaps the best part), how to get some of it for free!
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For example, here are some of the things it covers:
- Some of our customers have told us that they wanted help with the NHS app, and felt left out without a smartphone or tablet… If you feel the same, follow the steps on page 10, and you’ll be able to use the guidance on pages 129-130, whatever device you’ve got. (Not to mention the online therapy on page 68 that all the sleep experts are raving about…)
- Wondering if it’s worth spending £150 on a “smartwatch”? Well, that depends on what you want to use it for, of course. They get a mention in the chapters on exercise, sleep, mental health, safety and all things medical… But I’ll give you some practical advice on pages 38-40.
- There are a bewildering number – tens of thousands – of health and fitness apps to choose from. But I’ve saved you a headache and picked out the ones that are worth trying… most of them completely free. And I’ll let you in on the secret those app-makers don’t want you to know… (HINT: it’s all the websites you can access instead…)
- Want to know why this tech is so important? I’ve read lots of the research, so that I can give you just the useful, interesting bits, in layman’s terms… What’s the big fuss about doing 10,000 steps a day? Why should you spend less time in bed if you want to sleep more? Is drinking red wine good or bad for your health?
That’s not all of course – from “virtual reality” exercise games to “microbiome” testing to AI talking glasses for people with impaired vision… but I can’t list it all here.
But don’t be put off by how much there is – part of the point of the book is that it lets you work out what you’re actually likely to find useful and which bits you can safely ignore. (For now, anyway, you can always come back to the book later on if you decide they are for you at some point in the future.)
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Don’t just take my word for it…
By the way, I didn’t write this book alone – I asked other people (ordinary folks like you and me) what sorts of tech they actually use, and how it’s had an impact on their lives. Their “case studies” are dotted throughout the book, so you don’t have to take my word for it, or even the so-called experts’.
- Caroline’s new year’s resolution led to her feeling and moving like she was 50 years younger, with the help of a free website. If you like the sound of that for yourself, find out more on page 32.
- A chance question from a nurse prompted Andy to get a potentially life-saving gadget for free from the NHS. Perhaps you need one too? Don’t leave it too late to find out. Page 62.
- The app on page 108 helped Kathryn overcome a stressful period in her life. We all need something like that from time to time… (And this book shows you how to get it.)
- Doctors’ systems getting you frustrated? Tony and Sandra now find it easy to manage their prescriptions and GP appointments through a website. Page 134.
- Find out how the same gadget that got Robin through a half-marathon (page 23) also helped Jess get a crucial diagnosis and treatment (page 142). Sounds like a versatile bit of kit to me…
- Sharon’s family, and Jade’s family, can all sleep easier at night knowing that they have various types of tech in place to keep their loved ones safe. Could it help your family too? (Pages 161 and 164.)
- Through his smartphone, Russ manages his weight, makes sure he never forgets his meds, and even chooses which sounds he hears through his hearing aid! Read what he has to say on pages 84, 138 and 178 – it might inspire you to make more use of your own phone.
You can read about all the different types of tech in their own words, and decide if it’s something that could help you too.
Or email [email protected] or call 01229 777606
So, who’s this book for?
Anyone who’s looking to take control of their own health but doesn’t know where to start.
Anyone who wants to know which of these new health gadgets out there nowadays are relevant to THEM and which bits they can safely ignore.
Anyone who gets frustrated, bewildered or confused by all the stuff out there and the fact that even booking a GP appointment has now gone online.
It’s not for “early adopters” – the people who buy the latest gadgets as soon as they come out, whether they need them or not. It’s for people who want to make informed choices, especially about things as important as health.
In a way, it’s like a guidebook to get you through the maze of health technology – helping you find out what you need and how you can make the most of it all. After all, previous generations didn’t have all these options at their fingertips – so it’d be a shame not to make the most of it. The best bits anyway – you definitely don’t need to go for every last newfangled gadget, only the ones that are right for you.
Something else I should tell you – your secret weapon
One of the biggest things that people struggle with, with any new regime or health kick, is sticking to it. You miss one daily walk and suddenly you’ve broken your streak, and it’s harder to get up and do it the following day. One of the things people do to help is keep a diary, or journal, of their progress so far. That makes it easier to stick to, because if you miss one day, you’ve still got this book showing all your progress so far – and in the face of that, one day off doesn’t seem so bad – so you can just write off that day in the journal and start again the next day – or fill in the journal with “took a day off”.
So we’ve created a journal for you to fill in – a simple tracking tool, specially designed to help you set realistic goals and monitor your progress towards them.
It’s got a summary of the expert guidance on sleep, exercise, diet and mental health that you’ll find in the Health Tech book, plus some extra tips on how to make small improvements that can have a big impact – helping you stick at it when you might otherwise feel like you’ve failed. It’s your secret weapon to help banish the urge to give up.
It’s called “One Hundred Days to Improve Your Health:
A daily write-in journal to help you build healthier habits”.
It does what it says on the tin – there’s a page for each day of your 100-day challenge, with space for you to record and track everything from sleep to exercise to diet, along with prompts for writing your own goals and targets at various points along the way.
See what a difference you can make to your health in 100 days.
Or email [email protected] or call 01229 777606
How much does it cost?
They say you can’t put a price on a healthy life – but there are a lot of companies who will try to. So we’ve made sure there are parts of the Health Tech book that could save you money – knowing what tech NOT to buy could save you thousands of pounds! Or even just knowing which free apps you can use on a smartphone instead of paying a monthly subscription could save you hundreds per year.
I’m not going to ask for hundreds of pounds, though, you’ll be glad to know. It’s just £18.99 for the main book, and £8.99 for the journal. (Plus P&P of £3.99 no matter how many books you order – so it might be worth ordering a couple of journals and giving one to someone else.)
Pretty good value to make all this health technology less confusing, less baffling and simpler to work out what you need. Give yourself peace of mind about things you don’t need to fork out for, knowing they really aren’t for you. And start really monitoring and looking after your health, with your perfectly-tailored journal.
I think they’re well worth having. But if you’re not sure…
Don’t pay a penny now…
You can order the books now without paying anything. We’ll post them out to you. Once you’ve got them, check you’re happy with them. If so, great, then you can pay. If not, simply send them back unused within 14 days and pay us nothing.
I’m pretty confident you’ll want to keep the book and journal – why wouldn’t you want the help this gives you? But this way you can feel confident in ordering – if the books aren’t up to scratch, it’s my problem, not yours. And that’s the way it should be.
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One more thing I should say…
The books aren’t in stock yet. But if you order your copies now, we’ll send them to you the moment they arrive, hot off the press. That way you don’t run the risk of it slipping your mind.
And it means there’s no chance of us running out of stock before we even get your order – obviously we don’t plan to run out, but it has happened before!
Best act now – today
Best put your free-trial order in now, while you think of it. Just do it online here (no need to put credit card info in as you don’t have to pay until you’ve decided you’re happy with the books).
Or call us on 01229 777606 and ask for a copy of the books Health Tech: Websites, Gadgets and Apps and One Hundred Days to Improve Your Health (or just ask for “the new Health Tech book and journal” if you can’t remember the names!). Or if you prefer you can email [email protected] with your name and address saying which copies you’d like.
We’ll get your books in the post to you as soon as they arrive in stock from the printers and you can start finding out how to start monitoring and looking after your own health.
Yours,
The Helpful Book Company
PS If you’re not sure if this is for you, why not take us up on the free trial. You can order either or both books and have them on a free trial for 14 days. Hopefully you’ll love them, but if they’re not what you want, you can send them back unused and owe nothing – no quibbles.
PPS The journal that goes with the main book really is worth having. For just an extra £8.99, you’ve got a daily write-in journal that you can use to check how you’re doing and keep yourself on track. Or buy a couple and give one to someone you know, so you can do the challenge together. You don’t pay any extra P&P if you order them at the same time as the main book, however many journals you order. Just make sure you don’t start filling it in until you’re sure you’re keeping it, as we can’t accept returns once you’ve used it.
Or email [email protected] or call 01229 777606