The Future is HEALTHY

in the previous edition of The RIVER, we looked into the ways in which people could keep an eye on their health. Exercising at the gym is obviously a great way to drop the pounds and to tone up, but what about the aspects of health that are less visible, like blood pressure or cholesterol?

It seems as though nowadays the government and the NHS are trying harder to make us more aware of how we are treating our bodies. For example, we see more and more ‘Change4Life’ adverts in various places, and there are even talks of putting warning labels on alcohol containers as they do on cigarette packets. What we need instead are ways to take account of ourselves and to know we are in control of our own bodies. This is where website application ‘Bodbod’ comes in.

Alastair McAvoy

Designed for use on mobile devices (phones and tablets), as well as PC’s, Bodbod allows users to track their health using up to six different ‘health metrics’: BMI (body mass index), body fat, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and peak flow. Users can enter this data and create a ‘health report’, which plots each metric on an easy-to-read graph and offers advice on how to improve each aspect. Bodbod also allows users to add friends, family or even clients, so that they can keep an eye on their health too – especially handy for professionals such as Personal Trainers or GP’s.

Creating single health reports on Bodbod is completely free, but users also have the option to combine the results into a ‘Progress Report’, which charts the trend that their health is taking, and offers advice based on these trends. Currently, getting a health report like this would set someone back hundreds of pounds through private health companies such as Bupa, but on Bodbod it only costs pennies. The only real obstacle in using Bodbod is knowing how to measure each ‘health metric’, but just popping into your local pharmacy or Boots and asking which equipment to use solves that issue.

Alastair McAvoy, founder of Bodbod and personal trainer for fifteen years, gave us some insight into how it was conceived: “Having the ability to access and monitor your own health, without visiting your GP or paying for expensive private health care should be readily available to everyone.

“The nations health problems are constantly on the increase, obesity and diabetes are growing at an alarming rate and the only solution to these problem is in the form of curative medicine or gastric bands! We as a nation should encourage preventative solutions by offering free and low cost health monitoring to stop the onset of diabetes or other health related issues.

“Family health monitoring can and should be part of a regular routine, fun to do and educational with a positive way to help improve our awareness of family health issues. Prevention should be the key phrase in any family’s way of life.”

Alastair and the Bodbod team do stress, however, that the service is not designed to replace your doctor. Instead, they hope that Bodbod can provide people with an easy way to get a general idea of their health and to spot any ‘red flags’ that might lead to problems in later life.

Why not create a free health report today? It’s free and could lead you down a path to a healthier life. To create a report, visit: www.bodbod.com

Also from this Edition:

A Match Made IN HEAVEN A beginner's guide to food and wine pairing, featuring Constancia's perfect steak dinner
by Joe Campbell | Category: Food&Drink
souper DOUPER The world's staple food, soup, a perfect Autumn supper
by Grace McCloud | Category: Food&Drink
BERMONDSEY bubbles Born of a passion for quality spirits and traditional methods, BTW is the UK's first small batch tonic water
Category: Food&Drink
Jewellery to Keep FOREVER Mildred Jones: Breathing life and meaning into precious stones and antique jewellery
Category: Style
From Rags TO STITCHES Amanda Thompson talks about establishing her shop and brand: Amanda Thompson Couture
by Jess Cusack | Category: Style
The Element of SURPRISE The world of retail has changed for this nation of Shopkeepers, so how do store owners get customers through the door?
by Gaynor Edwards | Category: Style
The SHARED A Community Sculpture is unveiled at the Bermondsey Street Festival 2014
Category: Culture
Ticket 'DESIRE'
by Owen Rice | Category: Culture
The River REVIEW The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
by Phoebe Vigor | Category: Culture
Bermondsey Street Festival 2014 The annual party returns on 20th September
Category: Culture
Entertainments Listings Autumn Season Listings
Category: Culture
Bright SMILES SE1 Dental Centre talk about preventative dentistry and their local practice
Category: For The Soul
Talking to THE SUN Poetry Workshop
Category: For The Soul
SHAPE & Style Fashion Fitness Specialists give you the look you always wanted
by Joe Campbell | Category: For The Soul
The Future is HEALTHY Monitoring our own health is becoming more common-place, online application 'bodbod' is the newest example
Category: For The Soul
SPOTLIGHT Property THE HEART of Southwark
Category: Property
A View of VAUXHALL From Bohemian to Bond, Vauxhall's diverse and dynamic identity is discovered
by Grace McCloud | Category: Property
Be My VALENTINE A lovingly designed development in one of the most desirable locations in London
by Josh McKenzie | Category: Property