Is punching health data into your phone or constantly checking your watch to see how much oxygen your blood has starting to feel like a chore?
We live in a time where the line between our bodies and our data is getting increasingly blurry. With the availability of apps that track our menstrual cycles and watches that can tell how stressed we are, there's pressure to keep tabs on any incremental changes to our health metrics. If we don't, how can we possibly know if we're healthy?
While tracking such metrics can be helpful (or even fun), it's not necessary to live a healthy life. In fact, if you stay tuned in to your body, you'll be able to gauge your well-being through some key patterns.
Here are a few health clues.
You're 'regular'
This applies to both bowel movements and menstrual cycles (for people that have one). Just like the nonexistent hands on our smartwatches, our bodies like to keep a rhythm.
Having at least one bowel movement a day is a good sign that your digestive system is working properly, and anywhere from three a week to three a day is considered normal. (Bonus points if you normally go around the same time each day.) Painful or infrequent bowel movements could be signs of constipation or irritable bowel syndrome -- conditions that flag a reason for a doctor's visit. READ MORE...
This applies to both bowel movements and menstrual cycles (for people that have one). Just like the nonexistent hands on our smartwatches, our bodies like to keep a rhythm.
Having at least one bowel movement a day is a good sign that your digestive system is working properly, and anywhere from three a week to three a day is considered normal. (Bonus points if you normally go around the same time each day.) Painful or infrequent bowel movements could be signs of constipation or irritable bowel syndrome -- conditions that flag a reason for a doctor's visit. READ MORE...
