Technology & Your Health

Technology & Your Health

Every 5 minutes we're hearing of some new invention, as innovation continues to speed up.  Almost every patient has some form of wearable gadget that tracks something, and if they don't have a device then they use Apps to track various metrics like menstrual cycles or macronutrient intake.  I personally, have kept some of this to a minimum - I do paper charting, after all, for a few reasons - but I do use an Oura ring, and see the tremendous power of being tuned into nuanced data and immediate biofeedback on our routines.  

Increasingly, there's also a trend of people using AI to help diagnose their health concerns.  The gravity of this isn't truly known yet, however AI seems to be an incredible tool for pattern recognition and compiling vast amounts of information.  I've played around with it a little bit, and it can take your symptoms and give you a list of possible conditions to explore, what tests to seek out, and potential (mainstream) treatment options.  I don't find it's suggesting homeopathics or phyto-gens, or some of the other remedies I regularly use.  In a time when our "systems" are backlogged and frustrating, anything that can potentially speed up or help direct care is helpful.  But it's not the whole picture.  I can actually see the parallels to how algorithms in health care are removing the human from the experience, and possibly replacing the health practitioners practicing in this model.  Time will tell.

Relatedly, you can read more on my thoughts about social media as your doctor right here.


Things to Think about with Tech

• Data
  As much as I believe in the power of our innate wisdom, data & numbers can help us to connect the dots.  Tired today?  Your lack of REM or Deep Sleep might be influenced by a late night meal.  Wake up in the middle of the night?  Your blood sugar is low.  Extra irritable?  Your period is coming.  Get wrapped up in your work?  A reminder comes to get up and move.  More sugar cravings?  You haven't eaten enough protein.  These are just examples of how tracking with journals, gadgets and other tools can give insights into your symptoms.  Bringing our habits into our consciousness, connecting numbers with how we feel, is a great way to inspire changes.  (Just be mindful of where this data is going when it comes to privacy.)
  
  
• Gadgets
  Data collection is facilitated by the use of different kinds of devices like: watches, rings, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), apps, and all the rest.  I have seen different gadgets help decode things we may not have easily thought of, stress at work causing blood sugar to go up, or alcohol impacting deep sleep quality.  The immediate feedback is priceless information that helps to determine causal factors.  One thing to be mindful of with these devices is the level of electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) being emitted.  Yes, I have been using a ring at times, but I keep it on airplane mode and choose when to sync the information via bluetooth so that it is not constantly signalling.  Of course this isn't perfect, but it's a way to reduce the impact of EMFs.  I also wear black crystals, like shungite, on that wrist to mitigate some of the effects, plus I take it off at times and do a lot of grounding outside as well.
  
  
• Nuances & Human Connection
  A downfall of tech is that it doesn't pick up on the nuances that an experienced practitioner would observe.  For example, there can be signs and symptoms that you might not list as a patient, but I sense as a clinician.  Things like thinning of the outside portion of the eyebrow or extra fluid around the eyes that make me consider your thyroid health, or your voice getting raspy or tone changing when talking about your child, or your face and chest going red telling me that you are embarrassed, or skin tags suggesting we should check your blood sugar levels, or the tension palpated in your neck & shoulders.  All of these nuances picked up on by human senses are what I consider to be the most important part of hearing your story and help me to really figure out what's going on.  From the patient side of things, there's nothing like sharing your experience with another human to create a healing response.  In fact, many studies show that community is vital to wellness and longevity.  The interaction between a patient and a caring human is irreplaceable.
  
  
• Blue Light
  In a slightly separate area, I want to remind you that most tech doesn't just emit EMFs, it also increases blue light exposure.  By now I'm sure you've heard of the importance of staying off screens before bed, as the blue light signals "daytime" to your body and keeps you up at night.  Blue light from phones, screens, and LED lights don't just increase alertness, they also cause damage to mitochondria, increase inflammatory pathways like IL-17 & autoimmunity, and can damage the eyes (1).  When it's not possible to avoid blue light, consider the timing of your exposure, using blue light glasses or blocking software, switching bedroom lights to red incandescent bulbs, being outside for sunrise and sunset, and increasing antioxidants and antiinflammatory herbs like vitamin E, lutein, curcumin, and anthocyanins.  The research on light is fascinating; we're going to be hearing a lot more about this topic in the coming years.

I hope I've given you lots to think about!  Human health is complex!  If you'd like to learn more about how technology, or avoiding it, might fit into your wellness plan, I'm happy to help.

Dr Christa


1.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332220307708