It’s been several years now since smartphones and other smart gadgets have placed a focus on improving health. From heart rate monitors to sleep tracking to calorie counting, several companies have aided in the effort for people to have easier access and more self-awareness regarding their personal health. As these companies continue to invent more ways for people to monitor their health with just a few taps, I realize that I’ve truly underestimated the impact these helpful tools can have.
A few years I wrote an article discussing how fitness trackers won’t make a person healthy if they’re not motivated. In a way, I still feel the same; if somebody buys a fitness tracker hoping that the simple act of wearing a fitness tracker will automatically make them a healthier person, they’re going to have a bad time. On the other hand, for somebody who is motivated and invested, a fitness tracker could help achieve better results. That’s really neither here nor there, though. What I really want to talk about is not where fitness tracking started, but where it’s going.
It has recently been rumored that Apple is working on a wearable device that can monitor the blood sugar levels of diabetics without the need to draw blood. Currently, diabetics check blood sugar levels by pricking their finger with a lancet (a small needle), put a drop of blood on a test strip, and place the test strip into a meter which will return results within seconds. Alternatively, sometimes diabetics can check their sugars by pricking other parts of their body, but every method available currently requires some sort of invasive procedure. Considering that some diabetics must do this several times a day, it’s easy to see how the idea of Apple creating a non-invasive method of checking blood sugars is appealing.
Diabetes-related news has always been of interest to me, as Type II unfortunately runs on both sides of my family. In a way, diabetes has had a direct impact on my life since I could remember: my dad was diagnosed with Type II when I was just 2 years old. I remember one time seeing my dad get ready to do his finger prick test. When I asked what he was doing, he showed me how he had to “take a tiny shot” to his blood sugars, and told me it was so he could make sure he stayed healthy. As a child who was terrified of shots, I was horrified that he had to do this all the time. He reassured me that he was used to it by then, and as an adult (who is no longer afraid of vaccinations, mind you) I realize how minimal a finger prick really is in the grand scheme of things. Still, I can’t imagine that it’s anything anybody would particularly enjoy doing.
Apple potentially coming up with a way to test blood sugars without piercing the skin is something I hope is true, but am cautiously optimistic about happening anytime soon. Even if it is only a rumor, it did get me thinking about how unappreciative I’ve been to the effort of putting health technology in our mobile gadgets. I feel I’ve been unnecessarily critical when I should have been more supportive. Considering how many people are without health insurance in the U.S. – and throughout the world – this type of technology can potentially improve the lives of those who need it the most, and I now look forward to seeing how far these concepts will go.
