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Best Medical Device of 2018
I just read an article about the best medical device of 2018. As I started reading the article I wondered what it could be because there are so many advances in medicine these days; some of them we'd never think of.
I read down a whole list of what it's not - things like things like robotic surgery, PETs to detect Alzheimer's, new ways to find cancer mutations, a new endoscope or microscope or even the good ole stethoscope... nope, none of those or a number of other things, either...
As it turns out, at least in the opinion of one doctor, it's something most of us already own and use on a regular basis - some daily, some weekly, some not so often. Some of us embrace it and use it as a tool to help ourselves, some of us view it as the enemy and shun it...the best medical device is the bathroom scale.
According to Dr. Geogre Lundberg, Medscape: "Everyone should use the bathroom scale in the privacy of the home every day. Recognize and implement the actionable results, thereby changing your life and your health for the better, at almost no cost to yourselves, the government, or the health insurance company. Proper use of the bathroom scale can help prevent obesity and, with that, heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, stroke, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, 12 types of cancer, depression, even erectile dysfunction.
What a deal—a real medical miracle machine! Use it every day. And don't let your number rise."
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/899059?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=279348AG&impID=1690599&faf=1
Don't be afraid to step on the scale every morning, but of course, we know that weight can fluctuate for a variety of reasons, so if we're up or down a pound or two from one day to the next, it's probably not a big deal. I write my weight down every morning, just as keep track of my medications/supplements to make sure I didn't miss anything; that way I can track my weight over the week. I note whether I've gained/lost too much over a couple of days, if I'm retaining fluid, not having regular bowel movements, etc and can try to correct my course if need be by adjusting what, or how much, I'm eating and the amount or type of exercise I'm getting.
My scale is a tool just like my exercise/step tracker and blood pressure machine. I think we've all been told that we shouldn't weigh every day... have you ever been told you shouldn't check your blood pressure every day? I have blood pressure problems and other chronic illnesses so my doctors "want" me to check my blood pressure daily, or at least every couple of days. Because of my own illnesses (autoimmune conditions, hypothyroidism, etc) plus those I'm subject to due to family history (diabetes, stroke and heart issues), my doctors also want me to get/keep my weight in check. I've always done best when I weigh daily; now I know there's at least one doctor (besides my own) that agrees it's a good idea. I just always remember that fluctuation is normal and don't get upset over a pound or two unless it becomes permanent or a trend...
~~Happy weighing~~
I read down a whole list of what it's not - things like things like robotic surgery, PETs to detect Alzheimer's, new ways to find cancer mutations, a new endoscope or microscope or even the good ole stethoscope... nope, none of those or a number of other things, either...
As it turns out, at least in the opinion of one doctor, it's something most of us already own and use on a regular basis - some daily, some weekly, some not so often. Some of us embrace it and use it as a tool to help ourselves, some of us view it as the enemy and shun it...the best medical device is the bathroom scale.
According to Dr. Geogre Lundberg, Medscape: "Everyone should use the bathroom scale in the privacy of the home every day. Recognize and implement the actionable results, thereby changing your life and your health for the better, at almost no cost to yourselves, the government, or the health insurance company. Proper use of the bathroom scale can help prevent obesity and, with that, heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, stroke, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, 12 types of cancer, depression, even erectile dysfunction.
What a deal—a real medical miracle machine! Use it every day. And don't let your number rise."
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/899059?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=279348AG&impID=1690599&faf=1
Don't be afraid to step on the scale every morning, but of course, we know that weight can fluctuate for a variety of reasons, so if we're up or down a pound or two from one day to the next, it's probably not a big deal. I write my weight down every morning, just as keep track of my medications/supplements to make sure I didn't miss anything; that way I can track my weight over the week. I note whether I've gained/lost too much over a couple of days, if I'm retaining fluid, not having regular bowel movements, etc and can try to correct my course if need be by adjusting what, or how much, I'm eating and the amount or type of exercise I'm getting.
My scale is a tool just like my exercise/step tracker and blood pressure machine. I think we've all been told that we shouldn't weigh every day... have you ever been told you shouldn't check your blood pressure every day? I have blood pressure problems and other chronic illnesses so my doctors "want" me to check my blood pressure daily, or at least every couple of days. Because of my own illnesses (autoimmune conditions, hypothyroidism, etc) plus those I'm subject to due to family history (diabetes, stroke and heart issues), my doctors also want me to get/keep my weight in check. I've always done best when I weigh daily; now I know there's at least one doctor (besides my own) that agrees it's a good idea. I just always remember that fluctuation is normal and don't get upset over a pound or two unless it becomes permanent or a trend...
~~Happy weighing~~
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