0412_MH_Health

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health

the best life

Selected by Men’s Health and a panel of medical experts

store your medical records for later viewing, log your Quest Diagnostics lab results, and help you re­mem­ber medication names and doses.

Center. Just make sure you clear any new exercises with your doctor first. $3, iPhone

Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone

Make it stick: My Last Cigarette reminds you how much cash you’re saving and how much you’ve increased your life expec­tancy. It also provides motivational messages—which, a British study says, may increase your chances of being smokefree at the 6-month mark.

SCARE YOURSELF STRAIGHT

Need a reality check to nudge you off the sofa and away from the fast-food fries? Use the Heart Disease Risk Calculator to estimate your odds of having a heart attack, stroke, or heart fail­ ure within the next 10 years. It can’t replace a doctor, but it can help encourage healthy habits. Free, iPhone Know your meds

SeeYour iDoctor

WITH A SMARTPHONE, The key to better health is in tHE Palm of your hand

Is it okay to take aspirin with your cholesterol pre­scrip­ tion? Find out with Medscape, an app that tracks drug interactions and pro­vides safety data on more than 8,000 drugs. The refer­ence section, which features medical news and info on some 4,000 diseases and conditions, is the “best out there,” says Adam Cifu, M.D., an associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago medical center. Free; Find a doctor

With ZocDoc, you can search for physicians and dentists in many major U.S. markets. Read the reviews, and then book an appointment—no phone calls needed. Free; Android, BlackBerry, iPhone

Track your medical history

Recommended by Men’s Health urology advisor Larry Lipshultz, M.D., Gazelle can

Android, BlackBerry, iPhone

Identify your injury

Hurt? SportsInjuryClinic has the lowdown on more than 100 different sportsrelated injuries. Compare symptoms, receive rehab info, and watch YouTube treatment videos, a favorite feature of Moshe Lewis, M.D., chief of physical medi­ cine and rehabilitation at California Pacific Medical

Quit smoking

$1, iPhone

Check your heart rate

A smartphone camera plus Instant Heart Rate equals one of the most accurate heart-rate monitor apps, Dr. Lewis says. Free; Android, iPhone

Spot skin cancer

Thanks to patternrecognition technology and a Johns Hopkins image database, MelApp can ass­ ess your melanoma risk by scanning photos of ques­ tionable lesions. The next step: Follow up with a dermatologist. $2, iPhone Avoid food allergies Allergy Caddy helps you

avoid triggers at more than 30 restaurant chains by consulting the chains’ public allergy data. $2, iPhone Understand STDs STDiQ provides informa­tion

on common sexually trans­ mitted diseases, evaluates your risk factors, and iden­ tifies nearby testing clinics. For something this sensitive, you’ll appreciate the privacy. Free, iPhone Kiera Aaron Illustration by

THE WORLD OF HURT by Travis Stork, M.D.

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MH0412_TBL_HEA V2.indd 56

matter how sick or hurt someone is, that per­ son doesn’t go through the door and straight to an ER bed. When you arrive by ambulance, you’re wheeled directly into a treatment room and the staff has already been alerted to the details of the case by radio.

Michael Edwards (Stork)

Travis Stork, M.D., is an ER physician and host of TV’s The Doctors.

You may think it’s quicker to drive to the ER yourself, but my recommendation is to call 911. Even if you have to wait for them, para­ medics have the tools and training to provide in-the-field care. Also keep in mind that when you drive to an ER in a private vehicle, no

What medical supplies should my employer have on hand? Clyde, Austin, TX A fully stocked first-aid kit. Prestocked kits are available at redcrossstore.org. Also, many places of business are now purchas­ ing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and training employees how to use them. You can find an AED online for about $1,200, which may seem like a lot of money—until an employee or visitor actually needs it.

E ero P it k Ä nen ;

How do I decide what to do in a crisis: Drive the injured person to an emergency room, or Troy, Milwaukee, WI wait for an ambulance?

w w w. M e n s H e a l t h . c o m

2/6/12 4:31 PM


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