Still worrying about weight? You should pay more attention to this number

Still worrying about weight? You should pay more attention to this number

by | Mar 24, 2021 | Cardiovascular

Many people do believe that body fat percentage is the standard for measuring whether they have lost weight successfully.

So, should the body fat percentage be as low as possible? In fact, it is not always true. Too low or too high are both a state of high risk.

How to calculate body fat

When it comes to measuring body fat percentage, some of the methods used are fairly expensive and not very accurate. These include:

  • dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
  • hydrostatic weighing
  • air displacement plethysmography (Bod Pod)
  • 3-D body scanners

 

Practical Methods

If seeking out a trainer or taking your own skinfold measurements isn’t an option, there are a few ways you can track your body fat at home.

Body circumference measurements and body fat scales that use bioelectrical impedance are both methods you can do on your own.

Wellue Smart Weight and Body Fat Scale

accurately and instantly deliver 16 essential metrics 
body fat percentagevisceral fat percentageBMI…
help maintain a healthy body weight

Ideal body fat percentage for women

There are differences between men and women when it comes to body fat percentage ranges.

Body fat percentages for women fall under a few different categories. Some charts will divide the percentages by categories, such as athletes and acceptable ranges, while others divide the ranges by age.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has a body fat chart that’s more like the adult BMI chart because it doesn’t factor in age and breaks it up in the following categories: 

Essential fat     10-13%

Athletes             14-20%

Fitness               21-24%

Acceptable        25-31%

Obesity                 >32%

For ideal body fat percentages based on age, Beth Israel Lahey Health Winchester Hospital gives the following guidelines for a healthy body fat percentage for women:

Age          Percentage

20-39          21-32%

40-59          23-33%

60-79          24-35%

Ideal body fat percentage for men

In general, men have a lower body fat to lean tissue ratio than women, which explains the differences in the ranges. Reproduction plays a role in the higher body fat percentages for women.

With that in mind, the ACE chart gives the following ranges for men:

 

Essential fat     2-5%

Athletes             6-13%

Fitness               14-17%

Acceptable       18-24%

Obesity                 >25%

 

For ideal body fat percentages based on age, Beth Israel Lahey Health Winchester Hospital gives the following guidelines for a healthy body fat percentage for men:

 

Age          Percentage

20-39          8-19%

40-59          11-21%

60-79          13-24%

 

Generally speaking: For boys, the body fat rate is best controlled below 18%. For girls, a body fat rate less than 25% is also appropriate.

After exceeding the above body fat, there will be some negative effects. For example, the most typical is that it affects the figure. When boys’ exceeds 35% and girls’ exceeds 40%, it is a manifestation of obesity. This is the cause of many cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, and liver disease.

But when the body fat percentage is below a certain level, it is also very dangerous. When the body fat percentage of boys is less than 10% and girls’ less than 15%, the following situations may occur:

 

  1. The body endurance is severely reduced. For example, in your previous training, 60 minutes can be fully guaranteed, now maybe less than 40 minutes, and you may feel sleepy at night.
  2. Strength level decrease . It will send a signal to the brain, resulting in too low testosterone secretion during training. The decrease in testosterone secretion can not only affects the strength level, but also hinders the synthesis of muscle training.
  3.  Recovering ability declines. If you can recover the physical energy in one day before, but two days or more now. Injuries that could be healed in weeks, now it takes a month. You need pay attention to the body fat percentage.
  4. Reduced immunity. This is more terrible. Studies have shown that if the body’s body fat percentage is around 5%, it is likely to cause reduced immunity, traumatic infections, and so on. In severe cases, it will affect the function of the heart.

Note

No number is a complete picture of your individual health. How you treat your body and mind are often better indicators of your overall health and well-being.

However, we do live in a time where doctors and other experts need to use charts, data, and other measurements to create a standard definition of health. That’s why your doctor or healthcare provider will often chart your Body Fat Percentage, or BMI, during routine physicals.

With that in mind, think of BMI and body fat percentage as just one way to assess and monitor your weight and overall body composition.

Get Ready – Spring associated respiratory disease is coming!

Get Ready – Spring associated respiratory disease is coming!

by | Mar 17, 2021 | Respiratory

It’s finally spring! The days are getting longer, flowers are starting to bloom, the weather is warming up and … oh, unfortunately asthma and allergy triggers are making their seasonal appearance.

Wellue® Portable Mesh Nebulizer

  • Superfine Aerosol Particles
  • directly provides treatments to the affected area
  • manually control the nebulization rate
  • specifically designed for elders and kids

Pollen is perhaps the most obvious springtime asthma and allergy offender.  Allergic reactions can cause symptoms in your nose, lungs, throat, sinuses, ears, lining of the stomach or on the skin. Allergies can alsotrigger symptoms of asthma, making it more difficult to breathe. And pollen isn’t the only spring allergy and asthma trigger. Air pollution and temperature changes can also make your symptoms worse.

Respiratory infections come in many forms. They can affect your throat, sinuses, lungs, or airways.

Doctors split them into two types: upper and lower respiratory infections.

  • Upper respiratory infections affect your throat and sinuses. These include colds, sinus infections, and sore throats.
  • Lower respiratory infections usually last longer and are more serious. These infections affect your airways and lungs. They include bronchitis and pneumonia.

Causes of Respiratory Infections

You may get repeated infections because of things in your environment and lifestyle like:

·Contact with other infected people (especially those who are coughing or sneezing)

·Pollen and other irritants

·Smoking and secondhand smoke

·Cold weather

·Lack of sleep

·Stress

But sometimes, frequent respiratory infections arise from more serious problem. They include:

Lung disease. People with asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more likely to get respiratory infections. These infections can make the symptoms of these chronic conditions worse.

Asthma is one of the most common lung diseases. It affects about 334 million people all over the world. COPD is widespread as well, affecting more than 200 million people and became the third leading cause of death in the United States. CF is less frequent and affects about 70,000 people globally.

About Nebulizer

What is a Nebulizer?


A nebulizer turns liquid medicine into a very fine mist that a person can inhale through a face mask or mouthpiece. 

Who needs a Nebulizer?

Doctors typically prescribe nebulizers to kids and adults with one of the following lung disorders:

  • asthma 
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • cystic fibrosis
  • bronchiectasis
  • bronchiolitis
  • pneumonia
  • cough

Tips for Managing Spring Allergies and Lung Disease

Since allergy season is predicted to peak within the next couple of weeks, the Lung Health Institute has put together five helpful tips to help individuals with COPD, and other forms of lung disease, avoid a flare-up.

Tip 1: Stay Inside

Make sure to stay indoors, leave shoes outside to avoid tracking pollen indoors and wash clothes after being outside.

Tip 2: Close Windows

We know the breeze feels nice, but don’t let allergens come inside! By keeping windows closed, pollen and other allergens can’t make their way into the home.

Tip 3: Change Filters & Vacuum

Change home air conditioning and car filters often. This will eliminate allergens that may be circulating, and create a controlled environment. Also, remember to vacuum and clean floors regularly to catch allergens.

Tip 4: Fix Leaks

Fix leaky pipes or areas that have water damage. Mold is prone to grow in moist environments and can have an extremely detrimental effect overall health including the lungs.

Tip 5: Avoid Other Triggers

Make sure to stay away from cigarette smoke, strong perfumes, cleaning agents with harsh chemicals, too dry and too humid air, pet dander and other known flare-up triggers.

 

Sleep Apnea Treatments Reduce Stroke Risk

Sleep Apnea Treatments Reduce Stroke Risk

by | Mar 15, 2021 | Respiratory

Sleep apnea is a condition marked by abnormal breathing during sleep. People with sleep apnea have multiple extended pauses in breath when they sleep.  There are three types1 of sleep apnea, including obstructive sleep apnea(OSA), central sleep apnea(CSA), mixed sleep apnea. OSA is much more common than CSA. Obstructive sleep apnea is estimated to affect between 2-9% of adults(1) in the United States.

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with multiple major stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, diabetes. It is also an independent risk factor for stroke. Luckily, treatments for obstructive sleep apnea are available. Treating sleep apnea earlier can lead to greatly reduced risks of stroke as well as improvements in the quality of life and overall health and well-being.

Prevent High Blood Pressure

Several studies have established OSA as a strong risk factor for high blood pressure(hypertension), one of the leading risk factors for stroke(2).Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during sleep apnea increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. Having obstructive sleep apnea increases your risk of high blood pressure.

High blood pressure damages arteries throughout the body, creating conditions where they can burst or clog more easily. Weakened arteries in the brain, resulting from high blood pressure, put you at a much higher risk for stroke. Preventing or controlling high blood pressure can greatly lower the chances of having a stroke.

For those who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it’s very important to accept sleep apnea treatment and have the blood pressure measured regularly

How Wellue Can Help

Wellue Blood pressure Monitor with EKG

For at-home instant and regular monitoring.

Can record long-term data for health insight.

Easily share the data with healthcare providers.

Prevent Atrial Fibrillation

Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) is common among patients with atrial fibrillation(AF). Growing evidence suggests(3) that OSA is associated with the initiation and maintenance of AF. This association is independent of obesity, body mass index and hypertension. OSA not only promotes initiation of AF but also has a significant negative impact on the treatment of AF. Patients with untreated OSA have a higher AF recurrence rate with drug therapy, electrical cardioversion and catheter ablation. Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) has been shown to improve AF control in patients with OSA.

Atrial fibrillation(AF) increase the risk of stroke by 5-fold, and more than 40% of all strokes in patients older than 80 years are attributable to AF(4).In AF, the chaotic rhythm may cause blood to pool in the heart’s upper chambers(atria) and form clots. If a blood clot forms, it could dislodge from the heart and travel the brain. There it might block blood flow, causing a stroke.

Preventing or controlling atrial fibrillation can greatly lower the chances of having a stroke.

Tests used to diagnose atrial fibrillation include:

Electrocardiogram

Holter monitor

Stress test

Echocardiogram

Transesophageal echocardiogram

Chest X-ray

How Wellue Can Help

Wellue holder monitor: This portable monitor tracks the heart’s electrical activity over 24 hours. It’s useful because atrial fibrillation events may not happen all the time. The data can be easily shared with the doctors.

Checkme™ Doctor Vital Signs Monitor

EKG Holter monitor for 24 hours.

Record ECG/EKG when an Afib event happens.

More useful functions:

Infrared Thermometer

Tracking Oxygen Saturation

Sleep Apnea Screening

Tracking Blood Pressure

Touch Screen Operation

Prevent Diabetes

Studies suggest(5) (6)that obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with alterations in glucose metabolism and places patients at an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and diabetes. The oxygen desaturation index is the main determining factor(7).

Diabetes is a well-established risk factor for stroke(8). Diabetes means you have too much sugar(glucose) in your blood, and this can make you more likely to have a stroke. This is because having too much sugar in your blood damages the blood vessels. It can make the blood vessels become stiff, and can also cause a build-up of fatty deposits. Preventing and controlling diabetes well can reduce stroke risk.

How Wellue Can Help

For those who have been diagnosed with diabetes,self-testing the blood sugar (blood glucose) can be an important tool in managing the diabetes and preventing complications. Wellue Checkme Suit enables at-home blood sugar testing every day.

Checkme™ Suit comes with a blood glucose meter kit (a blood glucose meter, test strips, lancing device, sterile lancet included) and a carrying case.

More useful functions:

EKG Holter monitor for 24 hours.

ECG/EKG recorder

Infrared Thermometer

Tracking Oxygen Saturation

Sleep Apnea Screening

Tracking Blood Pressure

Touch Screen Operation

Be Informed, Be Healthy

People with sleep apnea can live long, healthy lives, free from heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. Recognizing the connection between sleep apnea and stroke is the first step towards lowering stroke risk. Here are more tips:

Work with your doctor to manage your sleep apnea and other stroke risk factors, such as hypertension and high cholesterol.

Limit your alcohol consumption.

If you smoke, quit.

Maintain a healthy diet.

Add regular exercise to your routine.

If you think you’re having a stroke, seek emergency help right away.

How Wellue Can Help

It’s very important to evaluate the effectiveness of sleep apnea treatments at home. When a sleep apnea event happens, the blood oxygen level(pulse oximetry reading: SpO2) drops. Overnight blood oxygen level fluctuation can be used to monitor the ongoing treatment(9).

Wellue Continuous Oxygen Monitor:

-Sleep apnea screening.

-Overnight blood oxygen level tracking.

-Evaluating the effectiveness of sleep apnea treatment and remedies.

-Optional vibrating alerting function for low blood oxygen.

– Unique ring-shaped design for comfortable sleep.

Trusted Source:

1. National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information: Obstructive Sleep Apnea
https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/pulmonary-disorders/sleep-apnea/obstructive-sleep-apnea
2.PubMed: Prospective study of the association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10805822/
3.PMC: Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Atrial Fibrillation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4711541/
4.PubMed: Association of atrial fibrillation with mortality and disability after ischemic stroke.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23902702/
5.PubMed: Obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes: interacting epidemics
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18252916/
6.PubMed: Obstructive sleep apnea: an unexpected cause of insulin resistance and diabetes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24582098/
7.PubMed: Obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with insulin resistance
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11874812/
8.NVBI: Diabetes and Stroke: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Pharmaceuticals and Outcomes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5298897/
9.PMC: The Role of Overnight Pulse-Oximetry in Recognition of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3869111/yndrome in Morbidly Obese and Non Obese Patients

Amazing Heart-healthy Tips

Amazing Heart-healthy Tips

by | Mar 8, 2021 | Cardiovascular

Stretch it out

Yoga can help you improve your balance, flexibility, and strength. It can help you relax and relieve stress. As if that’s not enough, yoga also has the potential to improve heart health. According to research published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine(1), yoga demonstrates the potential to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Let the music move you

Whether you prefer a rumba beat or two-step tune, dancing makes for a great heart-healthy workout. Like other forms of aerobic exercise, it raises your heart rate and gets your lungs pumping. It also burns up to 200 calories or more per hour reports the Mayo Clinic(2).

Stop smoking—no ifs, ands, or butts

There are many steps you can take to help protect your health and blood vessels. Avoiding tobacco is one of the best.

In fact, smoking is one of the top controllable risk factors for heart disease. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, the American Heart Association(AHA), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute(NHLBI)(3), and Certers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)(4) all encourage you to quit. It can make a huge difference to not just your heart, but your overall health, too.

Be a kid

Fitness doesn’t have to be boring. Let your inner Child take the lead by enjoying an evening of roller skating, bowling, or laser tag. You can have fun while burning calories and giving your heart a workout.

Move it, move it, move it

No matter how much you weigh, sitting for long periods of time could shortens your lifespan, warn researchers in the Archives of Internal Medicine and the American Heart Association(5). Couch potato and desk jockey lifestyles seem to have an unhealthy effect on blood fats and blood sugar. If you work at a dest, remember to take regular breaks to move around. Go for a stroll on your lunch break, and enjoy regular exercise in your leisure time.

Make time for breakfast

The first meal of the day is an important one. Eating a nutritious breakfast every day can help you maintain a healthy diet and weight. To build a heart-healthy meal, reach for:
-Whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-grain cereals, or whole-wheat toast.

-Lean protein sources, such as turkey bacon or a small serving of nuts or peanut butter

-Low-fat dairy products, such as low-fat milk, yogurt, or cheese.

-Fruits and vegetables

Know your numbers

Keep your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides in check is important for good heart health. Learn the optimal levels for your gender and age group. Take steps to reach and maintain those levels. And remember to schedule regular check-ups with your doctor. If necessary, check your heart rate and record EKG on a regular basis to detect early risk.

Wellue has good cardiovascular coverage: Blood pressure, heart rate, heart rhyth, SpO2, Blood sugar…

You can manage your own health data on your phone and share the data with your doctors. 

Home Remedies and Evaluation

Home Remedies and Evaluation

by | Mar 5, 2021 | Respiratory

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. 

Traditional treatments for sleep apnea include wearing a CPAP mask at night. Though effective, some people find this method uncomfortable. Some home remedies may offer the same benefits. Here are 5 alternative treatments to reduce sleep apnea symptoms.

At-home Lifestyle Remedies

Maintain A Healthy Weight

Doctors commonly recommend people with sleep apnea to lose weight.  Maintaining a healthy weight can keep your airways clear and reduce sleep apnea symptoms. Research(1) shows that modest weight reduction in people with obesity can eliminate the need for upper airway surgery or long-term CPAP therapy.

Try Yoga

Regular exercise can increase your energy level, strengthen your heart, and improve sleep apnea. Yoga can specifically improve your respiratory strength and encourage oxygen flow.

Sleep apnea is associated with decreased oxygen saturation in your blood. Yoga can improve your oxygen levels through its various breathing exercises. As a result, yoga reduces the amount of sleep interruptions you may experience.

Alter Your Sleep Position

Though a small change, altering sleep position can reduce sleep apnea symptoms and improve night’s rest. A 2006 study(2) found that more than half of obstructive sleep apnea cases are dependent on position.

Studies(3) have shown sleeping on the back — called the supine position — can worsen symptoms. For some adults, sleeping on the side can help breathing return to normal.

However, a 2002 study(4) found that children with sleep apnea sleep better on their backs.

Discuss body positioning and your sleep apnea symptoms with your doctor to evaluate your options for treatment.

Use A Humidifier

Dry air can irritate the body and the respiratory system. Using a humidifier can open your airways, decrease congestion, and encourage clearer breathing.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning your humidifier. They can harbor molds and bacteria.

Avoid Alcohol And Smoking

Lifestyle changes can improve your health and encourage better sleeping habits. Consider quitting smoking and limiting your alcohol intake to reduce sleep apnea complications.

Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles that control your breathing. This can lead to snoring and an interrupted sleep cycle. It can also lead to inflammation in your airways, blocking your airflow.

Similar to alcohol, tobacco use can also contribute to inflammation and swelling in your airways. This can worsen your snoring and your sleep apnea.

A 2012 study(5) identified smoking as a risk factor for developing sleep apnea. The study noted that people with sleep apnea may have a predisposition to smoking as well, so treating sleep apnea may help in quitting smoking.

At-home Self-evaluation

Pulse oximetry is one of the parameters used for diagnosis of sleep apnea, but it can also be a tool to monitor ongoing treatment and remedies(6). We can wear an overnight pulse oximeter at home to evaluate the remedies. When sleep apnea happens, the blood oxygen drops. Then the pulse oximetry reading(SpO2) lowers. 

There are several items to look at when viewing the pulse oximeter report. The easiest to understand is:

Recording Time: How long the unit recorded for during the night

SpO2 Summary, which is an estimate of the amount of oxygen in the blood

Drops Per hour: How many time the SpO2 drops per hour.

Wellue Overnight Pulse Oximeter

Also called continuous oxygen monitor.

Tracking overnight blood oxygen (SpO2) fluctuation during sleep can help evaluate severity&improvement of sleep apnea.

Also want to get alerted when blood oxygen drops? Turn on the vibrating or audible alarming function.

Unique ring-shaped design for comfortable sleep.

What’s the outlook?

Some home remedies and lifestyle changes for sleep apnea can reduce symptoms. However, traditional treatments shouldn’t be ignored. Prescribed medications and sometimes surgery are part of the necessary approaches to treat this condition.

Discuss your options with your doctor before pursuing alternative treatment. If your symptoms begin to worsen, seek immediate medical attention.