Android apps for improving womens health

Its important for everyone to strive for a healthy lifestyle, but we all have our special needs. Women in particular have different health goals than men, as age and dietary needs also play a role. Fortunately for the modern woman, we have countless resources at hand, many available as Android apps. Heres a few that address fitness, breast cancer, health education, stress reduction and more.

WeightWatchers Barcode Scanner (Free)

Shopping for groceries can sometimes feel like a doctoral-level research study, reading labels for nutritional facts and ingredients, comparing each aisles products. The pressure is compounded for someone using a highly disciplined service like Weight Watchers. Thankfully Weight Watchers has a barcode-scanning Android app that gives you all the information you need for your personal goals. Check grocery items against Weight Watchers database, add it to your PointsPlus Tracker or your Favorites. You can even scan multiple products for comparisons, access your scanned history and use the PointPlus calculator right from the app. Youll need to be an existing subscriber to Weight Watchers Online to use the full features of this app.

Womens Health Workouts ($1.99)

Not many womens health magazines have an Android presence, but Womens Health was an early supporter of mobile apps. With Womens Health Workouts you get the sleekly designed programs the print publication is known for, in a convenient mobile package. Youll receive step-by-step workouts developed by top female trainers and experts, shareable training logs and timers, all designed to optimize your exercise goals. The app also comes with built-in support to request expert guidance. Get the pro version for full-featured access to workout plans.

Take a Break from Stress (Free)

Women take on a great responsibility in caring for their families, often combined with the added pressure of a career. Stay stress free throughout your busy day with Meditation Oasis app, called Take a Break from Stress. This voice-guided app comes with two programs - one for a seven-minute break, and the other for 13 minutes. You can listen with or without music, turn off the voice guide, and practice your stress reduction techniques to keep you sane throughout the day. After a while, you may be able to skip the app all together.

All-in YOGA+ ($0.99)

Yoga is another great way to relax the mind, body and spirit while improving blood circulation and toning muscles. A popular program for women, yoga is a great opportunity to take some time for yourself to do something that has long-lasting benefits for your overall health. The All-in YOGA app for Android comes with over 300 poses, complete with instructions and photos. Theres a video and voice-guided option, as well as the ability to create custom programs with the dozens of yoga poses available in this app. And dont worry about getting ahead of yourself with this yoga trainer--poses are grouped according to level and type (strong abs, breathing or stretching exercises, to name a few), so you can work your way up to the hard stuff. The app comes with music if you dont have any of your own, with 40 programs to choose from. Track your progress on a calendar, see 3D views of poses, and cool down when youre done.

Pink Link (Free)

Breast cancer is a disease that affects many of us in one way or another, becoming a foremost important health concern for every woman you know. Self-examination is key to womens health, and the Pink Link app offers a guide on how to conduct a breast self-exam. The app also lets you schedule reminders for yearly mammograms and monthly self-exams, and provides information on breast cancer screening guidelines. Pink Link is an app released by Mount Carmel, a womens health center in Central Ohio, so if you live in the region you can also use the app to contact nearby centers. For a more general app on self-exam techniques, try Breast Test.

MyPill ($0.99)

If you take oral contraceptives daily, you know the importance of staying on track with your pills. The My Pill app lets you set an alarm to ring daily, pausing automatically between cycles. You dont have to do much manual work with this app--even when you reboot the app, it will reset its schedule. Alarm tones are customizable, and can be set to vibrate. This Android app will also track the number of pills remaining in your pack, and available in English and French.

BabyBump Pregnancy Pro ($2.99)

Pregnancy is unique to women, and requires a great deal of attention, time and care. Simplify some of the processes around tracking your pregnancy with the Baby Bump app for Android, considered one of the most inclusive apps of its kind. View schematic embryo pictures of baby development week-by-week, along with common symptoms, cravings and bodily changes you can expect throughout the pregnancy. The app comes with a journal and a weight-tracker, so youll have a database to take to doctors visits. Your progress can also be charted for weight gain, BMI and low/high estimates against your actual weight on a weekly basis. Theres a social component for sharing pregnancy stories, a countdown widget for your homescreen, and a contraction tracker with a start/stop button when the big day arrives.

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