Health Features in Apple’s New Products
Welcome to this week's edition of Public Health without Politics.
In this issue, we look at everything from low-effort ways to improve your health—like Zone Zero movement and simple veggie upgrades—to the new health features Apple just launched.
We’ll also cover back-saving tips and new research pointing toward the future of precision health.
Trending in Health this Week
It’s September—time to reset.
Caffeine appears to affect the quality of blood donations.
Low Effort, Big Impact: Ultra-low-intensity movement like slow walking or stretching still delivers big benefits for blood sugar, mood, and daily health.
Rethinking 10,000 Steps: New research shows walking 7,000 steps a day delivers nearly the same health benefits as 10,000, including cutting early death risk by almost half.
The power of Aquatic Therapy: Water-based therapy eases pressure on the spine and speeds recovery after back surgery.
Here’s why dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate.
Simple Veggie Upgrades: A private chef shares easy ways to add more fruits and vegetables to everyday meals.
Apple’s New Gadgets Put Health Front and Center
Apple just revealed its latest products—and there are some new health features that might be of interest:
Blood Pressure Alerts: The Apple Watch can now flag potential high blood pressure.
Sleep Score: A new rating helps you track and improve your quality of sleep.
AirPods Heart Rate Sensors: In-ear sensors provide real-time workout feedback.
A Simple Move that Can Save Your Back
If you’re like me—and the millions of Americans who struggle with back pain—you know prevention is key. Experts say small daily habits can make the difference between a healthy spine and chronic discomfort:
Lift smart: Bend your knees, not your waist, and keep heavy items close to your body.
Sit well: Use a chair with good lower-back support, keep feet flat, and avoid slouching.
Move often: Stand up, stretch, or walk every 30 minutes to ease strain from long sitting.
Strengthen your core: Strong abdominal and back muscles provide stability and protect your spine.
Watch your posture: Whether standing, sitting, or sleeping, keep your spine aligned and avoid awkward twists.
And if you do strain your back, here’s a quick guide to recovery.
Precision Health and Syndemic Disease
I’ve been arguing for a while that the future of health is precision health—and a new Lancet study backs that up by showing one-size-fits-all advice often falls short.
Key Points:
Some recommendations may help, but not always—and not for every person—so researchers say we need care tailored to each individual.
Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure often appear together and make each other worse.
This cluster of conditions is called a “syndemic,” and it raises the risk of developing heart disease later on.
The big idea: tackling these problems early—and together—may be a better way to prevent heart disease than treating each one separately.
Inspirational Quote
“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.” — Lao Tzu
Have a great week,
-Richard