A few months ago, a story ran in Wired Magazine that described a noticeable shift in the scientific method, and attributed the change to our ability to produce and store large amounts of data.Historically, the scientific method was built around a testable theory. But in the 21st century, theories were becoming obsolete; the data simply spoke for itself.
Read MoreThe afternoon of Day 1 of the Health 2.0 Conference was highlighted by the session, "The Patient is In". First up, a video that documented the experiences of a group of people that recently started using patient health tools, such as online health journals that track diet or exercise, support sites for quitting smoking, or home blood test kits.
Read MoreSelf-tracking is an effective way to change behaviors. That’s the result of a study conducted last year by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research.
“The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost,” says Jack Hollis PhD, a researcher at KPCHR and lead author of the study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. “Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories.Read More
A friend of mine sent me a link to a new device that aims to improve the quality of sleep you're getting (thanks, Andy). Say hello to the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach. Armed with a hypoallergenic wireless headband and an alarm clock-like receiver, you can analyze how your beauty rest is affected by things that go bump in the night (literally, for the dog in the YouTube clip above).
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