Changes

Self-experimentation is still science. Variety of literature shows the validity of N-of-1 and patient-led studies.<ref>https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=patient-led+study</ref> 12 self-experimenters won Nobel prizes.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298919/</ref>

Self-experimentation is still science. Variety of literature shows the validity of N-of-1 and patient-led studies.<ref>https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=patient-led+study</ref> 12 self-experimenters won Nobel prizes.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298919/</ref>

Alternatively, you could donate your data. Even if no large formal experiment is conducted, observational studies are important.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93crime_hypothesis</ref> [https://medschool.ucsd.edu/som/medicine/divisions/gastro/research/NAFLD/research/epidemiology/Pages/default.aspx#:~:text=Epidemiologic%20studies%20are%20the%20foundation%20for%20disease%20control,for%20a%20disease%20and%20targets%20for%20preventive%20medicine. Epidemiological studies]<ref>Introduction to Epidemiological Studies - PubMed (nih.gov)</ref> are better with self-tracking tools.<ref>https://www.jmir.org/2022/6/e35804</ref><ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49775085_Reducing_case_ascertainment_costs_in_US_population_studies_of_Alzheimer's_disease_dementia_and_cognitive_impairment_-_Part_2</ref> If continuous self-tracking data is taken from multiple people, it becomes a [[wikipedia:Longitudinal_study|longitudinal study]]. These are more reliable than single slice observational studies like the ones most often used by papers about diets. Unfortunately, [[wikipedia:MHealth|mobile health]] companies that aggregate data from users rarely do it with real scientific goals in mind. Instead, you should give that data to researchers through [[Open Humans]].

Alternatively, you could donate your data. Even if no large formal experiment is conducted, observational studies are important.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93crime_hypothesis</ref> [https://medschool.ucsd.edu/som/medicine/divisions/gastro/research/NAFLD/research/epidemiology/Pages/default.aspx#:~:text=Epidemiologic%20studies%20are%20the%20foundation%20for%20disease%20control,for%20a%20disease%20and%20targets%20for%20preventive%20medicine. Epidemiological studies]<ref>Introduction to Epidemiological Studies - PubMed (nih.gov)</ref>, which are observational studies, become better with self-tracking tools.<ref>https://www.jmir.org/2022/6/e35804</ref><ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49775085_Reducing_case_ascertainment_costs_in_US_population_studies_of_Alzheimer's_disease_dementia_and_cognitive_impairment_-_Part_2</ref> Continuous self-tracking data from multiple people qualifies as [[wikipedia:Longitudinal_study|longitudinal study]]. These are more reliable than single slice observational studies like the ones most often used by papers about diets. Unfortunately, [[wikipedia:MHealth|mobile health]] companies that aggregate data from users rarely do it with real scientific goals in mind. Instead, you should give that data to researchers through [[Open Humans]].

==== Manage health conditions ====

==== Manage health conditions ====

Doctors will get much more precise, objective, and detailed description from data than patients provide verbally. Patient knows much more about themselves than doctors have time to understand without the clear information that self-tracking provides. This includes long term tracking as a baseline. Data like this has been good enough to prove something even to the medical community. Patients get a clearer picture of their health which they can use to make better decisions.<ref>https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1124772.1124910</ref> Patients can gauge their doctor's performance better. Self-tracking could reduce medical costs.<ref>https://flowingdata.com/2022/06/24/when-americans-had-intercourse-with-opposite-sex-for-the-first-time/</ref>   

Doctors will get much more precise, objective, and detailed description from data than patients provide verbally. Patient knows much more about themselves than doctors have time to understand without the clear information that self-tracking provides. Data like this has been good enough to prove something even to the medical community. Patients get a clearer picture of their health which they can use to make better decisions.<ref>https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1124772.1124910</ref> Patients can gauge their doctor's performance better. Self-tracking could reduce medical costs.<ref>https://flowingdata.com/2022/06/24/when-americans-had-intercourse-with-opposite-sex-for-the-first-time/</ref>   

Sometimes doctors cannot help and then DIY health is the only answer.<ref>https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fFY2HeC9i2Tx8FEnK/my-resentful-story-of-becoming-a-medical-miracle</ref> Chronic or [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subclinical subclinical] health conditions, and effects of lifestyle choices, like veganism,<ref>https://www.vegansociety.com/shop/veg-1-supplements</ref><ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan_nutrition</ref> may be monitored using personal health tracking. Remedies such as weight loss diets and melatonin can be tested for effectiveness with health tracking. Even if no remedies are found, tracking can provide piece of mind by showing the patient that this condition is like previous ones that have resolved or that it is benign.  

Sometimes doctors cannot help and then DIY health is the only answer.<ref>https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/fFY2HeC9i2Tx8FEnK/my-resentful-story-of-becoming-a-medical-miracle</ref> Chronic or [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subclinical subclinical] health conditions, and effects of lifestyle choices, like veganism,<ref>https://www.vegansociety.com/shop/veg-1-supplements</ref><ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan_nutrition</ref> may be monitored using personal health tracking. Remedies such as weight loss diets and melatonin can be tested for effectiveness with health tracking. Even if no remedies are found, tracking can provide piece of mind by showing the patient that this condition is like previous ones that have resolved or that it is benign.  

==== Protect your health ====

==== Protect your health ====

Even if you have no health problems and do not intend to improve anything, you should continuously monitor the vitals (same as in 'improve' bellow) that your doctors do not. Sickness can be subtle.<ref>https://www.fda.gov/drugs/special-features/high-blood-pressure-understanding-silent-killer</ref> It can harm you in a way that you do not notice but that could affect you a lot. For example, slight dietary changes could increase resting heart rate or more noise could drastically reduce productivity.   

Even if you have no health problems and do not intend to improve anything, you should continuously monitor the vitals (same as in 'improve' bellow) that your doctors do not. Detect problems before they do harm. Sickness can be subtle.<ref>https://www.fda.gov/drugs/special-features/high-blood-pressure-understanding-silent-killer</ref> It can harm you in a way that you do not notice but that could affect you a lot. For example, slight dietary changes could increase resting heart rate or more noise could drastically reduce productivity.   

Unhealthy products are ubiquitous. Many foods are designed to be bought, often without concern for the health of the customer. Technological innovation grows so fast that culture and regulators can not keep up. This turns in to a [[Digital addiction]] epidemic because of games like flappy bird, and apps like Facebook and Youtube.  

Unhealthy products are ubiquitous. Many foods are designed to be sold, often without concern for the health of the customer. Technological innovation grows so fast that culture and regulators (FDA) cannot keep up. This turns in to a [[Digital addiction]] epidemic because of games like flappy bird, and apps like Facebook and Youtube.  

Travel can be unhealthy in unexpected ways. Quality of sanitation and health care varies between countries. Health advisories about foreign countries are abundant. Digital nomads should maintain a diary of symptoms to notice uncommon diseases in addition to vitals.

Travel can be unhealthy in unexpected ways. Quality of sanitation and health care varies between countries. Health advisories about foreign countries are abundant. Digital nomads should maintain a diary of symptoms to notice uncommon diseases in addition to vitals.