Type 1 diabetes, the one where the body can’t produce insulin, is not only life threatening when it is badly managed but it’s also a total pain, in the finger – blood tests, in the lifestyle – continual check ups, and in the way it needs to be logged and monitored.
The mySugr app was developed by people with diabetes to help others work out ways to log data about their health, food intake and mood as well as making it a bit more inspiring.
Most of us are lucky enough not to have to bother thinking about everything we eat, our emotional state and what we are doing each day. But for those with Type 1 diabetes, all of those things can have an extreme effect on health and much heavier consequences later in life.
To make things a bit more interesting, mySugr has updated its app with a selection of amusing features and challenges. The app is available in iOS and is sold as a freemium model. It’s free for the basics and then there is a €4 monthly subscription for premium features.
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The latest update gives basic users a shot at the premium version by playing health challenges. ‘Vampire’, ‘Greenhorn’ and ‘Sweat It’ are challenges that encourage users to log their data properly, and look after their health through exercise. Beat the challenge, and get to the next level of premium data features on the app for free.
MySugr recently agreed a partnership with the Austrian wing of Sanofi Aventis, to introduce some other challenges which, if completed, make the app free for up to a year. Sadly for now, ‘Monster Basher’ and ‘Tame Your Monster’ are only available in Austria.
Logging the state of your body all day, every day and noting everything you eat gets to be a drag. The lifestyle of the diabetic might seem interesting for those who are interested in the quantified self. But it’s no mean feat to make sure you stay alive by creating data files.
Hopefully new challenges like the ones from mySugr will encourage people to keep logging. It’s not an easy job, but earning free stuff is neat and staying alive longer, well that’s even better.
➤ mySugr
Image credit: KirinQueen
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