Is health help only a text away?

I picked up something at the Dearborn Farmer’s Market recently that promised
a little help in the ongoing effort to control blood sugar levels.

Billed as the latest weapon in the war on diabetes, the pamphlet was
from the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community (SEMBC) and referenced a new
initiative to combat the condition, called Fighting D in the D. All you have to
do is text ‘health’ to 300400 to get started.

I admit I was a bit skeptical. Diabetes is a condition that affects
everyone differently. I didn’t see how valuable an anonymous text could be, or
how it could provide specific enough information to be helpful to anyone. But,
since we use our phones for everything else these days and since more and more
people are turning to technology for this kind of thing, I figured I’d give it
a try and tell you what I learned.

The concept is a good one, the message inspiring. It says you can
control diabetes and, to a point, that is correct. Control it, yes. Reverse it?
Maybe. Cure it? Not so much. It points out a direct link to increased exercise
and better blood sugar management. A modest bit of exercise, like 150 minutes
each week, can help prevent or delay Type II diabetes, as can losing a few
pounds.

Anyway, here’s what you do: Type ‘HEALTH’ to 300400 (standard rates
apply).

After a couple of initial responses, the app then starts building your
health profile by asking your weight (I responded 160) and height (I guessed
about 5’ 8.”)

The app is programmed to ask whether you want to proceed throughout the
initial set up. The questions are discrete and reassuring in tone, too. ‘This
is a sensitive question, but stick with me, it’s important,’ it says. ‘How old
are you?’

The next question is about activity and doesn’t provide many choices:
Type ‘1’ if you get little to no exercise or ‘2’ if you’re very active most
days. An odd omission, since most of us fall between those two. I replied ‘2’
because I walk at least two miles every day at a brisk pace set by an overly
energetic Jack Russell Terrier.

The remaining questions refer to your family history, ethnicity and
whether or not you smoke. All of these things can increase your chance of
developing Type II diabetes. I’m a non-smoker, but I have a history of diabetes
in my family.

After I put in all my information, I received a text that said I was at
a low risk for developing Type II diabetes. I’m not sure if I should take pride
in knowing that, despite my allegedly low risk level, I managed to, anyway, or
if I should follow my original assumption: that the questions are too vague for
the answers to provide much insight.

But who knows, it’s still early in the process, and the reminders
coming straight to your phone may be of valuable to you, anyway. If you feel
like checking it out, go ahead; it’s free and you can always text ‘stop’ to
cancel it.

The important things to remember are to get active and stay active,
monitor what you eat, get a doctor if you can and communicate with him or her:
the more questions you can ask, the more prepared you will be. It’s a complex
carbohydrate world out there, and you’ll need all the help you can get.