Join the club for FREE to access the whole archive and other member benefits.

Quantified Self

There is a massive amount of health-tech being developed at the moment, much of which is about allowing you to monitor your own vital statistics. I'm sure it will get more detailed in the future but its a great start.

I'll hopefully start reviewing some home/self-monitoring gadgets soon, and report back on ease of use and accuracy.

I've been taking my blood pressure a couple of times a month for years now - it's a bit of a manual process still - which has allowed me to set myself a reduction target (with noticeable effects in a year) and, as importantly, gives me a baseline to compare future trends with. I'll spot any change months, maybe years, before any physical symptoms allowing me to address it in time. And if it suddenly jumps up the doctor doesn't have to guess whether I've got general hypertension or its something more acute - I'll be able to confidently say that a high blood pressure it abnormal for my body.

Although the club is primarily interested in monitoring one's health, the quantified self movement is not restricted to that alone and encompasses measuring anything you can about yourself for its own sake. Likewise, although QS is facilitated through the use of technology, technology is not a prerequisite for QS, it can equally be done using just pen and paper.

Cholesterol

What is Cholesterol - How To Reduce Cholesterol Naturally - AntiAgingSolutions (YouTube) - 1-Feb-2012
Good animation of the process of atherosclerosis

Read more about: Blood Pressure, Fitness Trackers.

Quantified Self News

Weight loss drugs may cut hospital visits and deaths in heart patients

Weight loss drugs may cut hospital visits and deaths in heart patients

The Guardian - 31-Aug-2025

These drugs could provide a powerful new option for millions worldwide

Leadership change ahead for Oxford Nanopore

Leadership change ahead for Oxford Nanopore

Financial Times (FT) - 11-Aug-2025

Gordon Sanghera to leave after 20 years as takeover interest grows in UK DNA sequencing firm

GLP-1 drug semaglutide linked to significant age reversal in study

GLP-1 drug semaglutide linked to significant age reversal in study

Futurism - 08-Aug-2025

Semaglutide study reveals slowed aging in key organs and up to five years’ brain age reversal

New obesity pill shows 12% weight loss in trials

New obesity pill shows 12% weight loss in trials

BBC - 08-Aug-2025

Orforglipron offers a needle-free option for tackling obesity, pending global approval

More Quantified Self News

Quantified Self Resources

Click on resource name for more details.

The quantified self

Gary Wolf gives a 5-min intro to using mobile apps and always-on gadgets to track and analyze your body

Elite Performance: How Pro Athletes Use HRV to Train Smarter (Not Harder)

Optispan podcast episode - Joel Jamieson on heart rate variability’s impact on health and performance

Oxford Nanopore Technologies

Company developing and selling nanopore sequencing products

Sava

London-based biosensor startup

Day One DNA: How and why the UK is betting on whole genome sequencing for every newborn

Podcast from Labiotech-UK’s Plan: Whole Genome Sequencing for Every Newborn

Lose Fat With Science-Based Tools | Huberman Lab Essentials

The Huberman Lab podcast-How the nervous system and simple tools can boost fat loss

More Quantified Self resources

Quantified Self Blog Posts

Monitoring my blood glucose response with a Freestyle Libre 3 CGM
02-May-2024

Monitoring my blood glucose response with a Freestyle Libre 3 CGM

What can continuous glucose monitor graphs tell you about your diet?

Measuring the hallmarks of ageing – how can you track the underlying causes of ageing?
27-Mar-2024

Measuring the hallmarks of ageing – how can you track the underlying causes of ageing?

What consumer tests are available to check your hallmarks of ageing and how they're impacting your body?

Jinfiniti NMN Supplements Personal Case Study
28-Apr-2023

Jinfiniti NMN Supplements Personal Case Study

A good jump in NAD levels and grip strength during this one month trial, but not everything improved

Spermidine review – Primeadine tested a for 1 month
31-Mar-2023

Spermidine review – Primeadine tested a for 1 month

What is the impact on physical biomarkers from taking spermidine supplements?

More Quantified Self blog posts