Health.exe is a software cluster, which monitors and graphs your Blood Glucose levels, Blood Pressure (Systolic, Diastolic, and Pulse) levels, Weight, and A1c Results.  The software is extremely easy to use.  The software includes overall data statistics and graph analysis.  The graph can be shown as a line or a bar graph.  In the near future, I plan to add a histogram to the graph.  Presently, the graph analysis (located in the upper right side of the page) shows something relating to a histogram, but in numerical form.  All data has to be entered by you via the keyboard.  This software is not designed to be used in conjunction with any particular BG or BP monitor.

The software also contains facts and Internet URL's for pertinent information relating to blood glucose and blood pressure.  The information is under the Help menu.  The links could be invaluable for the beginner in diabetes and hypertension.  Your Internet connection has to be "Open" and Active before the Links will work.  If you have a cable modem or a DSL line, your Internet connection is always on.  If you have a Dial-Up connection, you have to make the connection.

The Health software will make daily backups of the blood glucose and blood pressure databases.  A fair number of health users like to tinker with the databases and corrupt them.  Or, the user will delete the respective database without making a backup first.  In either case, the user loses all data.  To solve the problem, the software will automatically make a backup of all databases when you launch the Health software.  This will occur only for the first time you launch the software each day.  In this manner, you only lose one day of data.  The backup for each database is located in the "Health/Daily Backup of Health Software Databases directory".

			BLOOD GLUCOSE
Date Change:  Click on the down arrow on the date block, and the present month will show.  Click on a new date to select a new date.  To change the month, click on the back or forward arrow.

Time Change:  Hour-Click on the hour, use the up/down arrows to increment or decrement.  Do the same for changing the minute and changing AM/PM.

Condition Change:  These conditions represent what you did just prior to taking the BG reading.  Example:  One hour after dinner, Just returned from a walk, etc.  They are informative as time goes by, and your BG condition worsens.  Diabetes never gets better, only worsens.

Blood Glucose:  This is the value displayed in your BG meter.  The software is designed to show BG values in mg/dl or mmol/L.  I understand this standard is only used in the US.  Other countries use the universal standard (mmol/L).  To convert mg/dl to mmol/L, multiply mg/dl by 18.

Comments:  Say what you want.  Suggest put in how you feel.  Could be important if you have a hypo problem.  In the near future I hope to add something about recording hypos, to busy at present.

To add a BG reading to the database, enter the appropriate data in the text box as described above, and click on the "Blood Glucose" Button.

The graph can show values for Today, last 7 days, last 14 days, last 30 days, last 60 days, last 90 days, year to date, and all data.  Each of these data groupings can be refined further by showing:  All values, the daily highest, the daily average, the daily lowest, the First of the day, and the Last of the day value.  This may sound like a lot of data manipulation, and probably confusing.  But, if you are comfortable using graphs and interpret them with confidence, you may conclude what is included is not enough.  Only time will tell.

Graph Data:  This shows the analysis of the graph in numerical form. Included is: Minimum value, Maximum value, Mean value, and Number of Readings.  Values are now grouped like a histogram, like percentage of readings below 70, percentage below 120, from 70 to 120, over 120, over 150, over 200, over 300, over 400.  For some users, this graph analysis may be of the most interest.  Since most users try to maintain a BG level of 70-120, this analysis is very important.

A lot of diabetics (me included) have a serious problem with huge rises in BG levels after arising in the morning.  This is called Dawn Phenomenen or commonly called a Liver Dump.  To get you going in the morning, your liver releases glucose into your system.  This results in an surplus of glucose resulting in a rise in your BG levels.  The rise can be small or it can be huge.  The dump affects each person differently.  For me, the dump occurs about an hour after I eat breakfast.  It is very important that you watch for this dump since the effects of spikes are cumulative.  If the dump results in your BG>150, you could harm yourself.  I created a Condition called "Liver Dump".  It is up to you to determine when the maximum BG level occurs during this morning period.  It varies for each of us.  When you determine about when the maximum occurs, record the BG reading under the Condition of "Liver Dump".  There are two graphing menus relating to this Liver Dump value.  One menu displays the actual rise of the liver dump.  It is the mathematical difference between the Fasting and Liver Dump readings.  The other menu displays the individual graphs of Fasting vs Liver Dump.  It is very important that you watch for this liver dump value.

Sometimes you enter data wrong or you hit the wrong key.  The data you have entered is shown in a grid.  You can edit the data in a row or you can delete the row from the database.  To delete a row, scroll to the row you want to delete.  On the left side of the grid you see the row number in an off brown color.  Click on row number you desire to delete.  The whole row will turn a black color.  Go the Edit menu, and select "Delete A Row", and the row of data will be removed from the database.  There is no way to reverse the process, once completed.  Be careful what you delete.  You can also Edit the data in a Row.  You can change the Condition, BG level, and Comments.  You cannot change the Date and Time.  If you originally entered the wrong date and/or wrong Time, you have to Delete the Row and Reenter the data with the correct Date/Time.  To Edit a Row, highlight the Row and described above, go to the Edit menu, select "Edit A Row", and the data will be shown in the respective text blocks where you normally enter data.  Change the Condition, BG Level, or Comments as desired, and click on the "Blood Glucose" Button.  The corrected data will replace the existing data in the database.

The graph does not show any individual BG data levels.  This is done for a purpose.  You would end up with total garbage.  It is very easy to identify a single BG point on the graph.  It is easier to describe on a bar graph.  So, switch to a bar graph by going to the "Graph-Dimensional" menu and selecting "Bar Graph".  The graph will change to a bar graph.  The graph is always shown in a Red color.  Click the mouse on one of the red bars once.  You will notice a very small blue colored box at the top and bottom of each red bar.  Let's say you want to know the BG level on the second red bar from the left.  Move the mouse cursor over that respective red bar, and click the left button on your mouse just once.  Now wait for a second or two.  You will see that only that third bar still has its top and bottom highlighted.  All other bars are no longer highlighted.  Now move the mouse cursor over to the center of the highlighted box, and double click the left mouse button.  The BG level of that third red bar will be shown to the right side of the Title of the graph.  The graph Title is located just above the graph.  The Date and value of the BG reading will be shown.  Try it a few times, it's really easy.  For those with vision problems, the highlighted box is a blue color, and this could blend with the light blue color I selected for the color of the BG Form.  If this is a problem, email me, and I will add a color selection, so you can change the background color of the Form.

Trend Line analysis is an analytical method used to smooth out a data set to a easily recognized trend on a graph.  It tells you where you are going.  Some people have very erratic BG numbers.  The Trend Line will smooth out the numbers.  I used the Simple Moving Average method for determining SMA dataset.  When incorporating the SMA into the BG software, I decided to let the user determine which SMA time period suites the user's needs.  The shorter the SMA time period, the more erratic the SMA graph will be, just as the longer the SMA time period, the smoother the graph will be.  The SMA graph can be shown by itself or combined with the raw BG dataset.  Over time I will add other methods to better determine and better display a Trend Line graph.

If the Blood Glucose Form is visible and you want to go to the Blood Pressure button located on Top of the Form.  To show the Weight Form, click on the Weight button.

The graph can be printed to paper.  Be sure your inkjet or laser printer is hooked up and functioning.  Just go to menu "System" and scroll down to "Print Graph", and the graph as shown on your computer monitor will be printed on paper.  It is printed in a Landscape manner.  Currently, I have it set so that the graph occupies about 75 percent of a page.  Show it to your doctor.

As feedback is received from the users, the software can be revised. 

To contact me, use the email address on my web page.  Please do not use the email address for marketing or spamming purposes.  The URL for my web page is located under the "Help" menu, select About, and click on the URL, and your Default browser will go to the web page.  Oh, my email address is always munged, which means I have added one or more useless letter to the address.  This is to foil spammer bots which crawl all over ISP's servers, and collect email addresses for spamming purposes.  The directions to remove the added letters is shown just above the email address.  Just remove the added letters, and send me an email with your suggestions and/or criticisms.

			BlOOD PRESSURE
The software functions the same for BP as it does for BG.  The systolic, diastolic, and pulse values come from your Blood Pressure Monitor.  Every couple months bring your BP monitor to your doctor's office and take your BP at the same time the Nurse takes your BP.  Their equipment is far more reliable than is what is typically used in the home.  If you BG or BP monitor is giving you bad or erroneous readings, your health will suffer.  I personally recommend taking a BP reading at least 3 times a day.  Remember, diabetes and hypertension almost go hand in hand.  Both attack your heart and kidneys.

Data Entry:  Same as for blood glucose above.
Date and Time:  Same as for blood glucose above.
Editing and Deleting Data:  Same as for blood glucose above.
Data Statistics:  Self explanatory by examining the grid.  The data for blood pressure is presented individually (Systolic, Diastolic, and Pulse).

Graph: Data point interpretation is the same as for blood glucose explained above.  Currently, the graph shows Systolic, Diastolic, or Pulse, one at a time.  In the near future I plan to graph Systolic and Diastolic together since they are related.  Pulse appears to be somewhat independent of the other two, so I'm not sure what would be attained graphing all three together.  The graph would look messy over time.
			WEIGHT
To add a Weight value, just press the "Weight" button either the BG or BP Forms.  The Weight Form and all its components work the same as explained earlier for blood glucose and blood pressure, except I chose not to add a graph analysis block.  A person's weight does not change much over a short period of time, so analyzing the graph serves no meaningful function.
