Viewing web trends and your health

If you have not yet discovered Google trends then you are missing an interesting tool for viewing the world. Google trends accepts a string of search words and then shows you in a graph the relative interest in those terms. You can change the time frame and even geographic location. Google will also try to provide some context for very sharp changes in the graph.

So far so much fun.

What is constantly surprising is how the changing cycles of the year appear to drive trends, especially those relating to health.

Take a look at the graph below. It shows 3 trend lines of interest on one graph. In this case it's Anxiety, Yoga and depression. Click on it to see a bigger image.

You can see how the lines although of different sizes have very similar 'sawtooth' waveforms. In each year you see a decline in the last quarter followed by a jump upwards at New Year.

 

Here in the graph above I've shown just one 12 month period so that you can see how the activity changes around the New Year period. (Just when most Gym memberships are sold!)

So as interesting as this is what's the point?

Just this; why wait for the New Year to make the changes that you want? Start today and get a three month head-start. That's three extra months to reduce your weight, get rid of that phobia or change your life style. Get healthier starting today, YOU CAN do it.

Even if you feel that you have nothing to change, be aware that others will be going through this process. Are you going to support and encourage them? Good.