Posted on October 30, 2023 by QluPod AG

Herisau, Switzerland QluPod AG (www.qlupod.com)

The Invisible Elixir of Life

The importance of blood oxygen for your health

When you think about your health and a healthy lifestyle, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Like most people, the answer is probably: weight, diet and exercise. These are certainly important factors, as each of us can do a lot for our well-being with moderate weight loss, a balanced diet and sufficient exercise.

But there is another important element that works ceaselessly in the background and is crucial for our health and well-being: blood oxygen.

Blood oxygen is a vital substance that we take in through our breathing and that enters our bloodstream via the lungs. Through the veins, the oxygen particles are transported to every single cell and supply them with energy. Adequate oxygen levels are therefore important and should be monitored regularly. The QluPod health monitor for measuring six vital signs reliably takes over this task day and night.

How does the measurement of oxygen saturation work?

In medicine, there are two known ways to measure oxygen saturation in the blood: Pulse oximetry and blood gas analysis (ABG). For the blood gas analysis, a blood sample must be sent to a laboratory to determine the haemoglobin content that has bound oxygen. This is the red blood pigment in the blood cells to which the oxygen passed through the lungs binds. Blood gas analysis is more accurate than pulse oximetry, but a doctor’s visit is always necessary for the examination.

To measure the blood oxygen level yourself, you can easily and conveniently use the QluPod health monitor in your home as a so-called pulse oximeter. To measure, simply attach a clip to a fingertip. The clip sends light through the tissue, which is picked up and measured by a detector. The light has the colours red and infrared. Depending on the oxygen content in your blood, the light is absorbed differently. Based on the data, the device can measure the oxygen content and indicate it as a percentage.

When are the blood oxygen levels in the normal range?

Oxygen is usually measured using peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, abbreviated as SpO2. This refers to the use of a pulse oximeter that you simply place on a fingertip. The device measures the oxygen content and gives the percentage of haemoglobin loaded with oxygen compared to the total amount of red blood pigment in the blood. A guideline for a normal oxygen level is 95%- 99%. If the QluPod shows you a value of 100% oxygen content, you have reached the maximum loading of the haemoglobin with oxygen.

An adequate blood oxygen level is important for your well-being and can even be vital. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor at the first sign of low blood oxygen levels and take appropriate countermeasures.

How can I tell if the blood oxygen level is too low?

If there is too little oxygen in your bloodstream, you suffer from hypoxaemia. The lower the indicated value, the greater the risk that individual organs such as the heart or brain can be damaged. Therefore, you should see a doctor and be checked for hypoxaemia if you have these signs:

• Shortness of breath and shortness of breath
• Wheezing or coughing
• Blue coloured skin, lips or fingernails
• Dizziness and headaches
• Restlessness and fast heartbeat
• Low physical resilience and weakness

There are different treatments for hypoxaemia. First of all, medical examinations must determine whether the problem is damage to the lungs, anaemia, a chronic undersupply of blood oxygen or some other condition. In emergencies, oxygen is supplied via a nasal tube or a breathing mask. In addition, other circumstances can have an influence on the blood oxygen content.

Influences on blood oxygen

There are various causes that lead to the oxygen saturation in the blood being below the normal range. To avoid serious and long-term consequences for your health, you should monitor your blood oxygen levels, especially for these factors:

• Lung diseases such as bronchitis, asthma, COPD or pneumonia
• Anaemia, also known as anaemia in medicine.
• Sleep apnoea, i.e. snoring and pauses in breathing during sleep due to a blockage in the pharynx.
• Heart diseases such as heart failure or congenital heart defects
• Taking strong painkillers that slow down breathing
• Respiratory insufficiency due to disturbance of the respiratory muscles or gas exchange in the lungs
• Alcoholism
• Staying in the mountains or at high altitude with a low oxygen content in the air

If you do not suffer from any of these diseases, you can improve the oxygen saturation in your blood through a healthy lifestyle and actively do something for your well-being and health.

A healthy lifestyle improves the oxygen level in the blood

You can take some measures to improve the oxygen level in your blood. It starts with regularly measuring the blood oxygen level with the QluPod health monitor. This way, you will immediately notice if the value improves after a long walk in the forest or after certain breathing exercises.

Diet also plays an important role in the absorption of oxygen in the blood. There are some foods that stimulate the formation of red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen in the body. These include especially foods with a high iron content such as red meat, lentils, shellfish, green leafy vegetables and dark chocolate. Other foods contain a lot of vitamin D, which is associated with improved respiratory function and high blood oxygen levels.

Therefore, it is advisable if red meat, fish with a higher fat content or egg yolks are regular components of your meals.

Improving blood oxygen levels during sleep – how does it work?

In addition to diet, sport and exercise in the fresh air, you can also improve the oxygen levels in your blood while you sleep. Even with simple measures, the readings of the QluPod will show a higher oxygen saturation after a short time if you follow the advice below:

• Sleep on your side and not on your back. In the supine position, the lungs are compressed. This is why some people snore particularly loudly when they sleep in this position.
• Make sure your nose is clear. Blockage of the nasal passages reduces oxygen intake and can cause loud snoring. Before going to bed, use a nasal douche or a saline solution to rinse your nose. This clears the nasal passages and ensures a better oxygen supply.
• Ensure sufficient ventilation and fresh air in the rooms. When the amount of oxygen in a room increases, you also supply more oxygen to your body through breathing.

The QluPod Health Monitor: The practical self-monitoring device

With the QluPod health monitor, you measure the six important vital signs heart rate, blood sugar, blood pressure, ECG, body temperature and blood oxygen with just one device. You get instant information about the oxygen level in your blood as well as information about the other vital signs. You can forward the values to your doctor or healthcare provider via the QluPod app. This ensures all-round care and you are always informed about your current values.

Use the QluPod health monitor even when travelling. If you spend your holiday in the mountains or are in a higher country on business, you can use the QluPod to regularly measure your blood oxygen levels and make sure they are within the normal range.

On our homepage www.qlupod.eu we inform you comprehensively about the advantages of the QluPod Health Monitor and are happy to answer your questions by phone or e-mail!

Qlupod AG, 30.10.2023

Nikola Trajanov

Contact:
QLUPOD AG
Industriestrasse 28
9100 Herisau AR – Schweiz
Tel.: +41 (0)71 510 05 45
Mail: office@qlupod.com