Lower Your Cholesterol

Dedicated to your achievement and maintainance of healthy cholesterol levels

Archive for the 'Cholesterol Testing' Category

How to use cholesterol monitors to test cholesterol levels including reviews of available cholesterol test kits.

Cholesterol Test Kit

Posted by bunches on 12th October 2007

Know Your Cholesterol Level With the Cholesterol Test Kit

High cholesterol can be a life treating condition. Coronary heart disease is much more common in people who have high levels of 'bad' cholesterol so it's important to use a cholesterol test kit to check your levels as often as necessary. That way, if there is a problem, you can take action immediately.

THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE Paypal US $25.95 9d 18h 44m
CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK Paypal US $11.99 29d 14h 48m

What are Healthy Cholesterol Levels?

There are 2 types of Cholesterol - 'good' cholesterol (HDL) which helps prevent heart disease and 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) which leads to cloggig of the arteries when levels are high which in turn can lead to heart disease. The optimum level of cholesterol is 200mg/dl of LDL or less and a minimum of 40mg/dL of HDL or more.

The only way to check your cholesterol level is through a blood test. This used to only be possible when conducted in a hospital by a physician. Nowadays however, you can use a cholesterol test kit in the comfort of your own home to easily check and keep on top of your cholesterol levels.

Buying A Cholesterol Test Kit

Cholesterol test kits can be purchase from most drug stores or over the internet. It contains the tools required in order to conduct an accurate cholesterol test with just a couple drops of blood. After about 10 minutes you'll get your results.

Make sure any cholesterol test kit you buy is FDA approved. You can expect it to be 97% accurate and easy to use. And you will have the added benefit of saving time by not needing to go through the exercise of making an appointment with your doctor spending time traveling to and from his/her office. Plus,you won't have to pay a consultation as well as a cholesterol test fee.

The home cholesterol test kit is approximately $25 and usually contain 2 kits per package. so you should be able to measure your cholesterol levels for less than $15. If you prefer you can buy a package with a single test strip but it is less economical. A great place to get some good deals is eBay. Click on the links above to be taken straight to a specific cholesterol test kit or monitor.
Who's a Cholesterol Test Kit Suitable for?

A Cholesterol Home Test Kit is suitable for anyone who wants to keep a close check on his or her cholesterol levels without having to go through a doctor’s appointment. It is especially useful to people who have had high levels of cholesterol in the past and need to keep a watch on how they're doing.

Tags: ,
Posted in Cholesterol Testing | No Comments »

Cholesterol Testing

Posted by bunches on 8th October 2007

When Should I Start Cholesterol Testing?

Doctors recommend that you start using cholesterol testing at around the age of 20. Although it is likely that your levels will be normal at that time of your life, it provides a baseline for your doctor to work with should it become necessary in the future. More tests should follow every five years unless symptoms of high cholesterol become evident in which case cholesterol testing should be carried out more frequently.

THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE Paypal US $25.95 9d 18h 44m
CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK Paypal US $11.99 29d 14h 48m

Different Types of Cholesterol

After cholesterol testing the lipoprotein profile shows levels for both 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol.

Despite its bad reputation, cholesterol is necessary to the working of the human body. It helps to build and maintain the membranes of the body’s cells and may act as an antioxidant. Cholesterol helps make bile and digest fat. Cholesterol testing measures the amount of cholesterol that is present in the blood at the time. In most people about 85% of the cholesterol present was made by the liver. The rest comes from food.

Cholesterol found in the blood is a combination of the fatty cholesterol made by the body and protein molecules. 'Good' cholesterol has a higher ratio of protein to fat whilst 'bad' cholesterol has a higher ratio of fat. Cholesterol testing measures both types.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is 'bad' cholesterol. It develops plaque in the arteries and causes clogging which constricts the blood flow and results in heart disease.

High density lipoprotein (HDL) is 'good' cholesterol which, amongst other things, helps to unclog the arteries caused by the LDL problems. A cholesterol test shows the ratio between the two types.

While cholesterol testing shows how much of each type of cholesterol is present in the body, it does not show why cholesterol is high or low. Genetics can go far in determining how one’s body deals with cholesterol. Some people can have high cholesterol while on a low fat diet and vice-versa.

Cholesterol testing also measures the fats that travel through the bloodstream called triglycerides. It is made up of excess calories, alcohol and sugar. Since this fat comes directly from the diet, cholesterol testing can help show what can be done to decrease it and prevent coronary artery disease.

Regular exercise of just half an hour a day can raise 'good' cholesterol and lower 'bad' cholesterol. Limiting fats, especially saturated fats and trans fats will help reduce the 15% of cholesterol that comes from outside the body.

If exercise and change in diet are implemented but further cholesterol testing shows that little improvement has been made you doctor will likely prescribe medicine for you. By testing your cholesterol levels regularly and making any necessary changes in lifestyle you will improve your odds for a long and healthy life.

Tags:
Posted in Cholesterol Testing | No Comments »

Cholesterol Test

Posted by bunches on 1st October 2007

Modern Diets Lead To The Cholesterol Test

We all appreciate the advances made by modern medicine and recognize that diseases that were deadly to humans in the past can now be treated, cured or eliminated. What with vaccinations, safe housing, accessible medical care and vitamin supplements and good health information we are so much better off then our forefathers. Generally we live longer, healthier lives with the one exception and that is diet.

THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE Paypal US $25.95 9d 18h 44m
CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK Paypal US $11.99 29d 14h 48m

In the past peopel lived on small meals of fresh fruits and vegetables which were supplemented with roasted meat but now we tend to eat more and large meals every day (at least in the Western hemisphere). Those 3 or more meals along with the additional fats and artificial and chemical additives means our diet often contributes to an unhealthy lifestyle. Fortunately, the cholesterol test is available to us so we can consider just how far down the road of bad health we have traveled.

Why Is It Important To Test Our Cholesterol Levels?

Cholesterol levels can be an indication of increased risk of heart disease. High levels of bad cholesterol, HDL, can foretell the hardening of arteries that often result in heart disease or a heart attack. As serious as high cholesterol is, there are often no symptoms to forewarn someone they have a problem.

Surprisingly, following a diet filled with foods low in cholesterol and foods that can lower cholesterol is not, in itself, a guarantee that your body is not suffering from too much HDL. The only way to know for sure is to take a cholesterol test.

As well as looking at the results of a cholesterol test Your doctor will also want to listen to your heart, check your heart rate, take your blood pressure, ask about your medical history and perform a full physical exam in order to get a full picture of what's going on.

What do Choelsterol Tests Measure?

Cholesterol tests measure the level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL - 'bad' cholesterol), the level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL – 'good' cholesterol), triglycerides (very low density lipoprotein) and your total cholesterol level.

If your cholesterol is too high, your doctor suggest options to you to help you lower it. Most likely you will be told to improve your diet and exercise habits and, if the numbers are very high or you have a contributing condition like diabetes, medication may be prescribed.

The recommendation is that everyone over the age of 20 take a cholesterol test at least once every 5 years.

Even though you can try to control cholesterol levels through foods low in cholesterol, most cholesterol is made in the body itself. The best way for your doctor to understand how your body is dealing with cholesterol is through you taking a cholesterol test.

Tags:
Posted in Cholesterol Testing | No Comments »

Cholesterol Ratio

Posted by bunches on 9th September 2007

What is Your Cholesterol Ratio?

You have probably heard your doctor or a family member mentioned the importance of your cholesterol ratio at least once. But maybe yet did not make the effort to find out what it is and why should you maintain its levels. This article will put that right.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is something which is normally present in our cells and blood stream. It is an important part of our body system which helps to produce cell membranes and various types of hormones. However, there are two types of cholesterol and they are termed good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). While the good is essential for our body the bad can cause fatal heart stokes by clogging the arteries.

The only way to find out your cholesterol ratio levels is to conduct a blood test. The normal levels of cholesterol are of a maximum 200mg/dL of LDL or less and a minimum of 40mg/dL or more of HDL.

Some doctors calculate the cholesterol ratio in order to make it easier for the patients to understand the cholesterol level.

How to Calculate the Cholesterol Ratio

In order to obtain your cholesterol ratio you first need to obtain the total cholesterol levels and then divide the HDL cholesterol level by the total cholesterol. Personally I always found it easier to calculate the HDL and LDL separately as well as monitor them in that fashion without working with the cholesterol ratio. However many find it easier to calculate and work with their cholesterol when they are aware of their cholesterol ratio.

Managing Your Cholesterol Levels

Besides the large amount of drugs available on the market for lowering and controlling cholesterol levels you can also play a big role by monitoring your food intake closely. Items that contain cholesterol and trans or saturated fats should be avoided. You can be helped with this by reading labels carefully before you purchase.

Exercising and eating healthily goes a long way towards staying fit and well and everyday practice will bring you a better and longer life. Also regular visits to your doctor will help you keep informed of your cholesterol levels as well as enable you to act before it becomes an emergency situation.

Cholesterol is not calculated by your weight. You can be slim and yet have high levels of cholesterol. Therefore watching the ingredients in your food becomes doubly important to maintaining a good cholesterol ratio since putting on weight is not a sufficient sign that you are at risk. Educate your self and lead a richer, healthier life.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Cholesterol Information, Cholesterol Testing | No Comments »

Home Cholesterol Test

Posted by bunches on 26th February 2007

How Reliable Are the Results of a Home Cholesterol Test?

The results produced by a Home cholesterol test kit like the results of many other types of home testing kits are not always accurate. The problem is usually in the application and not in the kit itself. Although the home cholesterol test has the potential to provide accurate results it often doesn't do so because it is amministered incorrectly. Also, mistakes occur when the test is taken at the wrong time. Ironically however, the home cholesterol test can actually give accurate results if done properly.

How good is the Home Cholesterol Testing Kit?

If you go to a doctor with the results of a home cholesterol test he is more than likely going to ask you to take another test and this time from the lab. They will not usually rely on a home cholesterol test because of the likelihood of administration errors. Only when the lab tests results come will they proceed with the treatment. It is not surprising that doctors generally don't trust the results the home cholesterol test despite the test itself being accurate. Obviously it is important that your treatment starts with the right cholesterol readings.

Doctors do want to take a chance because it might so happen that someone ends up taking cholesterol medication and he never even had cholesterol problems in the first place. This is why doctors usually do not take into consideration the results of any home kit when it comes to serious afflictions like high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.

However, if you have a home physician who is willing to carry out the home cholesterol test on your behalf then the test can be safely and accurately carried out at home. This makes sense because even after the test is done you would need a doctor to interpret the results anyway. That is why you might as well take a lab test rather than a home cholesterol test in the first place. The latter would only be useful when there is a doctor close by who can guide in administering it as well as in reading the results correctly.

So, even if you have taken a home cholesterol test be prepared for the test to be repeated in a lab. This way, if your home test results are wrong, you will know before you have to undergo any treatment and so avoid the treatment being based on wrong premise.

You can use a home cholesterol test kit as often as you like, especially if you suffer from a high cholesterol problem, but remember, in order to get accurate results you need to follow the instructions exactly as they written on the packet. Then confirm the report from a lab before taking medication. Never take the results of a home cholesterol test report as final.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Cholesterol Information, Cholesterol Testing | No Comments »