Lower Your Cholesterol

Answering:

When should I undergo a cholesterol blood test?
What would the results say about my health?
How many tests are there and which will give me the best results?

Unlike any other health tests, a cholesterol blood test does not diagnose a patient with a specific disease. Instead, the results refer more to the risks of developing a disease, namely, heart disease. A test is considered necessary in preventive health care because a high cholesterol results in accumulations of on the walls of the arteries which suppresses the blood flow and can later bring about heart attacks or strokes.

A cholesterol blood test is advised for all individuals who are over 20 years old. It is also recommended that they go through this test once every five years from thereon. However, for patients who have been given medications and strict diet, these tests are being done several times in one year.

Cholesterol tests look at the levels of HDL, LDL, and triglycerides. These tests are also known as the lipoprotein profile. However, experts suggest that when you have a cholesterol test you should always include the direct measured LDL. Other tests may not be as precise as this method, although this test is often more expensive. Bear in mind, when considering the results that stress or acute illness can affect the numbers you receive. This is because the blood cholesterol level is temporarily low at these instances. A Cholesterol test should be done at least 6 weeks after any stressful time or illness or when a person is healthy, to obtain the most reliable result.

Some people believe that eating prior to getting a cholesterol blood test will have an impact on the triglyceride level which is a component of the total blood cholesterol number. An increase in the triglyceride level increases the total blood cholesterol number, thus your results will tell you that you have a higher risk of developing a heart disease. However, most experts say it is not necessary to fast just before a test. They say that a single meal does not influence the cholesterol level although long term eating habits do.

Cholesterol Monitoring Devices

The importance of knowing your cholesterol levels cannot be overestimated. For someone with normal levels and no additional predictive factors pointing to a danger of high cholesterol, the few tests recommened by doctors should be sufficient. For someone 20 years or older, a test every 5 years is the suggested frequency, until the results start showing high cholesterol.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

CardioChek cholesterol monitor

1 Bid

US $35.00

1d 11h 40m

If you have high levels and a condition that adds to the problem like diabetes or the need to take medication that raises cholesterol, more frequent tests are advised. If your cholesterol cannot be controlled by diet and exercise you are taking medication, you might want a more personal kind of cholesterol monitor.

Cholesterol Testing at Home

With the success of diabetes home monitoring, medical science has been developing cholesterol tests that can be administered at home to keep track of progress using a special monitor. Cholesterol levels can fluctuate on a daily basis. For those within the normal range, this isn’t a problem.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK

US $11.99

1d 12h 43m

When your cholesterol levels are regularly at levels that can be dangerous, it can be important to monitor changes so that you can see what is working and what isn’t in your treatment regimen.

For several years instruments like the home cholesterol monitor have been delivering reliable results using a drop of blood. The test takes just a few minutes and many of the devices will keep track of the time and date of the test and store the results. Such a tool can be helpful when a patient is trying a new regimen.

Improvements can be measured as exercise is increased or diet improved. As results become better, a patient may find encouragement between doctor’s visits and keep up the good work. This alone can be very important since beginning a diet and exercise program is demanding and high cholesterol can cause depression.

Several types of cholesterol monitor are miniature computers. This allows different kinds of information to be available. A device may be able to assess current readings in conjunction with other risk factors such as smoking. While the FDA accepts the accuracy of the new types of home cholesterol monitor, some insurance companies don’t accept the need for frequent testing and don’t cover the cost of the devices and their test strips.

The need for such tests can be determined by doctors on a case by case basis. If nothing else, they help a patient participate more fully in controlling the situation.

What Does Cholesterol Treatment Involve?

Cholesterol treatment is designed to lower the levels of bad cholesterol and thus help to prevent atherosclerosis and ensuing heart attacks. Before any cholesterol treatment is prescribed your doctor will most likely request a few tests to ascertain exactly what the levels of cholesterol in your blood. Your doctor will also look into your medical history to judge the intensity of risk involved.

Importance of Risk Factors

If you have a history of heart attack in the family, you smoke, you have already developed high blood pressure, diabetes and/or have a history of atherosclerosis or heart disease, the recommended cholesterol treatment will be chosen accordingly. However, if the risk factors (as described above) are low the doctor will most likely prescribe a drug free therapy which will consist mostly of changes in diet and life style.

However, if one or more high risk symptoms are found to be present, and the levels of cholesterol (LDL in particular) are high too, then the doctor will start you on medication, depending upon the stage of the disease.

It is common knowledge that bad cholesterol or LDL cholesterol is instrumental in causing atherosclerosis. This disease is the first step towards heart attack and eventually death. Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease which can start extremely early in life. Since it does not have any particular symptoms, it will progress silently and manifest itself through heart pain (angina) and heart attacks.

The cholesterol treatment the doctor prescribes will aim to reverse this trend. While medicines are found to be efficient, some studies show that they are not enough. People who develop atherosclerosis are still at risk from heart attacks even with the most appropriate regime of diet, exercise and lifestyle. What seems to help is to increase the levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).

HDL cholesterol removes and cleans the arteries of the plaque formed by fat and other debris accumulation thereby returning the cardiovascular system to its healthy form. This cholesterol treatment is what really helps in the end. Unless the arteries are “cleaned”, the risk of heart attack can still exists despite the bad cholesterol being brought under control.

In order to be informed about risk from an early stage, when it is easier to reverse the atherosclerosis, you need to take a cholesterol test at least once every three years. You should also be careful about what type of fat you consume and reduce saturated fats to the minimum.

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.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

CardioChek cholesterol monitor

1 Bid

US $35.00

1d 11h 40m

CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK

US $11.99

1d 12h 43m

THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE

US $25.95

11d 16h 39m

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.

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.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

CardioChek cholesterol monitor

1 Bid

US $35.00

1d 11h 40m

CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK

US $11.99

1d 12h 43m

THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE

US $25.95

11d 16h 39m

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.

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.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

CardioChek cholesterol monitor

1 Bid

US $35.00

1d 11h 40m

CardioChek HDL Cholesterol Test Strips Kit CARDIO CHEK

US $11.99

1d 12h 43m

THREE MINUTE CHOLESTEROL MONITOR MACHINE

US $25.95

11d 16h 39m

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.