The Best Way To Monitor Cholesterol Levels
Julia Carmichael
You see your doctor every six months for a checkup. During this
time, he checks your cholesterol to see how your levels are
looking. If your levels are high, he may suggest some things
you can do to help lower your cholesterol, and then make an
appointment to check your levels again in six months. But what
if you want to check your cholesterol more often? Is there a
way to keep closer tabs on your cholesterol levels than just
seeing your doctor every six months?
There are several ways to test your cholesterol levels at home.
Your local pharmacy or drugstore probably stocks or can order a
wide variety of these home cholesterol kits. Some of these kits
are similar to a blood glucose meter while others use a litmus
type test.
One of the least expensive of these home cholesterol tests
allows you to place a drop of blood on a chemically treated
pad. After a short period of time, you compare the resulting
color on the chemical pad with a color chart which gives you a
general idea of your cholesterol level. These tests are
inexpensive and are ideal for those who just want to get a
general idea of how their cholesterol levels are looking.
For those who want more specific results, there are also
cholesterol meters available for sale. These cholesterol
testers work much like a blood glucose monitor and give you a
more precise reading than the litmus-type tests. To use these
testers, you place a drop of blood on a test strip which is
inserted into the cholesterol meter. You are then given a
specific number that represents your total cholesterol level.
If you plan to check your cholesterol at home, there are some
important factors to keep in mind. First, your cholesterol will
not change drastically from day-to-day. Therefore, there is no
reason to check your cholesterol every day. It will take at
least one week for any diet or exercise changes to make a
difference in your cholesterol level. It is also important to
test your cholesterol at the same time each day. The best time
to check your cholesterol level is in the morning before
breakfast.
Also, an at-home cholesterol check will only give you a total
cholesterol level. There are no home tests yet that will
discover both an HDL and LDL cholesterol level. In fact, the
only way to find out your LDL or bad cholesterol level is to
have your doctor conduct a fasting blood cholesterol test.
While doctors sometimes conduct a nonfasting cholesterol test,
only the total and HDL levels of these tests will be accurate.
If you want to keep a closer eye on your cholesterol level that
just seeing your doctor every so often, there are various
cholesterol tests and testers to choose from. Depending on how
much money you want to spend on a tester you can get a general
idea of how high your cholesterol is or you can get a
pinpointed number.
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