1. Pick Your Test
The home cholesterol tests are out there, and that's great news. Now, we can manage our cholesterol at home. However, not all home cholesterol tests are created equal. Some kits test the entire lipid panels, while others test only the HDL, LDL or the triglycerides. Have your doctor recommend which test would be best for you.
2. A Little Dab (of Blood) Will Do It
Using a home test kit is simple if you don't faint at the sight of a little drop of blood. Much like insulin tests for diabetics, you prick your finger to obtain a drop of blood for testing, which goes on the chemically treated paper. Watch the color of the paper to see how your cholesterol tests. Colors and range levels of cholesterol will vary depending on the test kit you are using. Even easier, some test kits have a machine that reads how much cholesterol is there.
3. Adding It All Up
It sounds simple to say my cholesterol is OK if it's under 200mg/dL, but you really need to know what numbers make up the "200." There's a balance in the numbers that's even more important than the final number of your cholesterol. Your HDL, high density lipoproteins or "good cholesterol", should be 40 to 60 mg/dL or higher. Your LDL, low density lipoprotein or "bad cholesterol", should be 100 mg/dL or less. Last, but not least, your triglyceride numbers should be around 150 mg/dL or less. Once you've established what your normal cholesterol range is through your doctor, you can monitor your cholesterol levels with a home testing kit.
4. Take Heart With Home Testing
Even though the American Heart Association believes that cholesterol plays a major part in heart disease, the AHA hasn't taken a position on the home cholesterol tests. The AHA still recommends that adults have a "lipoprotein profile" every five years. For the profile to be accurate, it's to be given after 9 to 12 hours without food or a fasting period to obtain information about an individual's total cholesterol, broken down in three areas of LDL, HDL and triglycerides. There are many factors, in addition to cholesterol, that could lead to heart disease, so the American Heart Association is cautious where the cholesterol home tests are concerned.
5. Test to Win
The home cholesterol tests are a great tool to use in our fight to maintain good health. Testing your cholesterol with an "at-home" test is a positive step in keeping your cholesterol levels in balance, as long as you still see your doctor as advised. So, use your home test, see your doctor for follow-up visits and eat a healthy diet and you'll be a winner at managing your cholesterol and overall good health.
