1. Home Court Advantage
Since high cholesterol is the leading cause of heart disease in most people, having a home cholesterol monitor is a good idea. Home cholesterol monitors allow you to test cholesterol levels in the privacy of your own home. Keeping cholesterol records over time helps people with high cholesterol monitor their progress. Most doctors test cholesterol once per year, but a home cholesterol monitor gives you the freedom to test more often and even identify certain foods or behaviors that affect cholesterol levels.
2. Baseline Basics
With any home medical testing kit it's important to establish a baseline for future tests. Since cholesterol levels can vary by up to 6% each day it's a good idea to check cholesterol levels 4 to 5 times over the course of 5 to 6 weeks. This gives a baseline cholesterol number to work with to determine whether lifestyle changes and/or medications are working to bring numbers down. After the last baseline reading take the numbers and get your average cholesterol and use this number as your baseline for all other results.
3. Just a Drop
Most home cholesterol monitors require a very small amount of blood for testing. Just a drop is all you need in most cases. Each kit comes complete with lancets for piercing the skin, test strips and instructions. Make sure to use proper hygiene methods before beginning the test. Thorough hand washing and cleansing of the area with an alcohol pad keep germs away. Advanced home cholesterol monitors give results in as little as 15 minutes. Look for cholesterol testing kits with plenty of internal storage for quick cholesterol level reviews. Each kit also comes with plenty of information about cholesterol numbers, what they mean and where yours should be.
4. Fast Without Fasting
Home cholesterol monitors have one great advantage to regular cholesterol testing. You don't need to do a 12-hour fast in order to use one. A complete lipid profile at the doctor's office requires a 12 hour fast from food and beverages. With the home monitor kit, results are minutes away without skipping breakfast and lunch.
5. Don't Skip the Doctor
People with known cholesterol problems still need to see their doctor for complete cholesterol testing at least once per year. The home cholesterol monitor isn't a substitute for a thorough fasting blood cholesterol analysis. It's a great way to keep track of how you're doing on your healthy lifestyle plan. It's also a convenient way to find out if the cholesterol lowering drugs are working between visits to the doctor.
