In order to maintain good overall health and specifically good cardio vascular health, it's essential to get your cholesterol tested on a regular basis. While diabetics generally get a cholesterol screening at twice a year as a standard of care for diabetes, it's highly recommended by the National Institutes of Health that those at risk for complications from heart disease get cholesterol screening at least once a year.
What method to use for checking?
Today, with the subject of how to lower cholesterol is becoming a widely discussed topic, the first thing health conscience consumers need to know is, what is the correct way to get the test done? In the last ten years several makers of at home test kits have come on to the market pitching the theme of testing in the comfort of your own home. Other appeals include the minimal cost of buying the test kit online and administering the test yourself.
Here are the facts.
While these kits are indeed less expensive than going to a lab with a doctor's lab order, there is a big question of accuracy of results. These home testing kits rely on a test strip with a chemical reagent placed on the strip at time of manufacturing. Lowering bad cholesterol is a noble goal and being proactive is commendable, but, it's like the old adage states, garbage in garbage out. Depending on level of knowledge of the subject matter, many folks just don't know what they are looking for in the result. Secondly, most of these tests only measure total cholesterol level. While this is always helpful for your doctor to take a look at, it's just the beginning of the story. There are various components to a person's cholesterol make up and your doctor is the one who knows how to address your specific needs. You simply can't get this off the side of a box when using the at home test kits. Unfortunately, these at home test kits can't decipher between LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. In addition, triglyceride fat in the blood is also a factor not covered when measuring the total cholesterol level.
How will the doctor work to lower your cholesterol?
The first thing your doctor is going to do before you even go to get your blood drawn is determine based on your particular needs what he is looking for? To do this the doctor will order a Metabolic Panel. This will be a series of tests using one or more vials of blood to ascertain what needs attention. For example, on my last screening, my doctor determined that my vitamin D level was low. As I was made aware, this is important for several reasons so he gave me a multi vitamin to take to address the issue. In order to lower cholesterol naturally, the doctor needs to have a view of your complete system. This, you simply can't get from an at home cholesterol screening that delivers a result that is dubious at best.
Options to fix the problem
Today doctors have an arsenal of options to lower cholesterol. Depending on what the patient's health concerns are, the doctor may prescribe a medication to combat bad cholesterol. More physicians today are looking for combinations of medication and omega 3 fish oil to protect patients from the effects of bad cholesterol. Fish oil supplements have been proven to aid in the lowering of bad cholesterol naturally. Adding omega 3 fish oil to your diet protects your heart and vascular system from plaque buildup that causes heart disease and the potential for stroke.
Conclusion
Now that you know the importance of protecting your heart health, proper blood screening in conjunction with fish oil supplements to augment any prescription the doctor prescribes, you will be better armed to combat bad cholesterol!
Jim Morham is a vocal advocate for healthy living and products that promote good health. Due to personal needs, Jim strives to find the very best quality products that aid good health, in order to share them with others. Visit his site at purest-omega-3.com purest-omega-3.com/
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