Hi ezandreth,
Re Blood tests:
My annual blood test is paid for by my employer but I suspect most people will have to pay for it themselves unless your doctor is convinced it is needed for a specific health reason, in which case the good old NHS will cough up the cost.
In my case the blood test consists of a small sample being taken in the morning (a small test tube's worth) having not eaten anything since 8pm the following evening. No restrictions on drinking water but no tea or coffee until after the test. The reason for fasting is so that the cholesterol part of the blood test accurately measures the residual Triglyceride level in the blood. If you have eaten recently the triglyceride level will probably still be 'high', hence the need to fast for 12 hours.
The blood test I get is probably much more comprehensive than what most people will looking for, ie. Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL and Triglyceride levels (my test measures 33 different parameters!). The only way to find out is to ask your doctor how much it would cost. I would be interested to hear what prices people being charged in different parts of the UK.
I know little of DIY home test kits except that DIY tests of any kind are normally expensive and are not necessarily very accurate. Do they measure the all-important HDL and LDL levels?
I mentioned in a previous post that I strongly believe that your total cholesterol level is not important unless it is very, very high. The medical world are now pretty well convinced the only worthwhile measurement of heart disease risk from cholesterol readings is the ratio of HDL you have compared to your total cholesterol. Likewise, lower LDL levels is a good sign.
Personally I would not get too bunched about the whole thing. Get your cholesterol scores measured before you start LC eating if you can, measure it again 3 months later to reassure yourself that nothing is going 'wrong' with this type of diet and thereafter get it checked every 1 to 2 years to see that all remains well.
If it’s any reassurance to anyone, I have lived LC for 2 years now and all 33 parameters of my blood test show that all is running along very nicely. In fact many aspects of the tests show that I am now markedly healthier than I was before taking up LC as a way of life. I started LC to lose 25lbs and, as a much-welcomed bonus, I ended up also improving my health and general wellbeing quite a bit.
Yours aye, Scotsman
PS I have just spent 3 hours today digging 6 inches of snow away from my house and car. Very pretty stuff snow but also quite heavy to shift! I expect a lot more of this type of exercise before the winter is out.