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After a physical exam two years ago showed that I had borderline high cholesterol—at age 28—I quit smoking, cut my onion-ring intake, and started running again. Lately I’d been wondering if it all helped, but I don’t like going to the doctor. Lucky for me, the handheld, battery-powered CardioChek let me run five tests—including my levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, triglycerides and
glucose—right at my bathroom counter. To fit all those tests into one unit, inventors developed a series of chemical-permeated plastic strips that react with plasma in a blood sample. I just pricked my finger with an included lancet (looking away because I’m a wimp), put a drop of blood on a strip, and inserted it into the unit, where
internal sensors analyzed the strip’s subsequent color changes. Two minutes later, my results appeared on the digital display: all normal. Time for some onion rings.
—Mike Haney $120; cardiochek.com
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