Section
Health Explained
The numbers on a lab report and a test strip, decoded one at a time.
What a 10 Parameter Dipstick Measures
The ten pads on a standard urine test strip, what each one detects, the normal range, and the common reasons each one reads wrong.
Kidney Health Urine Tests: Protein, Microalbumin, and uACR
Why the protein pad on a dipstick misses early kidney damage, what microalbumin and albumin to creatinine ratio tests add, and who should be testing.
Ketone Test Strips: What They Measure and When to Switch to Blood
Urine ketone strips detect acetoacetate, not the ketone your body runs on. Here is what that means for keto dieters, fasters, and people with diabetes.
Urine pH Test Strips: What the Number Means
What urine pH actually tracks, why the "alkaline body" claims do not hold up, and the real reasons to test it.
The Cholesterol Panel Explained
Total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and the newer numbers on the report. What each one means and why the target depends on you.
Liver Enzymes: ALT, AST, and What an Elevated Result Means
The two enzymes on every metabolic panel, the ranges labs use, the usual causes of a high result, and what happens next.
Glucose in Urine: What a Positive Pad Means
Sugar in urine usually means blood sugar has gone above the kidney's threshold. Sometimes it means something else. What the glucose pad detects and what to do next.
Protein in Urine: Causes, the Trace Result, and When It Matters
Proteinuria is the most common abnormal finding on a urine strip. Most of it is harmless and temporary. Some of it is the first sign of kidney disease. Here is how to tell.
eGFR Explained: The Kidney Number on Your Blood Panel
Estimated glomerular filtration rate is on nearly every routine blood test. What it estimates, why it is only an estimate, the stages, and why it pairs with a urine test.
Specific Gravity: The Hydration Pad That Changes Every Other Reading
The least glamorous pad on the strip tells you how concentrated your urine is. It also tells you how much to trust the other nine results.