Sodium is necessary for everyday life. While it is important for many reasons, one of the most important reasons is that it is crucial to maintaining blood circulation and tissue fluids throughout the body. Most people are unaware of the fact that they consume more sodium than the daily recommended amount, largely through processed foods. At the same time, sodium levels can drop below the optimal level, such as during exercise due to sweating, so it is vital to keep it in check.
The body needs a certain balance of minerals in order to work properly. Electrolytes and minerals like sodium are important in this regard because they help control the amount of fluid in your body while also maintaining your body’s pH levels. Sodium also plays a key role in making sure your nerves and muscles work properly
High sodium levels can result in symptoms like thirst, infrequent and low urination, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some symptoms of being low in sodium include weakness, fatigue and muscle twitches.
Sodium is an important element that needs to be appropriately balanced and regulated in the body if you want to maintain optimal health. There are several ways to check the levels of sodium in your body, including sodium test strips. So let’s dive right into explaining the benefits of sodium test strips.
Introduction to sodium test strips
Sodium test strips were created as a simple way to determine one’s sodium levels in the body. These tests enable its users to check their sodium levels through their urine by themselves without the support of a healthcare provider.
If you go to the doctor with problems such as thirst, vomiting, or diarrhea, your healthcare provider will likely have you take a blood test called an electrolyte panel, basic metabolic panel, or comprehensive metabolic panel. The doctor is able to determine whether you have abnormally high or low sodium levels based on your test results.
If you get an unusual result on an electrolyte panel test, then it might suggest the need to monitor your sodium levels regularly. And if that’s the case, one way you can quickly determine your sodium levels is by taking an at-home sodium test strip! These strips are available in pharmacies, retailers, and on e-commerce websites.
Types of sodium test strips
Now that you know it’s important to regularly check your body’s sodium levels, let’s take a look at the different types of sodium test strips available on the market. These days, you can find numerous different at-home tests that determine your sodium levels through your urine, but some types of tests yield more accurate results than others. Here are a few different types of at-home sodium urine test strips:
Salinity Strips
Salinity strips can help you measure your body’s sodium levels. They are easy to use, and you can get results within seconds. All you need to do is urinate in a clean and dry container, dip a test strip in your urine sample, and wait for the strip to do its magic. Your test strip will change color after coming into contact with your urine sample. After waiting a set period of time, you can read your results based on the extent of color change by matching the color change to an accompanying color chart that comes with your testing kit. While it is easy to use, using a color chart to manually interpet your results can sometimes be hard, and lead to more inaccuracies in your results.
Vivoo Test & App
If you don’t want to analyze your results by yourself and want to get the most accurate reading of your sodium levels, then Vivoo is here to help! Vivoo is an at-home urine test that works with an App. All you have to do is urinate on your Vivoo test strip, and scan your strip to the App using your phone to get your results. Unlike ordinary sodium test strips, you don’t have to read your own results because the App does this for you! Better yet, Vivoo gives you real-time data on your body’s wellness based on 9 key parameters like sodium, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, urine pH, ketones, water, oxidative stress, and protein. The App scores you on your overall wellness out of ten, and gives you detailed feedback on how your body is faring on each wellness parameter.
But that’s not all. The best part of Vivoo is that unlike ordinary sodium test strips, you also get personalized nutritional and lifestyle advice to improve your overall wellness, which you can keep track over time through your overall wellness scores. All the advice on the App has been prepared by dietitians, nutritionists, and doctors. Have you ever had low or high sodium levels? How did you test your sodium levels? Leave a comment in the section below!
