A recent review in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that many people go for their annual physical not because they feel it is necessary, but to ease their worries of the unknown. Makes sense to me. Still, there are other health checks you should undergo on a fairly regular basis, as they may not always present immediately symptoms.

Cholesterol. After turning 45, it's wise to have your cholesterol checked regularly. Younger people should have it checked if they smoke, have high blood pressure and/or diabetes, or a family of heart disease.

Thyroid test. Starting at around age 35, doctors recommend that patients have a blood test every five years or so to check the status of their thyroid function (unless, of course, symptoms of a thyroid issue occur earlier).

Colorectal cancer screening. Start periodic testing for this type of cancer at age 50, or earlier if you have a family history.

Feel free to add some of your own suggestions for health tests people should regularly have performed.

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There's nothing glamorous about colorectal cancer, says Ugly Betty's Vanessa Williams. It's the second leading cancer killer in the United States, for goodness sake, which makes it a pretty unattractive disease. There is an upside to this cancer, though: More people are surviving it than ever before.

Check out this video clip, a public service announcement featuring Williams and these important tips.

• Colorectal cancer is treatable and preventable.
  

• You should begin screening for colorectal cancer beginning at age 50 and even earlier if you have a family history of the disease.
  

• Screening can detect this cancer when it's highly curable.
  

• Screening can lead to the removal of polyps before they become cancerous.
  

• New treatments are allowing people with advanced disease to live long, productive lives.
  
  

Talk to your doctor about getting screened if you are nearing that 50 mark. Family history may dictate you have a chat even sooner. And as a supplement -- not an alternative -- to your own cancer screenings, take this AOL Are You Avoiding Cancer? quiz.

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According to research published in a recent issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, women who consume greater amounts of choline may be at an increased risk of colorectal polyps.

Colorectal polyps, which can sometimes lead to colon cancer, became a greater risk for women who consumed about 383 milligrams or more daily of choline, a nutrient found mainly in animal products. Based on the study, woman with high choline intake levels (high being the aforementioned 383 mg or more/day) had a 45 percent greater risk of developing colorectal polyps than those women in the study who ate the least (which was 261mg or less per day).

To read more about the science and research behind these findings, click HERE.

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