It's called the silent killer for a reason. A heart attack can strike without warning, and leave behind a wave of chaos within the body that some people will never recover from. Fortunately, there are some signs people can look for to help them avoid this occurrence. One of these signs involves individual cholesterol level checks.



The cholesterol level reports doctors can order via very basic blood work can actually save lives. While the signs of an impending heart problem are very rarely visible, cholesterol is a great marker of what lies ahead.

Getting cholesterol level checks done at least once every five years after the age of 20 is recommended by many a physician. For those over the age of 45, it's a very good idea to have this simple blood test performed more frequently. This is truly as case of what you don't know can hurt you. In fact, it can kill you.

The cholesterol level reports are vital tools for helping stave off trouble down the road for a number of reasons. When cholesterol is high, it's almost a given that arteries are being clogged and heart disease could be present or impending. Knowing levels and working to correct them can stop damage before it becomes deadly.

When cholesterol level reports come back from the doctor's office, most people will want to find they have levels that fall in at 200 mg/dL or less. If they do, there really isn't a need for a change in diet or exercise. If they come back higher, however, the risk for heart attack and other problems is greatly increased. Anything between 200 and 239 mg/dL is considered a borderline risk. Those who have reports in the 240s or higher are at high risk for complications.

With cholesterol level reports in hand, it's easy to make corrections to diet and lifestyle that can improve overall levels and quality of life at the same time. The fact is some basic dietary changes and perhaps the addition of minor exercise can go a long way for many people in lowering cholesterol level reports. Others might need to add some medication to the mix to keep articularly pesky cholesterol problems in check.

The goal in working with cholesterol level reports is to make sure a patient's level goes into the 200 range and stays that way. To tackle the problem by exercise and diet, there are a few very smart things that can be done almost instantly.

The best ways to get cholesterol level makers down include:

Better diet. Shoot for a low-fat diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat grains, lean, white meats, and low-fat dairy products. There's no reason to avoid fats entirely, but look for the good ones when you use them. For example, cut out the shortening and go for canola oil or olive oil. Eat fish rather than fatty, red meats and so on.

Exercise. The fact is losing a few pounds can increase fat metabolism and lower cholesterol level reports by a fair amount. Losing extra weight never hurt over all health either.

Medications. There are many medications available that can assist in lowering cholesterol level reports, as well. Most doctors will want to try diet and exercise first to protect their patients from some of the side effects of these medications, but when they are needed, they can work wonders.

Getting cholesterol level reports under control can lead to an improved level of health overall. A heart attack might be known as the silent killer, but there are ways to "hear" its approach. Cholesterol levels reports can perhaps speak the loudest.