Today - actually any day - is a good time to quit smoking

Today is the Great American Smokeout - a day to quit smoking.

Actually, any date is a good day to quit smoking. It's a leading cause of strokes. Here's some basic information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about smoking and stroke:

How are smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke related to heart disease and stroke?

Smoking is a leading cause of heart disease. Smoking can:

• Raise triglycerides (a type of fat in your blood)
• Lower "good" cholesterol (HDL)
• Damage cells that line the blood vessels
• Cause thickening and narrowing of blood vessels
• Cause clots to form, blocking blood flow to the heart

So, listen to this former smoker in the video below:

More research: Track your numbers to reduce your risk

We've all heard talk about cholesterol, but a recent US News and World Report study said a study showed that high triglyceride levels are linked to increased stroke risk:

In fact, this stroke risk seems to be more pronounced for triglyceride fats than it is for cholesterol, even though cholesterol is currently the prime focus of current guidelines. These findings, the researchers said, suggest that triglyceride levels should be incorporated into stroke-prevention guidelines.

"There might be an association between elevated triglyceride levels and increased stroke risk," said Dr. Tara Narula, a cardiologist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "All the guidelines really just focus on total cholesterol and LDL [low-density lipoprotein] cholesterol, and not on non-fasting triglycerides."

Having occasional blood tests are inconvenient, yes - but more than ever, important for your health.