The Need to Quit Smoking When You Have Diabetes
The Need to Quit Smoking When You Have DiabetesSmoking is bad for your health. If you smoke and have Diabetes, your risk of developing very serious healthproblems from both increases.On its own, cigarette smoke makes your heart pump faster, narrows your blood vessels increasing your bloodpressure and robs your cells of oxygen. Over time, this can damage your large blood vessels and add toplaque build-up called Atherosclerosis.Smoke can also cause your vessels to spasm, which can lead to angina or heart attack.But when you add high blood glucose from diabetes together with cigarette smoke, the damage to your bodycan increase.Smoking will put you at a greater risk for health problems like: heart disease; stroke; poor circulation, whichcan lead to amputation; kidney disease; eye disease; and nerve disease.Smoking while you have diabetes can also make it harder to manage your blood glucose.Take steps to quit smoking today. When you quit you will experience health benefits within a short amount oftime.Quitting smoking can help you feel better, give you more energy, make it easier to manage your blood glucoselevels and can reduce your risk of large blood vessel disease which can cause many serious health problemslike heart attack and stroke.But quitting can be difficult – and only you can decide to do it. If you’ve tried to quit before and couldn’t, tryagain.Talk to members of your health care team about ways to break both the physical and emotional addictions tosmoking.Some people find they can quit cold turkey but many people use nicotine patches, gums, inhalers, and nasalsprays as well as oral medications. These can help you satisfy the craving for nicotine without lighting up.Just like any lifestyle change you are trying to make, start by making a plan. Set a quit date, set short-termgoals and measure your progress. Be aware of any barriers you may face and come up with a plan to deal withyour cravings.There’s no one way to quit that works for everyone. Talk to your healthcare team about resources available tohelp you quit smoking, including counseling sessions, community support groups and tobacco quit lines. Youmay also need the support of your friends and family in this effort.The first time you quit may not be the last. Many people quit several times before they are successful. That’sok.Don’t give up.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.PRG10070B EN TheNeedToQuitSmokingWhenYouHaveDiabetes.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2The Need to Quit Smoking When You Have DiabetesQuitting smoking is one of the most important steps you can take to manage your diabetes and protect yourbody from the serious health problems both smoking and diabetes can cause.Although Diabetes is complex, it’s manageable when you have the right information and support. DiabetesCare and Education Specialists are trained to be your diabetes expert and can help you learn how tosuccessfully thrive with diabetes. You deserve nothing less!Ask your provider for a referral today! Find one at www.DiabetesEducator.org/find.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.PRG10070B EN TheNeedToQuitSmokingWhenYouHaveDiabetes.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
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