While smoking is bad for your health regardless of whether or not you have diabetes, it is especially harmful for people with diabetes. Nicotine in cigarette smoke causes large and small blood vessels to harden and narrow, resulting in reduced blood flow to the rest of your body. Because people with diabetes already have a greater risk of developing health problems like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, foot problems, and many others, smoking makes the risks that much greater.
No matter how much or how long you have smoked, quitting will lower your risk of heart disease and other health problems. In addition, if you quit, you will:
- Likely, prolong your life.
- Improve your health.
- Feel healthier. (Smoking can cause coughing, poor athletic ability, and sore throats.)
- Look better. (Smoking can cause face wrinkles, stained teeth, and dull skin.)
- Improve your sense of taste and smell.
- Save money. (Most smokers spend nearly $100 a month on cigarettes.)
Tips for Quitting Smoking
Here are a few tips to help you quit, based on guidelines from the American Cancer Society.
- Don't carry a lighter or matches; hide all ashtrays.
- When the urge to smoke hits, take a deep breath. Hold it for 10 seconds and then release it slowly. Taking deep, rhythmic breaths is similar to smoking; only you'll inhale clean air, not poisonous gas.
- Spend your free time in places where smoking is prohibited, such as a library, theater, or museum. Go to lunch with friends who are also trying to quit smoking and sit in the "no smoking" section.
- Eat low-calorie, high-nutritional foods instead of smoking. Choose fresh fruit and crisp, crunchy vegetables. Or substitute sugarless gum for a cigarette. Other substitutes to try: lemon drops, cloves, beef jerky or popcorn (not buttered).
- Exercise to help relieve tension. Climb stairs rather than take the elevator, or get off the bus before your destination and walk the rest of the way.
- Drink liquids -- and lots of them. Water, decaffeinated teas, fruit juices, and certain decaffeinated soft drinks are good choices. Pass up coffee, soft drinks containing caffeine, and alcohol, as they all can increase your urge to smoke.
- Keep your hands occupied. Try doodling, knitting, or other activities that keep you busy.
- Change your habits connected with smoking. If you always had a cigarette on your office break, opt for a low-calorie snack and juice or tea instead.
- Wrap a cigarette in a sheet of paper and then put a rubber band around it. If you must reach for a cigarette, you'll have more difficulty getting to one and you will be aware of your action. Rewrap cigarettes afterward.
- Tell all your friends that you are definitely quitting smoking. Ask them to help keep you from backsliding. Ask your family and co-workers who smoke not to do so around you.
- Treat your body and soul with kindness. Indulge in a bath or massage, or take a nap. Listen to your favorite music or go see a movie. Enjoying these activities in the absence of smoking will help you realize that you don't need a cigarette to have a good time.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine patches, gum, and nasal spray are three ways to curb cravings for nicotine. The nicotine patch is worn on the skin (between the neck and waist) and continuously supplies small amounts of nicotine. Nicotine gum allows the user to control the amount of nicotine he or she receives each day and should be used for 30 minutes at a time. Nicotine nasal spray provides fast relief from nicotine cravings but requires a prescription. Another prescription medicine available to help you stop smoking is Zyban.
Ask your doctor if nicotine replacement therapy is an option for you. When using these products, follow the directions on the package and report any side effects to your health care provider. You should not smoke while using nicotine replacement products, as doing so can cause serious side effects.
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