Smoking and Diabetes
Kicking the Habit is Hard
But Worth It!!
Commercial tobacco is bad for you, even more so if you have diabetes and smoke. If you quit, your health will improve.
5 ways smoking hurts your health
•Smoking cuts the amount of oxygen your tissues get. This can cause a heart attack, stroke, miscarriage, or even stillbirth.
•People who smoke and have diabetes are more like to get nerve damage and kidney disease.
•People with diabetes who smoke are 3 times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than are other people with diabetes.
•Smoking makes your blood pressure go up.
•Smoking makes your blood sugar go up.
Be a quitter!
You can quit! Many people have. If you would like help in quitting, ask the clinic staff about the following:
1. “Tobacco Cessation” classes to give you information and support.
2. Nicotine supplements to help with withdrawal symptoms.
3. Medicines to help with anxiety if you needed
Take the Biggest Step toward Health - Stop Smoking
The greatest one step you can take to improve your health risks is to stop smoking. Many millions of people have quit smoking in the last 20 years because they believed the following facts about tobacco use.
Tobacco and Diabetes:
Tobacco use further damages the blood vessels that are damaged from diabetes. This is particularly seen in the blood vessels leading to the heart and feet.
Tobacco and Blood Pressure:
Smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow. This raises the blood pressure and pulse. The heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. Persons with diabetes are prone to high blood pressure already. Adding tobacco makes it harder to control the blood pressure and causes extra strain on the pumping heart.
Tobacco and Wound Healing:
Smoking causes carbon monoxide to build up in the blood stream. This reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Persons with diabetes may have circulation problems already and are not getting enough oxygen and nutrients to their tissues. Smoking can make wound healing even more difficult.
Tobacco and Heart Attacks:
Smoking narrows the blood vessels to the heart. Shortly after smoking, the muscles in the blood vessels may spasm and tighten up. This squeezes the vessels making them narrow. This will cause the heart muscles to get less oxygen. In persons who already have blockages or narrowing of the blood vessels in their heart, this may result in complete blockage of a blood vessel and lead to a heart attack.
Tobacco and Cancer:
Tobacco use causes lung cancer and many other cancers.
Tobacco and Breathing:
Tobacco use causes chronic breathing problems such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma.
You Can Stop Using Tobacco - Many others have quit. You can too. If you would like help in quitting, ask the clinic staff about the following: