Volume 7, Issue 3, Summer 2006

Smoking complicates diabetes

Adding smoking to diabetes more than doubles your risk of illness and death from heart disease, stroke and poor circulation. Foot problems, kidney and eye disease are all made worse by smoking.

Making health risks worse

Diabetes puts you at risk for many health problems, and smoking makes your risks worse. Smoking can…

• cut the amount of oxygen going to tissues
• cause high cholesterol, high blood pressure and impotence
• damage and narrow blood vessels
• increase insulin resistance which can lead to high blood sugar

Three stages to quitting

In addition to good diabetes control, quitting smoking can help you live a healthier, longer life.

There are three stages to quitting. Many smokers go through them several times before they are successful.

1. Preparing - You have to want to quit. Think of good reasons to stop, and then do the following:

• Get support from family and friends.
• Talk with your doctor about the value of using nicotine chewing gum or patches, medicines or other aids to quitting.
• Avoid places where you know you will want to smoke.
• Plan activities to replace smoking.
• Pick a day to stop.
• Get rid of cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters.
• Plan rewards. You will be saving a lot of money so you can afford to reward yourself.

2. Stopping – When your day to stop comes – and every day after that – take these steps:

• Review your action plan.
• Be careful with alcohol and situations in which you might be tempted to start smoking again.
• Take one day at a time. Do not worry about tomorrow.

3. Staying stopped – It will take about three months for you to think of yourself as a non-smoker. When you want to reach for a cigarette, try the following:

• Think positive thoughts. Remember why you decided to stop. Reward yourself.
• Avoid difficult situations.
• Do not believe, "One cigarette won't hurt."
• Find out about local self-help or support groups. For more information, talk with your doctor or diabetes educator, call your health insurance provider, or call Allina Physician Referral and Class Registration at 612-262-3333 or 1-800-877-7878 (if you're outside the Minneapolis/St. Paul area).

Related Resources

Smoking cessation support groups

First published: 06/30/2006
Last updated: 06/30/2006

Reviewed by: Mary Frederick, RN, diabetes program manager, Allina Medical Clinic; Paul Kleeberg, MD, medical director, Allina.com

Dialog: Living with Diabetes comes courtesy of Allina.com. Part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, the Web site offers reliable health and wellness information, physician referral and other health resources, especially for people who live in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

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