Diabetes and Smoking Cessation (#DiabetesChat Twitter party October 13th, 8-9p EST.)
Diabetes and Smoking
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.CDC.gov), smokers are “30 to 40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers”. Additionally, people with diabetes who are smokers are more likely (than nonsmokers) “to have trouble with controlling their disease”.
Currently, there are 29.1 million Americans with diabetes, and approximately 90% of them have type 2 diabetes. Additionally, there are approximately 86 million prediabetics. Type 2 diabetes/ prediabetes is heavily influenced by our lifestyle choices. Lifestyle changes, including a healthier diet, an increase in activity and a decrease in stress are all basic changes each of us can address. In addition to a healthier diet (calorie and carbohydrate controlled, lower in sodium, higher in whole grains, fruits and vegetables), smoking cessation is highly encouraged for a person with diabetes.
Smoking, in terms of the general public, raises your risk of stroke, heart disease, and lung and kidney disease. For a person with diabetes, there are additional risks associated with smoking. Tobacco causes temporary constriction of blood vessels, which can lead to impaired circulation, higher blood pressure readings, and less oxygenated blood flow to vital organs (heart, lungs, brain, kidneys). For the person with diabetes, already at risk for heart, stroke, and kidney disease, smoking can cause serious complications.
