Diabetes and Smoking – A Dangerous Combination
Diabetes can impact multiple systems in the body. These, if not managed properly can lead to blindness, vascular disease, or kidney failure. The situation worsens if the smoker is a diabetic. At the present time where the cases of diabetes are getting lethal for the Covid-19 Virus. It is affecting most people. New issues like Murcymisi or Black Fungus can be dangerous if you are high on sugar.
A research published in 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that smoking can develop the risk for diabetes in case you already don’t have it.
According to the Centre for Disease Control, smoking increases the risk of diabetes by these mechanisms:
- It increases inflammation in the body
- Smoking significantly increases the oxidative stress
- It contributes to abdominal fat accumulation which itself is a risk factor for diabetes
- Smokers have a relatively higher concentration of the hormone Cortisol which increases blood sugar levels.
What Causes High Blood Sugar Levels?
In smokers with diabetes, nicotine happens to be the main culprit.
It is responsible for:
- High blood sugar levels
- Increase in the risk of heart attack, stroke
- Rise in the risk of kidney failure and nerve damage
- Increase in leg and foot infections
Diabetics who smoke are three times more likely to end up with a heart disease than a non-smoker diabetics.
How Does Nicotine Lead to Increased Sugar Levels?
The nicotine raises the level of hemoglobin A1c, which is a measure of blood sugar control. Increased nicotine dose causes the level of A1c to increase. There are more than 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke which are responsible for increased sugar level.
How to Control Diabetes?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps in controlling diabetes. In order to manage the disease, you can:
A Good healthy Diet
A good healthy balanced diet is very important to treat oneself with diabetes. Since your food is the major chuck that derives energy to you. It converts food into sugar for the body to use for energy if you eat right you will remain right.
Check out : Best Fruits for Diabetic Patients
Regular Physical Activities
You need to strengthen your body metabolism. According to various study weekly workout of 40 minutes can be helpful to keep you active.
Avoid Smoking
Since it increases your blood sugar level it is better to avoid.
Avoid Alcohol Consumption
You should start reducing alcohol consumption as alcohol is converted to sugar which increases blood sugar level.
The Best Thing to do for Good Health: Quit Smoking
Though the addictive nature of nicotine can make quitting a major challenge, it can help reduce the risk of long-term and short-term complications related to smoking and diabetes.
5 Tips for Quitting Smoking
You can try some of these tips to escape the habit of smoking.
1. Quit at Once
It is better to try and quit in one go, as quitting gradually can extend the stress. Also, each reduced cigarette can trigger withdrawal symptoms which are tough to fight.
2. Don’t Quit Trying
Most people attempt to quit several times before they succeed, as each unsuccessful attempt is a learning on the way to quitting successfully.
3. Addiction is not the Source of Pleasure
People trying to quit do experience the cravings and discomfort, which is mostly a part of the withdrawal symptoms. Most feel that quitting is taking away their source of pleasure, and this feeling mostly buds from the addiction. Just remember, addition is not the source of pleasure.
4. Try Finding a New Healthy Habit
Smoking is a behavioral addiction, which is why a few changes to your smoke routine are necessary to break the association with smoking. For example, if you start your day with a cigarette, you should make the change and start the day with a walk.
5. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
This therapy doesn’t work for all smokers. A consultation with a doctor is important before starting Nicotine Replacement Therapy or medications.
Diabetes can be controlled, reversed it all depends on you since it is a lifestyle disease. You should know harmful effects of smoking in diabetes.
Can quitting smoking reverse diabetes?
Sufferers of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who quit smoking are likely to see a temporary deterioration in their glycaemic control which could last up to three years, according to new research.
Is smoking increase blood sugar?
Managing diabetes is challenging, and smoking can make it even more so. Nicotine increases your blood sugar levels and makes them harder to handle. People with diabetes who smoke often need larger doses of insulin to keep their blood sugar close to their target levels.
Why is smoking and diabetes a bad combination?
Since smoking affects the nerves negatively and diabetes is already responsible for causing severe nerve damage, combining the two can be fatal. Smokers who suffer from diabetes are at risk of developing peripheral neuropathy much earlier than non-smoking diabetics.
Is smoking bad for diabetics?
The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher your risk for type 2 diabetes. No matter what type of diabetes you have, smoking makes your diabetes harder to control. If you have diabetes and you smoke, you are more likely to have serious health problems from diabetes.
What is worse drinking or smoking?
While drinking can be a threat to your health, smoking is certainly worse. Unlike alcohol at low or moderate levels, there is no benefit to tobacco use at any level. When you smoke, you inhale various chemicals that can injure cells, causing both cancer and artery damage (e.g. heart attacks and strokes).
Hope you like reading this post. These post are for informational purposes please do consult your doctor before practicing if you are higher risk.
