Tobacco: A Risk Factor for Diabetes?

Are you a smoker? Many studies show that smokers are more susceptible to develop type 2 diabetes than non-smokers or ex-smokers. There’s a correlating effect on dose: the more a person smokes, the higher risk there is to develop diabetes. Fortunately, the risk is reduced progressively when a person quits smoking.

Live a tobacco-free life! To stop smoking, make a plan following the next steps:

1. Identify Your Motivations

There are many reasons to cease smoking. These are some related to diabetes:

  • Better control of blood sugar
  • Better control of blood pressure
  • Better tolerance to effort


2. Make a Realistic Plan

Quitting smoking is probably one of the hardest things to do in your life. It is better to plan it:

  • Identify lifestyle changes that worked for you in the past.  What allowed you to reach it?
  • Set a date to quit smoking. Pick a moment when your life is relatively calm.
  • Define well the reasons why you want to quit.
  • Throw away anything related to tobacco: cigarettes, lighters, matches, etc.

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3. Choose a Method to Help You

In smoking cessation, various methods have been tested. Pick at least two to increase your chances of success.

  • Join a support group
  • Make use of individual consultation
  • Resort to nicotine replacement therapy (gum, lozenge, inhalers, patches)
  • Resort to prescription drugs (bupropion, varenicline)

Take these tips into account to quit smoking and reduce your chance of developing diabetes. I did it, and I believe you can too!

hand-crushing-cigarettes

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