Smoking and diabetes: Risks, effects, and how to quit
A group of friends conversing over a cup of chai and cigarette in the campus of a corporate firm:
Friend 1: "You know what guys? I did my routine blood test recently. Have been diagnosed with high blood sugar. Don't know whether I should get diabetes test re-done? Not sure whether the reports are authentic.
Friend 2: "What do you think you are doing with the cigarette in your hand?"
Friend 3: "Do get it re-tested if you want to but what about your habit of smoking? Don't you get the warning signs?"
Friend 1:" What do you mean guys? Here I am really worried about my sugar levels and you all are going off track and talking about my smoking? How does it matter? What is the connection between the two?"
Your friends are wise in advising you! There is indeed a connection between the two. Smoking and diabetes make an extremely dangerous combination. Wonder how?
Here's how:
Smoking & Diabetes:
Smoking gives you a kick for sure, but is that short-term pleasure more valuable than your life itself?
Already a diabetic and a chain smoker too? Guess you need to forget about controlling diabetes unless you are ready to give up smoking!
Smoking puts you at a higher risk of developing the complications of diabetes.
If you are lucky enough and not yet a diabetic, but bordering on the brink of it, prolonged smoking will pave the way to developing this full blown lifestyle disorder called Diabetes Mellitus.
Research has revealed that smoking puts one at a 30-40 % higher risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2.
Related: Is smoking a reason for hair loss in men?
What does smoking do to me?
The nicotine in cigarette tends to make the blood vessels hard and narrow, thereby curbing the blood flow in the body. This in turn increases the pressure on the heart to keep up with the increased demand of the body, in turn increasing the risk of heart disease.
As a diabetic, one is already at a risk of developing heart problems, why increase the multitude of diabetes treatment by smoking?
Smoking affects the body sugar metabolism (the way body processes and regulates sugar) and hence prolonged or continued smoking comes in the way of controlling high blood sugar levels too.
Diabetes is a multi-system disorder, if left untreated can lead to severe life-threatening complications mainly involving the cardio vascular system. This is where smoking affects too.
Related: Smoking and Asthma – a Deadly combination
It puts you at a larger risk of going into complications like cardiac arrest (heart attacks), Ischemic heart disease-resulting from reduced blood circulation, stroke (resulting from reduced circulation to the brain), renal disorders and respiratory infections.
Smoking also affects the lipid metabolism resulting in hardening and thickening of the blood vessel and deposition of fat or cholesterol resulting into atherosclerosis.
Smoking leads to glucose intolerance that in turn causes fat accumulation around the abdomen leading to obesity, thereby triggering uncontrolled diabetes.
Poor circulation caused by smoking can lead to non healing ulcers and recurrent infections that can cause serious damage in an already diabetic individual with delayed healing.
To cut a long story short, smoking aggravates and facilitates the worsening of the diabetic disease process. It shortens life and hastens death!
Can I quit smoking?
Quitting is something easier said than done! But yes it certainly is possible to quit smoking.
With the help of a good lifestyle, stress management and regular regime, the frequency of smoking can be brought down to a large extent.
Indulging in activities of choice, like reading, sports, music help to calm nerves, thereby bringing down the urge to smoke. Also diversion techniques like keeping busy in some other activity like typing, playing or reading can help take your mind of the need to smoke.
Refraining from excess tea, coffee, alcohol and other stimulants also help bring down the urge to smoke.
There are various rehabilitation centers or de-addiction programmes, you can get enrolled into where you will be taught systematically with the help of certain medications, nicotine substitutes and counseling that will help you quit smoking eventually.
But these can only help if you have the will to let it go. As you will have to face a lot of withdrawal symptoms that will pull you to this pleasure giving entity that you need to fight and overcome.
Related: 10 Ways Smoking Ruins Your Looks
De-Addiction & Homeopathy:
Homeopathy can do wonders in helping you overcome your vice.
While conventional treatments like nicotine replacement therapy provide more of a temporary solution, homeopathic medicines bring about a longer and more effective cure to smoking.
Homeopathic medications take into consideration you as a complete human being with all your personality traits, circumstances and your reactions to the given situations, and digs deep into the core and helps in removing or treating the urge within you that led to smoking in the first place.
Certain medications like tabaccum help create an aversion to the sight and smell of cigarettes or tobacco products there by making you automatically refrain from them. These medications when taken under the guidance of an expert homeopathic doctor in the right dose and repetition can make you forget you once used to smoke at all!
Homeopathic medications can help you quit smoking as well as control your diabetes symptoms effectively too! What more can you ask for?!
"It's time you paid heed to your friend's advice!
It's time you take control of your life, and bid cigarettes good bye!
It's time to get your health back!"
