Question: "So...is it bad to smoke if you have diabetes?"
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Yes! I'm glad you asked this question.
The biggest problem with smoking and diabetes is that they tend to cause the same kinds of health problems. Diabetes, especially poorly controlled diabetes (frequently high blood sugars), puts a person at a huge risk for nerve damage, eye damage, high blood pressure and cholesterol which will ultimately lead to heart attacks and/or stroke. Hence why your doc is so worried about blood sugars. People with diabetes are three times more likely to have a heart attack than a person without, and it all has to do with those blood sugar readings.
Smoking also causes, all by itself, a risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, and nerve damage. Have you ever talked to a long time smoker that has cold hands? It's because their circulatory system is no longer able to deliver blood as efficiently as it used to, thanks to years of smoking. Have you ever heard of a person with diabetes getting a foot infection that just won't heal? Exact same problem.
So, the bottom line is this:
Smoking + diabetes = twice as likely as other people with diabetes to have circulation and wound healing problems. Do yourself a favor and Google "diabetic foot infections" if you want to know what I'm really talking about.
Smoking + diabetes = 11 times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke. ELEVEN TIMES!! That's like not wearing your seat belt, and then purposefully driving with your eyes shut! And I'm not talking about a heart attack when you're 80...I'm talking quite possibly in your 30-40's.
A good summary: http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/learning-center/smoking.htm
The good news is, doctors and pharmacists are better trained to help people quit smoking than ever before. If you're interested in quitting, Brooklyn or I can do a whole post on different options for quitting and what kind of help is available, from behavior tricks to actual nicotine replacement. Just let me know!
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