Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking is good for your diabetes. Quitting smoking is good for your health. When you quit smoking, you lower your blood glucose and blood pressure. You lower you total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), and your triglycerides. When you quit smoking, you raise your HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and your oxygen intake. You even raise your life expectancy!

Quit smoking and you can reduce your risk for heart disease, blood vessel damage, kidney disease, nerve damage, dental disease, and cancer (mouth, throat, lungs, and bladder). You can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke, miscarriage or stillbirth, limited joint mobility, and colds, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Quit smoking and you can even reduce your risk for insulin resistance (when your body does not respond to insulin). No wonder people try to quit. Here are some helpful hints.

BEFORE YOU QUIT SMOKING
Write down each time you smoke for a week. Write down any event or activity you were doing or about to do. Save the List.

Write down all the reasons you want to quit. Read the list each day of the week before you quit.
Pick a day to quit and write it down. Choose a day with few pressures. That way, stress won’t tempt you to smoke. You may want to do it when you’ve got some time off from work.

Tell others you plan to quit. Let family, friends, and coworkers know. Seek their support. Tell them how they can help you.

Choose a Method of quitting. There are many ways to quit smoking. Not every method works for every person. Your diabetes care team may be able to help you find a method that will work for you. It could be quitting “cold turkey.” It might be using a nicotine patch or chewing gum.

Plan rewards for not smoking. For example, you might play a favorite game one week, and go to a movie the next week.

Why not do what is best for you and your body, Quit Smoking!