‘Smoking is injurious to health.’ In true sense of the word, this is a public service message. After all, cigarette smoking is the leading cause of premature deaths. But, for people with diabetes or a high risk of developing the disease, lighting up can be even more fatal. Researchers have shown that, smoking increases the risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes by three times, than in the case of a non-smoker. Smoking poses an independent risk for diabetes, but amongst diabetics, it increases the risk of complications such as blindness, nerve damage, erectile dysfunction, foot problems, and kidney and heart problems. It becomes very difficult for diabetics to maintain their blood sugar levels, because smoking raises blood sugar. For women who smoke, smoking causes an additional risk of affecting the endocrine system by reducing the estrogen levels. This leads to early menopause. Moreover, Type 2 diabetes is more likely to develop with weight fluctuation and distribution of fat. Also, smoking increases the risk of insulin resistance, which often causes diabetes. Smoking also makes heart problems more serious. In Type 2 diabetes, the major cause of death is cardiovascular disease. The heart is specifically affected, if diabetes is poorly managed. High levels of glucose in the blood changes the composition of the artery walls, leading to fat deposition which damage the blood vessels, thereby reducing the circulation of blood in the body.
How to reduce the risk of getting diabetes?
The more risk factors you have, the greater the chances of getting diabetes. Certain risk factors like age, ethnicity and family history cannot be changed. But, a change in your lifestyle like diet, physical activity and quitting smoking can surely help you to reduce the risk. So, if you have diabetes or you are on the high risk side, there is no shadow of a doubt that you need to quit smoking – and there is no better time than today.
