Smoking Cigars is Directly Linked to Diabetes Risk

Diabetes & Smoking Together Increase the Risk of Heart Disease

Smoking causes cancer. Smoking kills. We are aware of these statements. But are you aware that smoking increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes?
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Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s blood sugar levels are abnormally higher. People with diabetes cannot make/use insulin efficiently, thereby causing glucose to build up in the blood without allowing it to reach the cells.

Diabetes can be Type 1 or Type 2 out of which Type 2 diabetes is the most common form. India has almost 10% of its population living with diabetes. Research puts forth the fact that smoking is a direct cause of Type 2 diabetes. As a matter of fact, smokers are 30-40% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers.

Smoking & Diabetes
Diabetes is controllable and manageable, but smoking aggravates and worsens the disease leading to further complications. Diabetes patients who smoke are at a higher risk for disease complications than nonsmokers with diabetes. Such complications include:

1. Heart and kidney disease
2. Retinopathy (eye disease that can result in blindness)
3. Nerve damage in hands and legs that can result in pain, numbness, weakness and poor mobility
4. Improper blood circulation in the legs and feet that can lead to infections, ulcers and even amputation of toes and feet
   
   

Smoking and diabetes together increase the risk of heart disease. Also, people with diabetes who smoke are two times at an increased risk of immature death than non-smokers.

If you have diabetes, are prone to diabetes, at a prediabetes stage or even if you have no diabetes please stop smoking. This will benefit your health right away. Whatever type of diabetes you may have, smoking makes it more difficult to bring it under control. Once you quit smoking you can immediately notice the difference in blood sugar levels.

Eating healthy and nutritious foods, leading a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly and keeping yourself happy are the keys to a healthy body without diabetes, blood pressure or any other disease on this earth. If you are interested in pursuing a healthy lifestyle, please get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com to help you in this important phase of life.