How to Stop Smoking for Diabetics

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the pancreas does not produce or has problems with producing insulin. Over 23 million Americans are living with diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetics who smoke are three times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than non-smoking diabetics. The Rhode Island Department of Health states that every cigarette smoked decreases the body's ability to use insulin by 15 percent. Quitting smoking can have immediate benefits for persons with diabetes, no matter how long they have been smoking.

Instructions

• 1

  Evaluate your current smoking behavior. Do you smoke out of habit? Does stress trigger you to smoke? Are you a social smoker? Think about the reasons why you smoke and come up with a plan to deal with your desire to smoke in those situations.

• 2

  Pick a date to quit smoking. This should be a low-stress time when you are able to commit to the task of quitting smoking. It might be helpful to pick a date that has meaning to you, such as your birthday or a holiday.

• 3

  Decide on a method of quitting. If you think your willpower is strong enough, try to quit cold turkey. If you feel that a group setting would work better for you, consider enrolling in a smoking cessation class. You can also try cutting down the number of cigarettes that you smoke each day until you get down to none. For those who have a hard time quitting, medication is available to help. There are many different forms of medication to take such as pills and patches. Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges can be purchased over the counter. Smoking cessation pills, such as Zyban and Chantix, require a prescription from your doctor.

• 4

  Set up a way to reward yourself for quitting. One example would be to take the money you would have spent on cigarettes and save it to buy yourself something nice. Persons are usually more successful with quitting smoking if they have something to work towards. You might be surprised how much money you could save.

• 5

  See your doctor and inform her that you have quit smoking. Your blood sugar levels may improve once you quit. Therefore, your doctor may need to adjust your insulin or pills. Quitting smoking can also make a positive difference with other health issues as well, so have your doctor review all of your medication.

• 6

  Stay encouraged. Most people try several times to quit smoking before they are successful. Do not get discouraged if you have a slip. Think about your reasons to quit smoking and start again.