November 15th was the Great American Smoke-Out. Did You Quit?

It's fitting that the Great American Smoke-Out follows World Diabetes Day. Smoking is bad for everyone, but smoking with diabetes can make the risk of complications go through the roof.

Smoking and diabetes both cause many of the same health problems. Both can damage your heart and your circulation. Both can raise your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels. Smokers also have a harder time controlling their blood glucose levels, because insulin resistance is increased by smoking.

Add to that the other risks of smoking. Many kinds of cancer have been proven to be caused by smoking, including head and neck, throat, mouth, esophageal and lung. Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as asthma, and emphysema are also caused by smoking.

Quitting smoking is one of the best gifts you'll ever give yourself. Here's how to quit...

• The Smoking Cessation Website at About.com provides an excellent online resource for quitting. Your Quit Smoking Guide, Terri Martin, also moderates a great forum where people can gather to give and get encouragement.
• Smokefree.gov offers a free On-line Guide to Quitting.
• The American Cancer Society supplies the on-line Guide to Quitting Smoking

More from your Diabetes guide...

• Blood Pressure and Diabetes
• Heart Disease and Diabetes

Photo by Andras Deak