I had the unfortunate chance of working with a recent client with Gestational Diabetes.  The unfortunate part was that she was still smoking and she was due in a short 4 weeks.  Apparently her MD told her to ‘cut back’, instead of ‘quit’- at least that was her interpretation.  My response was to ask her if she would offer her new born a cigarette.  She looked at me in horror as I tried to explain that smoking during pregnancy is like giving the unborn child a cigarette.  It cuts off their oxygen as well, and also decreases their blood supply.  She seemed inclined to quit by the next visit.  It got me thinking about the affects of nicotine on the human body, and why smoking + diabetes = a smoking gun. 

There is no question that smoking causes lung and throat cancer, bladder cancer, low birth weight, stillborns and thousands of deaths by second hand smoke, but how does smoking affect the person with diabetes?  Here is the short list:

1. Smoking can increase your cholesterol levels.  People with diabetes are at risk for high cholesterol and heart disease anyway, so smoking just increases this risk.
2. When you smoke, the blood vessels constrict (shrink).  Constriction of blood vessels in the legs and feet can cause decreased blood flow and therefore increase the chance of nerve damage.  Constriction of blood vessels can also lead to increases in your blood pressure that can lead to stroke, eye disease and kidney damage.
3. Research sited by the American Diabetes Association suggests that people who smoke and have diabetes are at greater risk for kidney disease and nerve damage
4. If you have diabetes and smoke, you have a 3 times greater risk of dying from heart disease.
5. Smoking can raise you blood sugar level.  Chemicals are released during smoking that the body perceives as stress, and this can cause interference of the action of your body’s insulin, or exogenous insulin (insulin shots).

Tangible Costs of Smoking

Beyond the clinical reasons not to smoke, let’s take 15 seconds to figure out how much money you could save by not smoking.  The average pack of name brand cigarettes in my county in North Carolina are around $3.27.  The average smoker in this town smokes about a pack and half per day.  This equals about 10.5 packs per week.  That equals about $2210.00 per year.  Holy ‘smokes’, that is enough to pay for a week of summer vacation for 4 on a pretty nice area of the beach in this state!  This cost savings does not include other costs, such as additional medications for lung disease and asthma, increased

(1) respiratory illness which may lead to hospital admission, missed days at work, and at last the complications that the combination of smoking and diabetes causes, which equals a decreased quality of life.  I have known many people try to quit smoking, and many people have failed.  Nicotine is extremely addictive.   There is also a psychological addiction in many cases; smoking is a reward, a break, a ‘rush’, a social event, a way to deal with stress. 

But How to Quit?

The best method to quit varies from person to person.  Some more common methods are:

·‘Cold turkey’; the smoker quits smoking abruptly.  This can cause withdrawal symptoms for extremely addicted smokers.  Expect to be irritable, sweaty, restless, tired, and dizzy, when withdrawing from nicotine.  The symptoms lessen, but cravings can still exist long after the smoker quits. 

· Prescription medications are available to ‘wean’ the smoker off, usually in tapered doses of nicotine for the addicted smoker. 

· Hypnosis is another method of smoking cessation.  It is theorized to help break the habits associated with smoking and triggers for smoking.  If you choose this method, make sure the hypnotist is certified.

·Acupuncture is another method for smoking cessation that involves placing fine needles along nerve centers that may send signals for the person to smoke.  In other words, it is reported to help decrease the craving to smoke.

·There are prescription medications now that control stress center of the brain and help turn off the cravings for cigarettes.  Ask your doctor about these new prescriptions; some look very promising (varenicline is the newest; the brand name is Chantix.  Smoking cessation support is still recommended with this method.)

·Smoking cessation classes can give you support to stop smoking, often used along with medications.  Look for classes in your area offered by local churches, chapters of the ACS, or local hospitals.  They are usually low cost or free.

If you are Ready to Quit, Be Prepared…

When you stop smoking, you will have to give up some of the situations that trigger your smoking.  You may have to forego the break with the ‘smokers’ crowd.  You may have to get your smoking partner to take the cigarettes outside to smoke, away from

(2) your reach, or better yet, get them on board with you and encourage them to quit with you.  You will need to get rid of your lighters, cigarettes, ashtrays and other reminders of your habit.  You may have to take a different route home, to keep you out of the gas station that you usually buy your stash from.  You will need other ways to beat the stress; exercise, meditation, listening to music, reading a favorite book.  Smoking cessation classes can help you be prepared for this new adventure.  Don’t let your cigarettes be your smoking gun! 

For more information on how to quit go to www.cancer.com

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