Smoking can aggravate many health problems particularly those already being faced by people with diabetes. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen reaching tissues. This decrease in oxygen can lead to a heart attack, stroke, miscarriage or stillbirth. The reason for this is that carbon monoxide suffocates oxygen cells.

However 8 hours after your last cigarette your carbon monoxide levels in the blood are halved and after 24 hours carbon monoxide will be eliminated from your body.

Smoking can also result in poor circulation. This unfortunately can delay leg and foot ulcers from healing, but the good news is after 2 weeks of stopping smoking your circulation will begin to improve.

Smoking can increase your blood pressure. Nicotine is a stimulant and therefore causes the heart to beat faster making the blood pressure rise. However, the good news is that 20 minutes after your last cigarette your blood pressure and pulse will return to normal.

Nicotine is highly addictive and this is what makes giving up so difficult. Smoking causes every cell in your body to become undernourished—this is why smoking is such a hazard.

If you smoke and are thinking of quitting here are a few thoughts -

1. Think about the reasons why you want to stop and most importantly, do it for yourself.
2. Look at your smoking habit- how often do you smoke, what makes you want to light up, when do you have your first cigarette?
3. Set a quit date.
4. Decide whether you will tell your family, friends, and colleagues.
5. Get rid of your cigarettes, ashtrays, and lighters/matches.
6. Consider making your home ‘smoke free’.
7. Find out where you may find help for example your GP may have a smoking cessation clinic, or indeed your local diabetes team may be able to refer you to a smoking cessation advisor.
8. If you smoke in order to feel relaxed or to reduce your stress levels, look for other replacements.
9. Remember; don’t be discouraged if you don’t succeed the first time. The more times you have tried to stop the better chance you have of quitting
10. Take one day at a time.

Best of luck! Your GP may have a smoking cessation clinic, or you can inquire about a referral to a smoking cessation.

Don’t despair if you don’t manage to quit first time. Lots of people stop after a couple of failed attempts! The key is to keep trying and get help – you can do it!

For further help and advice contact -

• N.I Smokers Helpline on 0800858585 or
• N.I. Smokers Quitline on 028 90663281