New reasons to shed old habits
Most people know that cigarette smoking is not good for the lungs. What they don't know is that people who smoke are at a 30-40% higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Learn more about the risks of tobacco and the benefits of quitting today.
Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
NARRATOR: Most people know that cigarette smoking and tobacco products are not good for the lungs. What many don't know is that people who smoke
are at a 30% to 40% higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes and that smoking can make it harder for people with diabetes
to manage blood sugar levels due to greater insulin resistance. When a person with diabetes smokes,
there's a higher risk of high blood sugar, heart and blood vessel damage, which increases the risk for heart attack and stroke,
small blood vessel damage, which increases the risk for eye conditions like retinopathy and kidney disease, and nerve damage, which increases
the risk for foot problems. So for people with diabetes, quitting tobacco has even bigger benefits.
In fact, within the first 20 minutes after quitting, the heart rate and blood pressure start to drop.
Within the first year of quitting, a person has better blood flow, improved lung function,
can experience less coughing and shortness of breath, and decreases their risk of having a heart attack.
Five years after quitting, a person's risk for many types of cancer is lower. And there's a lower risk of stroke.
And 10 years after quitting, a person's risk of dying from lung cancer is lower. And there is a lower risk of pancreatic cancer.
If you or someone you know is motivated and ready to quit tobacco, ask your doctor about ways to help succeed, such as nicotine patches, gum,
medicines, and counseling. Also, know which resources are available to help you meet your goals.
Let's talk about another substance that can affect the health, alcohol. You've probably heard that a person who drinks alcohol
should do so in moderation. But what does moderation mean? And why is this important?
Alcohol can cause long-term health problems like liver damage. It can raise cholesterol and triglycerides.
It can cause weight gain and make it harder to lose weight. And drinking alcohol can affect your blood sugar levels by either lowering or raising them.
How alcohol affects your body depends on what you drink, whether or not you've eaten, how much
you have, and the medicine you take for diabetes.
This is what your blood looks like when you have normal blood sugar. The white dots represent glucose in your blood.
This is what your blood looks like when you have high blood sugar or hyperglycemia. Notice there are more white dots in the blood.
This is what your blood looks like when you have low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. Notice there are very few white dots in the blood.
Alcohol can actually cause low blood sugar. Alcohol is broken down by the liver.
And the liver needs about two hours to break down one drink. While the liver is busy breaking down that drink, it can't release sugar back into the bloodstream.
During this time, blood sugar levels can drop too low causing hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar can happen right after having
a drink or any time within the next 24 hours, which means a person who has a drink in the evening may need to take steps to prevent a low blood
sugar overnight while sleeping. What's more is that signs of hypoglycemia may go unnoticed since they may be mistaken
as the effects of alcohol like confusion, sleepiness, dizziness, and hunger.
And this can be dangerous because a person may not think to check their blood sugar levels and take steps to bring their blood sugar up. Not only can alcohol lower blood sugar,
it can also raise blood sugar causing hyperglycemia, when the drink has a higher sugar content.
Some drinks have higher sugar content, such as sweet wines, liqueurs, like amaretto and kahlua,
and sweetened mixed drinks that are made with simple syrup, fruit, juice, ice cream, or soft drinks, such as margaritas, daiquiris,
or mudslides. Some examples of one drink or one serving of alcohol are 12oz
of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5oz of distilled spirits like
vodka. Most of the time, people with diabetes should follow the same limits for alcohol as people without diabetes.
Of course, you'll want to check with your doctor to see what is safe for you. For women, no more than one drink per day.
For men, no more than two drinks per day. Here are seven great tips for alcohol safety.
One, wear a medical ID that says you have diabetes. Two, only drink alcohol with food, not on an empty stomach.
Three, stick to your limit that's set by you and your doctor. Four avoid high carb and sugar-sweetened drinks.
Five, check your blood sugar more often, including before you go to bed, so you don't go to sleep with a low blood sugar.
Six, do not drive if you've been drinking. And seven, if you have problems sticking to your alcohol limit,
ask for help. Let's take a minute and talk about street drugs also called recreational drugs and how
they affect your diabetes. Some people turn to recreational drugs for fun or to cope with stress.
And these dangerous drugs can have a big effect on diabetes care. Such as, they can lower or raise your blood sugar.
They can make it harder or less likely to follow your self-care plan, such as checking blood sugars, taking diabetes medications, eating healthy, and exercising.
In some cases, they can boost hunger, which can lead to overeating, making less healthy choices, and lead to weight gain.
If drug use is a problem for you, ask your doctor or someone you trust about programs that can help.
Trying to break an old habit or make a new one is not easy. Thinking about what you'll be giving up
won't make you likely to succeed. For example, thinking, I could eat healthier foods at lunch but I'd need to wake up earlier to pack it,
will not help you achieve success. Focus on what is important to you and what you will gain, such as getting to spend more time
outdoors when you walk a few times a week. Think about what you need to succeed, like being aware of triggers for the habit you're
trying to break and avoiding that situation. Here are some key points to remember. Tobacco, alcohol, and street drugs
have a negative effect on your health, including blood sugar levels. Focus on what you will gain from meeting your goal.
quit smoking
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