Smoking can lead to serious health problems for individuals with diabetes, including:
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Poor blood flow in the legs and feet (which can result in infections, ulcers, and amputation), retinopathy (an eye disease leading to blindness)
• Peripheral neuropathy (damage to nerves causing numbness, pain, weakness, and poor coordination).
Quitting smoking can bring immediate health benefits for people with diabetes. It improves the ability to manage blood sugar levels, contributing to better all the aspects of health issues.
Encouraging individuals with diabetes to quit smoking is crucial for improving their health outcomes and reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications. It’s a positive step that can have immediate and long-term benefits for managing and preventing diabetes associated complications.