Smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes, and once you have it,
smoking makes every problem and complication associated with diabetes even
worse. Smoking raises blood-glucose levels, constricts blood vessels, and
causes inflammation, and smokers have an increased risk of kidney disease,
nerve damage, blood-vessel damage, and foot and leg infections. Note that many
people gain weight after quitting smoking because they try to satisfy their
nicotine cravings by eating more — a particularly dangerous strategy for people
with diabetes. Therefore, it's super-important to quit smoking, if you smoke —
and to be mindful of your food intake as you kick the bad habit.
