I am a big advocate against smoking. Lost my dad when I was 8 to cancer, and they indicated that his lungs collapsed faster due to damage from his smoking. I constantly speak to patients about smoking and its impact, hoping in turn to impact them. While smoking is tough enough on health, adding in diabetes increases the risk of an early death even more, new research confirms. Heavy smokers who also have diabetes, are at twice the risk of an early death, compared to those without the blood glucose disease, the study found.

Diabetes is another serious disease process; with smoking in the mix, it’s not at all a good combination. Added to which, smoking could affect your foot health severely. Bottom of Form

You’ve likely read how smoking can cause lung cancer and heart disease. Now it’s time to read about what it does to the feet.

Your feet are located a long way from your heart, which means that even under the best circumstances, they don’t receive as much blood circulation as other parts of your body. And if you smoke, your body is definitely not operating at peak. A condition called peripheral arterial disease, which affects a vast number of people, is one way that smoking can seriously harm your feet.

Peripheral Arterial Disease

With peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, a substance called plaque builds up in your arteries, often affecting those arteries running the length of your legs to your feet. As the arteries become stiff and narrowed, blood has trouble reaching your feet. You may feel leg pain while you’re walking around, and you may notice that sores or injuries on your feet heal poorly, if at all. But in many cases, PAD doesn’t alert you with signs or symptoms.

If you smoke, your risk of developing this condition is four times greater than if you don’t. Also, if you develop the condition, you’ll get it 10 years earlier than non-smokers who develop it. If you also have diabetes, another common risk factor for decreased circulation to the feet, you’re putting your feet at particularly high risk of damage.

Patients with PAD have a five times greater risk of dying from issues associated with cardiovascular disease, and more than a six times greater risk of dying specifically from coronary heart disease. In some cases, vascular specialists can improve the circulation through the leg. However, if a foot is badly damaged due to lack of blood flow, it may need to be amputated.

Tips for Quitting Smoking

If you’re concerned that cigarettes are putting your feet and other body parts at risk, here are a few steps that may help you finally quit:

• Start planning ahead to help prepare for quitting – Set a date for when you will quit, and beforehand, remove cigarettes and ashtrays from your home, car, and other surroundings. Ask your friends and family for encouragement and support.
• Talk to your doctor – Several medications including different types of nicotine products, such  as nasal spray, lozenges, vape cigarettes and patches can double your chances of quitting. Some antidepressant medications can also help with cravings for nicotine.
• Avoid triggers – Being around other people who are smoking can arouse your desire. Additionally, drinking alcohol makes you more likely to smoke. If you frequent bars and other places where alcohol and smoking tend to come together, now’s a good time to find a new hangout.

In persons diagnosed with pre-diabetes – a precursor to diabetes, smoking is as big a risk for dying as high blood pressure or cholesterol. Quitting smoking is hard, and takes more effort than just taking a pill to control blood pressure or cholesterol. Battling a smoking habit and diabetes at once can be challenging. When patients are diagnosed with diabetes, quitting smoking does not always seem like a top priority.

Patients are often overwhelmed by the many lifestyle changes required to control their diabetes. Often, what is not appreciated, is the fact that the complications of diabetes such as increased  risk of heart attack and stroke; damage to blood vessels; kidney disease; infections; ulcers, amputations and blindness; are more likely to occur if you are smoking.

Quitting smoking will improve the overall health of patients with diabetes, and make it easier for them to exercise and control it, while avoiding the complications of the disease. Don’t forget to do something nice for yourself. As you’re stopping a practice that may give you pleasure, do something fun that keeps your mind off the cigarettes.

Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them!