Diabetes: Quitting Smoking

When you have diabetes, smoking makes it harder to manage your blood glucose. Quitting smoking may help keep diabetes under control. It also reduces your risk for heart disease, stroke, lung disease and several types of cancer.

Research shows that the following five strategies can help you stop smoking. Your chance of quitting for good is best if you use them together:

1. Pick a date to quit.

• When the day arrives, get rid of all your cigarettes and ashtrays.
• Don’t let others smoke in your house.
• Remember what worked and didn’t work in the past.

2. Enlist support.

• Tell family and friends about quitting. Ask them not to smoke around you or offer you cigarettes.
• Talk with your doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional about quitting

3. Be ready to change.

• When you first quit, switch up habits you associate with smoking. For example, if you always have a cigarette with your cup of coffee, switch to tea.
• Plan healthy ways to manage sudden, strong urges to smoke. For example, you could distract yourself by taking a short walk or sipping from a water bottle.
• Decrease stress with a hot bath, exercise, or by reading a book.

4. Consider medication.

• Using a medication approved by the FDA to help you quit can double your chance of success. Options include nicotine products (e.g. gum, lozenges, patches) and prescription medicines. Talk with your Rite Aid pharmacist about the best option for you.

5. Prepare for difficult situations.

• Don’t be discouraged by a relapse. Remember that many people make several attempts to quit before they finally kick the habit.
• Avoid being around other smokers that will make you want to smoke.
• Focus on maintaining a healthy diet.
• Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking can lower your chances for success.

Rite Aid is here to support you when you’re ready to quit. Ask your Rite Aid Pharmacist about the “Quit For You” program today and learn more about Rite Aid’s smoking cessation program.

Always consult your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional before changing your daily activity, diet, or adding a supplement. Shop smoking cessation products now.

Sources

“Five Keys for Quitting Smoking.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/you_can_quit/five_keys.

“Harms of Smoking and Health benefits of Quitting.” National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, 

www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation.

“Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking.

“Smoking Health Consequences.” National Cancer Institute, 

www.smokefree.gov/healthConsequences/default.aspx.

“Talk to an Expert.” National Cancer Institute,

 www.smokefree.gov/expert.aspx.

These articles are not a substitute for medical advice, and are not intended to treat or cure any disease. Advances in medicine may cause this information to become outdated, invalid, or subject to debate. Professional opinions and interpretations of scientific literature may vary. Consult your healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, exercise, or medication regime.