FOR ANUP: Most (but not all) diabetic folks are overweight. The would recommend the following from my knowledge (please be clear that I am not a diabetes expert): 1. Losing weight helps controlling diabetes. Exercise I recommend: jogging for the first few weeks and then slowly transition to weight training. See my earlier posting for weight-training. Weight training is said to be the most effective strategy for weight loss. However, you smoke - which is a stamina-killer. Therefore try to find a way to stop smoking. I have posted an article below on the affects of smoking. Cut down on carbohydrates, sugar, processed foods. If you drink tea/coffee - enjoy it without sugar. No rice, potatoes, pasta, sweets, etc. 2. Stop smoking - stop alcohol consumption. 3. Change your eating habits - plenty of fruits, vegetables, in your diet. Eat four meals a day. Breakfast should be the heaviest meal: cereal with skim milk, whole apple, and porridge, egg (without yolk). Lunch should be a bit lighter: tons of vegetables, lean meat (no skin, not fried - but grilled, baked, or stir-fired), fruit, if you eat roti (try wheat), a fruit for appetizer. Light snack in late afternoon - a glass of juice with fat-free muffin/buscuit. Dinner should be extremely light - salads, soup, etc. Have your dinner atleast 3 hours prior to your bed-time. Limit your TV-watching habits - it could possibly turn you into a couch-potato. Bottomline: reducing your weight can help you control your diabetic problems. I would recommend ideal weight of 150 lbs for your height & age. From my experience, the more you exercise, the more health concious you become, and then healthy eating becomes easier. LET ME KNOW IF I CAN BE OF FURTHER HELP. The following article is from http://www.multilingualdiabetes.org Diabetes and Smoking Tobacco smoking is an important factor in the development of complications of the eyes, kidneys and blood vessels. It is extremely unusual for a person with diabetes to have a leg amputated due to blocked blood vessels unless they smoke. While quitting may not be easy, it could be the best thing you can do to prevent the complications of diabetes. Your blood sugar level Research has found that smoking raises your blood sugar level, making it harder to control your diabetes. This is probably because nicotine and other products of smoking make it more difficult for insulin to work properly. It also raises high blood sugar levels. Your heart If you smoke and have diabetes, you are more likely to have a heart attack and three times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease. Uncontrolled blood glucose levels cause blood vessels to narrow. Smoking makes blood cells stick together and blood vessel walls more sticky, so that fat attaches to the vessel walls even faster. Fat deposits can block blood vessels, which leads to heart attack and stroke. The nicotine in cigarettes increases your heart rate, and the carbon monoxide in cigarettes reduces oxygen in the blood. This means your heart has to work harder. Your circulation Smoking slows the circulation in the smaller blood vessels. People with diabetes are more likely to suffer from poor circulation in their feet and legs. Smoking can also aggravate foot ulcers, foot infections and blood vessel disease in the legs. Your eyes Diabetes can block the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, a condition called retinopathy. If you smoke, it is likely you will experience even more trouble with your sight. Your kidneys Smoking increases the risk of life-threatening kidney disease in those with diabetes. It may be due to a temporary increase in blood pressure and the effects of cigarette smoke on chemicals in the body that control kidney function. Your sex life If you are a man who smokes and has diabetes, you are more likely to experience problems having an erection. Smoking slows down blood flow and blocks blood vessels in the penis, and nerve damage may reduce sensation. Your joints If you smoke and have diabetes, you increase the likelihood of reducing movement and flexibility in your joints. Your nerves If you have diabetes, smoking will increase the risk of nerve damage in all parts of your body, a condition which leads to numbness and sometimes pain. It may be that smoking damages the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves. Your teeth If you smoke and have diabetes, you will have a greater chance of developing gum disease and losing your teeth.