Jim's Journey - Living With Type 2 Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, smokers who have diabetes carry three times the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease as their nonsmoking counterparts. Smoking and diabetes are both hard on the heart, and to make matters worse, smoking is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

• Smoking and Diabetes: A Deadly Combination

Jim's Journey

A new monthly series at the About.com Diabetes site follows Jim, a 61 year old man who was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Jim wants to lose some weight, and has made the commitment to start a diet and exercise regimen in an effort get his diabetes under control. Jim also smokes, and while he doesn't have a plan in place to stop smoking yet, he did quit recently for several months. Hopefully he'll decide to give it a try again soon.

Jim has generously offered to report in once a month on his progress over the coming year so that those of us who face similar challenges might learn from his experience and be inspired to make lasting improvements in our own lives.

Jim's journey began in May, and he's just reported in after his first full month on the new plan.

• Jim's Journey - May

• Jim's Journey - June

_{Photo © Jim}