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[D241]Diabetes And Alcohol Consumption

by Adrian Fletcher, Adr

Treating the disease involves watching your blood sugar levels each day. You may also have to inject insulin or take pills to make your body more responsive to naturally occurring insulin. You should get regular exercise. You must take more notice over what you eat and drink.

Watching what you eat and drink is probably one of the hardest things to get used to when you have diabetes because for most people eating is a very enjoyable experience. However once you have adapted to having diabetes, you will find that meal planning is actually quite easy.

A question that often crops up is the relationship between alcohol and diabetes. Can a diabetic consume alcohol like somebody without the disease and what affect does alcohol have on the body. This article will cover some of these issues and discuss diabetes and alcohol consumption.

There is no restriction on consuming alcohol for a diabetic provided it is in moderation. Many alcohol beverages will have lots of calories and sugar in them. This has two effects. It will increase the blood sugar immediately and promote weight gain over the long term. Being overweight or putting on weight increases the chances of having other complications as a result of diabetes. Most doctors will advise diabetics to lose weight or keep their weight within a specific range of this.

After drinking alcohol, the liver will control the processing of it. One ounce of alcohol will take approximately two hours to completely metabolize. This depends on the size of the person and their physical fitness. During this time the liver stops making glucose.

During this process there is a possibility that the blood sugar level can become low and the person can become hypoglycemic. If you are hypoglycemic you may feel light headed, lethargic or even pass out. This is the reason why you have probably been told never to drink on an empty stomach.

Alcohol and diabetes can be controlled if you eat a small meal or snack before starting to drink. This will allow the liver to create some glucose and it will enter the bloodstream before any alcohol enters the body. This should ensure that a person doesn't get hypoglycemic. If you take any medication for diabetes then you shouldn't drink until around 2 hours afterwards.

Avoid drinking excessively. Apart from the negative affects that alcohol can have on your body, it will make it harder for you to keep a constant blood sugar level. Keeping your blood sugar level constant is important over time because it decreases the chances of diabetic complications, like poor circulation, nerve damage and cardiovascular problems occurring.

Having a glass or two of wine with dinner is perfectly ok. Drinking alcohol as part of a celebration is also fine. As you become more experienced with diabetes you will know when you have taken on too much alcohol.

Alcohol should be wisely used. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the body, so keep that in mind. Alcohol is very high in calories, which can lead to increase in bodyweight and blood fat levels. People with poorly controlled diabetes should not drink alcohol altogether.

It is recommended that those with diabetes avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Guidelines for diabetics and alcohol consumption are as follows: one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Those over 65 should also only allow themselves one drink per day.

Alcohol moves through the bloodstream quite easily without ever being metabolized in the stomach. Without giving the liver the proper amount of time to break down the alcohol, it will move to other organs in the body and eventually build up in the bloodstream. Your body can only break down one ounce of alcohol per hour.

Many times people will drink more beverages on a party, than eating food. Diabetic patients can develop hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in such situations. Alcohol tends to lower blood sugar even more.

Generally, when diabetics are experiencing low blood sugar levels, the liver changes the stored carbohydrates in the body into glucose. This glucose in the bloodstream slows down the ?low glucose? reaction that the body is having.

So, what is happening when you are taking alcohol? When a diabetic person experiences low glucose levels while drinking alcohol, the trouble lies in that the liver, reacting to the alcohol that has built up in the bloodstream as a toxin, will go on red alert and stop producing glucose in order to cleanse the body of the alcohol. Therefore, drinking on an empty stomach is not recommended.

Drinking just one alcoholic drink can impair judgment enough to make a critical mistake in diabetes management. Diabetics should make sure that there is someone with them who knows what to watch for should a low blood sugar reaction occurs. Hypoglycemic episodes can be easily confused with being tipsy. Remember hypoglycemia can happen some hours after a drinking session.

A bracelet, necklace or identification card stating medical conditions should be worn at all times and glucose tablets should be kept nearby also. It is recommended that diabetics not take naps or fall asleep without having a snack or meal first and to check glucose levels first thing in the morning.

Keep to sensible drinking levels. Alternate an alcoholic drink with a low calorie mixer. Don't drink on an empty stomach - enjoy a meal before or with your drink. You may need to eat a bigger, starchier meal before the party. Adjust your insulin before you drink.

Red, dry or medium-dry white wines are acceptable in moderation as are dry sherries and dry light beers, such as lagers and light ales; these are fermented with ?low residual sugars? and are perfect for moderate consumption. Hard liquors such as whiskey, gin or vodka can be mixed with sugar free or diet mixers.

Sweet wines, ports and sherries have high residual sugar contents, as do heavy and/or dark sweetened beers such as stout and porters. Wine coolers, hard liquors mixed with regular sodas and cocktails in general should be avoided by diabetics.

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Both Adrian Fletcher & Pieter De Wet are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Adrian Fletcher has sinced written about articles on various topics from Information Technology, Cure Anxiety and Home Improvement. Find out about and how the. Adrian Fletcher's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.

Pieter De Wet has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diabetes Treatment. This content is provided by Dr Pieter de Wet a general practitioner and in practice for 20 years. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. Get your diabetes, diabetes symptoms and diabetes treatment advice at http://www.thediabetesdoc.. Pieter De Wet's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.