When you are diagnoses with diabetes many people feel their life is over. They can no longer eat what they want, they have to start sticking themselves every day to check for blood sugar levels, and they must start exercising, even though they hate it. Then they realize that diabetes and alcohol don’t mix either. Is there anything left for them to enjoy?

The facts are diabetes and alcohol can co-exist if done properly. If you are going out for a weekend party or celebrating some type of family achievement, chances are there will be alcohol there and you will want to at least have a drink or two. This should not be a problem if you already have good control on your blood sugar readings.

Before mixing diabetes and alcohol, you should make sure that you are not experiencing any other complications from diabetes and you should not use alcohol if you are pregnant. If you have your diabetes under control there are ways to incorporate alcohol into your diet on a moderate basis. One thing you need to consider is the fact that alcohol is empty calories. This means the calories consumed by drinking alcohol have no nutrition benefits. If you are on a restricted calories diet you will need to adjust your food intake to compensate for the added calories of the alcohol.

The Mechanics Of Diabetes And Alcohol

When you drink alcohol your liver temporarily stops making glucose and begins to clean the alcohol out of your blood instead. It usually takes about two hours for one ounce of alcohol to completely metabolize and leave your system. The problem comes in when your liver stops making glucose you are in danger of becoming hypoglycemic. This means you sugar level might fall too low and you could possibly pass out. This is especially a problem if you drink on an empty stomach because there is already a low level of glucose in the bloodstream.

Diabetes and alcohol can be properly controlled if you follow a few simple guidelines. Always eat a small meal or have a snack before consuming alcohol. This will give your liver time to produce some glucose before it has to deal with the alcohol. If you take oral medication to control your glucose you should not drink for at least two hours after you take it.

Do not drink in excess. The daily guidelines for diabetes and alcohol are the same guidelines which are recommended for otherwise healthy individuals. For a man who has a lean body mass no more than two drinks a day is recommended. Women tend to metabolize alcohol more slowly than men so they should only drink one drink and then wait several hours before drinking another one. With moderation and careful planning there is no reason for you to not enjoy a drink on special occasions.

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3. Questions And Answers About Diabetes During Pregnancy
4. Diet and Diabetes
5. Monitoring Diabetes Blood Sugar Levels Can Save Your Life

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