Read 49 times since Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Being the time of celebration, diabetics often are placed in situations wherein they would need to take a sip of alcohol. Before taking the gulp though, it is best that one understands how alcohol affects the diabetic and the management of their condition. The following are some of the matters involved in diabetics ingesting alcohol:
1. Alcohol is processed similarly to the way fat is used up in the body. Alcohol also provides the same amount of calories, which would cause blood sugar levels to rise. Having a calorie controlled meal and small amounts of alcohol can only help to manage diabetes.
2. Large amounts of alcohol can actually decrease one's blood sugar levels. In diabetics, having too low blood sugar levels can lead to hypoglycemia and may lead to serious injuries or even death.
3. Alcohol interferes with the effects of oral diabetes medication or insulin, increasing triglyceride levels and high blood pressure. This can cause both short term and long term issues with the diabetic.
While alcohol is not prohibited from the diabetic, there are some guidelines on safe consumption.
1. Do not ingest more than two drinks per day of any kind of alcohol;
2. Drink only with food available;
3. Drink slowly with frequent bites of food and drinks of water;
4. Avoid mixed drinks high with sugar, sweet wines or other cordial drinks from fruits;
5. Mix pure liquor with water, ice or diet soda.
These simple tips when drinking would help prevent medical issues from occurring when a diabetic ingests alcohol. Long-term damage includes nerve damage to arms or legs, diabetic eye disease, high blood pressure levels and high triglyceride levels.
The most immediate danger is hypoglycemia, or the condition where the blood sugar levels become too low. This is very true for diabetics who take insulin shots or diabetes pills as the alcohol blocks the liver's ability to create glucose. Since alcohol is treated as a toxin by the liver, this organ works only in removing the alcohol and nothing else, including production of glucose from stored carbohydrates. When this occurs, sudden drops of blood glucose levels can result in the condition characterized by wooziness, loss of consciousness or even heart attacks.
As can be seen, the diabetic only under certain conditions and realities can ingest alcohol. Because it is the time of celebration, having a drink or two would not hurt so long as one is properly hydrated and on a full stomach with a properly watered down drink to welcome the holidays. Bobby Castro is the online editor at the Diabetes Forum, where he has published a number of articles about diabetes nutrition and many other topics.
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