ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION MAY AFFECT YOUR DIABETES TREATMENT

When people ask me if I can drink alcohol even when I am diabetic my answers are always a yes and a smile. I add, as well, that for type 2 diabetics it is important to eat something while you drink, although not too much of carbs. Often times it happens to me that if I have a glass of wine when I am dining out, I will forget how much I have already eaten.

However, if you are going to drink, you must make sure that you drink prudently, rather than in huge amounts, not only because of the potential damage to your health, but as well for the risk of driving in such a condition. Some people prefer mixed drinks when having a barbeque. If that is your case, make sure you get something that is sugar-free, for that will lessen the effects of the alcohol you might be drinking.

Anyway, beverages with a high sugar content, such as sweet wines and sherries and liqueurs should be strictly limited. Choice mixer drinks could be diet or sugar-free colas or diet tonic water. In line with your recommended daily diet guidelines, moderate alcohol consumption can be beneficial for your health, especially for your heart. In particular, red wine may be more beneficial than beer or spirits.

If you need to have a drink before eating, also have an appetizer such as crackers or bread sticks. When dining out in a restaurant, ask for a breadbasket with your drink or before it.

Note: do not forget to include this food you eat with or before your drink as part of the meal plan for the occasion.

Find out if your alcohol beverage poses a risk. Some people with diabetes can safely drink alcohol in moderate amounts, while for others any amount of alcohol will have serious negative consequences for their health.

Frequently I forget the meaning of moderation when it comes to alcohol. When I am out, for example, I like to test my blood sugar level and inject my insulin as needed. But after a few glasses of wine or beer I've forgotten I've already done and so I test again. Then, I often check my glucometer the next day, to find that once into the early hours I had been testing every fifteen minutes.

I love to drink a little at night, with microwave popcorn, but this causes extreme low levels for me in my sleep, so I cannot enjoy some hard alcohol, unfortunately.

That is why I would recommend you to keep an eye on your blood glucose levels at bedtime, and not to forget to eat something when waking up as well. And also remember that drinking alcohol does not necessarily mean sabotaging your diabetes diet.