Posted on June 26, 2008 in Latest News
Living with diabetes can require a great deal of will power given that you need to be rigorously disciplined in your daily food habits. You should and tend to link each food item with diabetes. So, what about alcohol consumption and its influence on the blood sugar? If you are one who drinks, then you ought to know certain facts about the impact of drinking on your diabetic condition.
Alcohol in moderation
There is generally no strict check on consumption of alcohol by a diabetic provided the quantity is moderate. Many alcohol-containing beverages will have plenty of calories and sugar in them. This has two effects. It tends to increase the blood sugar almost immediately and may promote weight gain in the long run. 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.
Excess alcohol
While moderate amount of alcohol can cause blood sugar to rise, excess alcohol can actually decrease your blood sugar level — sometimes causing it to drop into dangerous levels. Alcohol stimulates your appetite, which can cause you to overeat and may affect your blood sugar control. Alcohol may also interfere with the positive effects of diabetes medications or insulin.
How you can control the consequences
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.
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