Mebely Connors Diabetes Management Natural Health

Alcohol

A glass of alcohol on occasion is okay, but in moderation. The advice for men and women is: don't drink alcohol or have a maximum of one glass a day.

It is best not to drink alcohol, or at least no more than one glass of alcohol a day. This advice applies to people with and without diabetes. When you drink alcohol, it enters your bloodstream after about 15 minutes. You often feel this quickly in your body, for example, it gives a relaxed feeling. The heart rate and breathing can accelerate. When you drink alcohol while eating, the alcohol enters your blood more slowly.

Risks

Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of various diseases. If you drink more than one glass of alcohol a day, it increases your risk of stroke, various types of cancer and liver disease, among other things. Research also shows that chronic excessive use of beer (in men) and spirits (in women) can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Obesity

Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories. As a result, drinking a lot of alcohol can make you overweight more quickly. And being overweight in turn increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Alcohol contains 7 kilocalories per gram. A standard glass of beer or wine contains 10 grams of alcohol. In addition, there are often many carbohydrates in alcoholic beverages, these sugars further increase the number of calories in a drink.

Alcohol with Diabetes

For people with diabetes, the same advice applies to alcohol: preferably no alcohol or a maximum of one glass per day. In addition, it is wise to drink only when blood sugar levels are well controlled. When using insulin, it's important to be careful because alcohol, even though it generally contains lots of carbs, reduces blood sugar after a few hours.

The liver ensures that excess glucose (under the influence of insulin) is stored as glycogen or releases glucose. Alcohol inhibits this function or even stops the process completely. This is because your liver will first process the alcohol and only then regulate your glucose.

Risk on Hypoglycemia Due to Alcohol

Do you use insulin or blood sugar lowering medications?

Please note that alcohol can lower blood sugar. You can then, for example, get a hypo (too low blood sugar) at night without noticing it, after an alcoholic drink earlier in the evening. Eat a whole-grain sandwich with savory fillings, for example, when your blood sugar starts to drop or before you go to sleep. Measure your blood sugar regularly to see if it drops. Did you drink alcohol after exercising? Then you are more likely to have a hypo. Check your blood sugar and take extra carbohydrates if necessary.

Good to know for those relying on a glucagon emergency kit: if you have a hypo caused by alcohol, glucagon won't help get you out of the hypo. Only an IV or tube of glucose will work then.

Note: Are you taking medication for your blood sugar? Some do not go well with alcohol. Read the information leaflet!

Tips for Drinking Less Alcohol

Thirsty? Always drink a glass of water first.
Drink a glass of non-alcoholic beverage after drinking alcohol (water or soda without sugar).
Drink only when you enjoy it, not because it happens to be there.
Try non-alcoholic wine or beer (beware! These do tend to have more carbohydrates).
Make your non-alcoholic drink more fun by adding some fruit, a straw and some mint.

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