I Have Diabetes and Love an Occasional Drink! "

A Health Care Article Contributed by Dr s Banerji

Do not despair if you have Diabetes and like to drink on occasion.

People found to have pre-Diabetes or those who discover that they already have Type II Diabetes, can face an additional hurdle to coping with the news of their medical condition if they are accustomed to occasional or social drinking. Alcoholism will not mix with Diabetes and has serious problems of its own. However there is no reason why a person with Diabetes has to swear off all forms of alcohol altogether.

It is possible for a person with Diabetes to enjoy moderate and planned quantities of alcohol. Ask your doctor to build up to 2 drinks a day (1 if you are a lady) and under 65. Good control of blood glucose is a pre requisite as is self control. Abstinence is the penalty that those who are lax in following their prescriptions and those who are vulnerable to temptation must pay.

You can use the incentive of having a couple of drinks included in your prescribed diet to spur your determination to scrupulously follow an exercise routine to control Diabetes!

The effect of alcohol on people with Diabetes.

Alcohol has two significant effects on people with Diabetes. The first is that alcohol lowers the blood glucose level. A person with Diabetes should take some food to offset this effect or may have to adjust the dose of medication in an appropriate manner. This has to be managed by the doctor in charge. It requires expertise and should not be attempted by a patient who is not trained in the management of Diabetes.

The second and important effect of alcohol on Diabetes relates to the calories and other nutrients that accompany most drinks. A common culprit is the fruit juice or a soda that accompanies many popular cocktails and other drinks. People with Diabetes are well advised to stick to measures of known brands of single spirits, rather than experiment with signature mixes the composition of which may not be known.

This is especially relevant when traveling with Diabetes and with social drinking during participation in large occasions. A host or a person tending to a bar may be neither inclined nor able to provide detailed nutrient value information on the varieties on offer.

People with Diabetes should take normal precautions against hypoglycemia when they drink.

Check the alcohol content in a measure of spirit or a glass of wine as well the sugar in mixers, if you drink on occasion and have Diabetes. It is best to stick to fixed quantities of well known brands with which your doctor is familiar.

Eat on time and to plan. Remember that reducing food intake when taking alcohol could render you hypo-glycemic. People with Diabetes may appear deceptively inebriated and be ignored, whereas in reality they have become temporarily hypo-glycemic. It makes sense for a close relative, friend, associate or attendant to be at hand when a person with Diabetes has an occasional drink, so that early signs of hypoglycemia can be corrected before any damage is done.

People with Diabetes should also consider setting an alarm for a late night blood glucose check after and evening involving drinks, to guard against possible hypoglycemia.