Having type 2 diabetes means you need to be more careful about your intake of alcohol than you may have been in the past. However, alcohol doesn't need to be avoided completely when you have type 2 diabetes, but you should know how much alcohol you can drink safely and which types of drinks are better for you than others.
Your liver is the key organ in your body involved in processing alcohol... it also happens to be where blood glucose is released. This means when you drink, your liver focuses on eliminating alcohol from your body and, depending on the amount you drink, may not be able to release enough glucose into your bloodstream to take care of your needs.
12 OUNCES EQUALS
Alcohol and Hypoglycemia:
If you imbibe a bit too much, you may find yourself with a drop in blood sugar levels. These can go low enough to cause hypoglycemia, which means there isn't enough glucose in your blood. Too low blood sugars can result in a life threatening situation and, at the very least, cause dizziness and confusion. Since these can also be symptoms of intoxication, no one may know that you need immediate treatment for low blood sugars.
Your slip into hypoglycemia can be even quicker if you take insulin or oral medications for diabetes type 2. It only takes two ounces of alcohol, or roughly 2 servings, to drop your blood sugar levels. One serving of alcohol equals 1 shot of liquor, 5 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer. Thus, a six-pack of beer is equivalent to six servings.
Most doctors recommend no more than two drinks for men and one for women per day. This is, of course, based on your weight and how much your diabetes is controlled by either diet or medication. If your diabetes is not in the controlled range, (HbA1c level under 7), you should not drink alcohol at all.
Be Selective About Drinks:
Even if you are in the controlled range for diabetes type 2, you still need to be careful about what kind of alcohol you consume. Many drinks loaded with sugar really should be avoided. These include:
daiquiris margaritas, and drinks which are often mixed with ice cream, such as Kahlua, which is a coffee-based liqueur
These types of mixed drinks can easily pile on the pounds or kilograms and if you're like most type 2 diabetics, you are trying to lose weight.
Any drink which contains alcohol is high is calories... higher than calories in carbohydrates by almost fifty percent. Plus, they are empty calories. They contribute nothing at all to your body's nutritional needs. Not only that, most people do not drink alcohol without chomping on foods and snacks that are also "off-diet".
It is really important for you to focus on maintaining the rest of your diabetes eating plan if you want to make room for alcohol. Drinking too much, three or more servings per day, over time can cause liver damage and cause diabetic complications to progress more quickly.
Seek Low-Calorie Options:
So, what are the best choices for alcohol? Choose drinks which are low in calories and lowest in alcohol. These can include using sugar-free mixers and colas with liquor, or light beers and dry wine. Stay away from liqueurs and port wines which are sugar and calorie intensive.
Check with your doctor before drinking alcoholic beverages. You might have different requirements depending on what medications you are taking. People with high cholesterol should avoid drinking entirely as alcohol can block lipid (fat) removal from your body. Try to make your drink last as long as possible by slowly sipping it and having it wash down a healthy snack like light popcorn or raw nuts.
Watching what you drink, to say the least, will help you to avoid passing out with low blood sugar levels.
Blood Sugar Levels - A Quick Guide to How Much Alcohol You Can Drink Safely! 12 OUNCES EQUALS
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