Technically speaking, it's not a good idea to drink alcohol at all. Alcohol is a poison to your system, and when you already have a serious health problem such as Type 2 diabetes, you would not want to go and exacerbate your symptoms by drinking alcohol.
Drinking alcohol can interfere with any medication you may be taking - even medication such as insulin, and could stop the drugs from working correctly. Also, it could make your blood sugar become extremely low, causing hypoglycemia - which is the opposite of high blood sugar that a person with diabetes has (technically known as "hyperglycemia").
A "hypo" (an episode of low blood sugar), can come about if you get drunk, as it is your liver that has to deal with processing the alcohol and, whilst your liver is busy processing this alcohol, it can't produce enough - or sometimes any - glycogen to prevent your low blood sugar from arising at the same time.
If you really feel the need to have an alcoholic drink then ensure you take several precautions before doing so:
- ensure you have eaten a healthy balanced meal with no refined carbohydrates before consuming any alcohol. Lining your stomach with food can help slow down the rate at which you absorb the alcohol.
- do not drink more than 1 to 2 units of alcohol in any one day. This will help prevent you from losing control of your body, and ending up in a bad situation where people try to take advantage of you
- some people find taking the herb "milk thistle" useful if taken before and after drinking alcohol. This herb contains silymarin which has strong anti-inflammatory effects and actually enhances the livers ability to repair itself after taking in alcohol
Of major concern is that when a diabetic consumes too much alcohol they may not be able to recognise they are having a hypo, and so may struggle to treat it correctly. Also, many people mistake a hypoglycemic episode for drunkenness. So... it is important that if you go out and know you are going to drink alcohol, you tell the people you are out with you have Type 2 diabetes, and what to do if you do have a "hypo".
Personally, I don't think anyone needs to drink alcohol these days because of the damaging effects it has on your various organs and particularly your brain. Also, this is a beautiful life, so why waste a day feeling sluggish and below par as your body tries to deal with all the alcohol you consumed the night before?
Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. By making easy changes to your daily routine, its possible to protect your heart, kidneys, eyes and limbs from the damage often caused by diabetes, and eliminate some of the complications you may already experience. Limiting your alcohol intake will help with your Type 2 diabetes.
For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
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