Free Article Submit ::

submitted: 2008-04-06 04:19:47 | by: AdrianFletcher
Total views: 25 | Word Count: 530 | |

Being diagnosed with Diabetes is a life changing event. As yet there is no cure for the disease and this means you will have diabetes for the rest of your life. You have to adapt and live with the disease.

Treatment involves monitoring your blood sugar level every day. It may also mean injecting insulin or taking some form of medication to make your body more responsive to insulin. It should involve getting more exercise. And it must include watching what you eat and drink.

Apart from taking control of your body's insulin production, watching what you eat and drink is probably the hardest thing to get used to. Most people have been used to eating what they want and having to rein this in feels like a serious degrading of quality of life. however, once you have got used to a few basic rules, planning a diabetic meal plan is quite easy.

One thing that many adults with the disease wonder about is whether alcohol and diabetes is compatible. How does alcohol affect the body and can a diabetic consume alcohol like someone that doesn't have the disease. This article will cover these issues.

In reality, there is no problem having the odd alcoholic drink from time to time if you are diabetic. However consuming alcohol is akin to taking in empty calories. In other words, alcohol has no nutritional benefit even though it puts lots of calories into the body. This can make it hard to control the blood sugar level in the body. It may also lead to weight gain which can worsen or increase any diabetic complications.

After drinking alcohol, the liver will control the processing of it. One ounce of alcohol will take approximately two hours to completely metabolize. This depends on the size of the person and their physical fitness. During this time the liver stops making glucose.

Whilst this happens, there is a chance that the blood sugar level can become low. A person with low blood sugar may be hypoglycemic. Hypoglycemic people often feel tired or light headed. They may even pass out if the blood sugar is very low. This is why you should never drink on an empty stomach.

So for anyone about to drink alcohol, a small snack should be taken beforehand. This is particular relevant to diabetics and they should try to keep their blood sugar levels as stable as possible. A snack will cause the liver to create glucose and put it into the bloodstream before alcohol enters the body. If you take any diabetes pills then you shouldn't drink for a few hours after or as the prescription advises.

Avoid drinking excessively. Apart from the negative affects that alcohol can have on your body, it will make it harder for you to keep a constant blood sugar level. Keeping your blood sugar level constant is important over time because it decreases the chances of diabetic complications, like poor circulation, nerve damage and cardiovascular problems occurring.

Having a glass or two of wine with dinner is perfectly ok. Drinking alcohol as part of a celebration is also fine. As you become more experienced with diabetes you will know when you have taken on too much alcohol.

About the Author

Find out about health problems caused by type 2 diabetes and how the diabetes glycemic food index can help you create diabetic meal plans.

Comments

No comments posted.

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.