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Guidelines for Drinking & Diabetes |
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Summer celebrations are full of social celebrations -- weddings, lazy BBQs, vacations and neighborhood block parties. If you're diabetic and planning to drink, make smart choices. If you're following a low carb weight loss program like Kimkins or South Beach, consider carb counts as well as calories.
Alcohol doesn't have to be off limits if your diabetes is under control. Key phrase: Under Control. Alcohol can make blood glucose too high or too low, so take a few precautions when you have a drink.
- Eat
a meal first to prevent low blood glucose. Remember that mixed drinks,
wine, and beer contain carbohydrates that can cause your blood glucose
to go too high.
- Choose low calorie mixers like mineral water, club soda, diet tonic water or diet soda.
- Best
low carb choices if you're trying to lose weight are wine or liquor.
Measure the amount or you'll under estimate how much you're actually
consuming.
Try a visual: 4 oz of wine is the equivalent of
a kid's pudding cup and an 8 oz yogurt container is 2 glasses! One 1.5
oz liquor serving is only 3 tablespoons.
One drink is a 12-ounce
light beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor. ADA daily
suggested limits are 1 drink for women and 2 for men.
- If you have type 1 diabetes and you are not overweight, this alcohol serving would be an addition to your meal plan.
- If
you have type 2 diabetes or are overweight, any alcohol you drink
should be substituted for another food in your meal plan. Your
dietitian can help with specific food exchanges.
- Avoid alcohol completely if your blood glucose is out of control.
You
should also steer clear of alcohol if you have neuropathy, take
medications that react with alcohol or if you've just exercised
vigorously.
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