Alcohol consumption

The use of alcohol should be discussed with your physician and healthcare team. As a general guideline, people using insulin can have two alcoholic beverages in addition to their regular meals, but no food should be omitted in exchange for an alcoholic drink. For persons who are not on insulin and are watching their weight, alcohol is best substituted for fat choices and, in some cases, bread or other starch choices.

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Some alcoholic beverages are high in sugar and carbohydrate: sweet wines, sweet vermouth, and wine coolers, for example. Use these sparingly.

When making the decision about whether to use alcohol, you should understand what the potential effects of alcohol are on your health. Although alcohol has little effect on blood glucose control, it may worsen other medical problems. Make sure you discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor. Here are some general guidelines:

• With your doctor's approval, alcohol should be limited to two drinks a day. A "drink" is defined as a 12-ounce beer (preferably light beer); a 4-ounce glass of wine; a 2-ounce glass of dry sherry; or 1.5 ounces of a distilled beverage, such as whisky, rye, vodka, or gin. Even if your doctor approves the use of alcohol, however, you still may want to avoid the extra calories if you are trying to lose weight.
• Alcoholic beverages can make your blood glucose drop. Avoid the risk of low blood glucose by having your drink at mealtime or by having a snack along with the drink.
• Avoid drinks that contain large amounts of sugar.
• Drink with caution, and carry identification that says you have diabetes. Signs of low blood glucose are similar to those of intoxication. Make sure your companions know you have diabetes and know how to treat you if necessary.
• People taking oral hypoglycemic agents may have a reaction to alcohol. Discuss this with your doctor.