Mon, 01/25/2010 - 12:53 | by siteadmin

Steps to sensible drinking

Steps to sensible drinking Image

If you follow these simple steps towards sensible drinking, you should be able to enjoy a glass or two of alcohol with worry about possible health complications.

It is best to limit your daily alcohol intake to three units if you are a man and two units if you are a woman. A unit is roughly half a pint of lager, beer or cider, a small glass of wine or a pub measure of spirit (although this can vary depending on the alcohol content of your chosen brand).
If you are out dancing or go for a drink after playing sport, you will need to be particularly careful. The combined risk of extra activity with alcohol puts you at a much greater risk of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose).
Make sure that your friends know you have diabetes. It is a good idea to wear a diabetes identification bracelet, particularly when you are socialising.
When you are drinking alcohol that is low in sugar (such as a spirit with low calorie mixer), eat something to keep your blood glucose levels up. You do not need extra food if there is a lot of sugar in your drink (such as a lager or liqueur).
If you have had too much to drink, eat before going to bed. Something like potato crisps will give a slow increase in your blood glucose over several hours.
Make sure you have somebody who can look after youif there are any problems during the night.
Set your alarm clock and don't sleep in late! It takes a long time for your liver to break down alcohol, so having a lie in can be particularly dangerous.
Have a big breakfast. The glucose-lowering effect of alcohol is often delayed until the following morning, so be sure to eat properly as soon as you wake up.
Check your blood glucose level if you feel sick. It may be caused by high glucose levels rather than the effects of too much alcohol or a hangover.
Speak to your diabetes healthcare team to find out more about how to drink alcohol safely when you have diabetes.