Getting together with friends and relatives is a favorite part of the holidays. If you have diabetes, though, it’s best to add some caution to your holiday cheer. Sweets abound, and there is usually more food around than we need. Add too much alcohol and you could be headed for trouble
Usually, when your blood sugar level drops, your liver changes stored carbohydrate into glucose to raise the level again. But if the liver is busy breaking down alcohol, it can’t help when your blood sugar level falls. As a result, you can wind up with very low blood sugar. Alcohol also may interfere with some diabetes medications. It’s best to talk with your doctor about alcohol. You may be able to drink some alcohol—or none.
Try these tips for happy—and healthy—holidays:
Sources
Alcohol. American Diabetes Association. www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/alcohol.html.
“Seasonal Drinking: Let’s Avoid the ‘January Effect.’” E. Weir. Canadian Medical Association Journal. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC264961/.
“Study Links Diet Quality with Alcohol Drinking Patterns”. National Institutes of Health. www.nih.gov/news/pr/feb2006/niaaa-13.htm.
“What I Need to Know About Eating and Diabetes.” National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health. diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/PUBS/eating_ez/index.aspx.