Many of us will be attending Super Bowl parties in the coming week, and wonder what is safe for a person with type 2 diabetes. Of course, any individual decision should be discussed with your personal physician or care team, but in general these, listed below, are the common sense guidelines provided by the American Diabetes Association.
It is recommended that people with type 2 diabetes should follow the same guidelines that people without diabetes should follow:
- Women should have no more than 1 drink per day.
- Men should have no more than 2 drinks per day.****
**** One drink is equal to a 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine, or 1 ½ oz. of distilled spirits (vodka, whiskey, gin etc.).”
Other Tips For Drinking Are Summarized As Follows:
- Do not drink on an empty stomach
- Do not omit food from your regular meal plan and replace it with alcohol
- Wear an ID indicating your diabetes
- Sip slowly to make your drink last
- Keep another zero calorie beverage at hand to keep yourself hydrated
- Try light beer or wine spritzer and use calorie-free drink mixes
- Don’t plan to drive for several hours after drinking
Be sure to test your blood glucose levels after drinking alcohol as it can cause hypoglycemia up to 24 hours after drinking. Both hypoglycemia and too much alcohol have similar symptoms, so be sure to wear your ID. These guidelines are also the same when applying for life insurance for diabetics. All things in moderation is always the best advice.