Holidays, Alcohol and Diabetes: Do the Three Mix?
With the holidays upon us, a question that often comes up for those with diabetes is, “Can I drink alcohol?” It’s a perfectly reasonable question—after all, with the merriment of the season, it’s only natural that you might wonder if you, too, can join in and imbibe! The good news is that most people who have diabetes can drink alcohol. But there are some caveats and recommendations to heed in order for you to stay safe.
Understanding alcohol’s effects
You may have had a glass of wine or beer without giving too much thought to it. Interestingly, alcohol is classified as a sedative-hypnotic drug, which is a drug that depresses or slows the body’s functions. That’s because alcohol works on the central nervous system. However, alcohol can affect every organ system in the body.
When you drink alcohol, some of it is quickly absorbed into the small blood vessels in the mouth and tongue. The rest of it reaches the stomach, where about 20% moves into the bloodstream. Depending on the
