Is any kind of alcohol does good for diabetes ?

During one of our friends arguments, one says Brandy good for Diabetic compare other drinks others says no. Here are my findings,

Should people with diabetes drink alcohol? That is a question ask by many diabetics. The answer is you are able to dink alcohol but in moderation. The American Diabetes Association recommends that maximum of 2 drinks a day for man and 1 drink a day for woman. In reality it is going to be better for you to avoid drinking alcohol so that you are not going to have to worry about any complications that may come about. Also, it is really not a good idea mixing alcohol with any kind of medication. People with diabetes should consult their doctor about the use of alcohol with the medications that they are taking.

How Alcohol Affect Diabetes?

Alcohol can make blood glucose too high or too low. Moderate amount of alcohol can cause blood sugar to rise but excess alcohol can actually decrease our blood sugar level even to an unsafe level. When we drink, the alcohol goes from our stomach straight into our blood. Within 30 to 90 minutes after drinking, the alcohol in our bloodstream hit its highest point. It takes our liver about 2 hours to break down one drink. When there is no alcohol in our blood, our liver keeps blood sugar level from going too low by changing stored carbohydrate into glucose, the glucose is then release into our blood. If we drink alcohol faster than our liver can breaks it down, the liver will be busy breaking down alcohol and therefore will not be able to release glucose into our blood. This cause our blood glucose continue to drop and we may end up with very low blood sugar.

Alcohol Consumption Guidelines For Diabetes :

• Alcohol should only be used if your diabetes is under good control and with your doctor's prescription.
• Avoid mixing alcohol with any kind of medication - alcohol can interfere the effects of oral diabetes medicines or insulin.
• Drink not more than 2 drinks per day.
• Do not drink when your stomach is empty in order to prevent very low blood sugar level.
• Drink slowly to make sure that you liver have enough time to break down the alcohol.
• Choose your drinks, select drinks that are lower in alcohol and sugar - dry wine, light beer, or unsweetened liquor (whiskey, brandy, rum, vodka or gin) mixed with plenty of low calorie mixer, club soda or water are better than other alcoholics drinks.
• Stick with sugar-free mixers such as diet soda, diet tonic, club soda or seltzer for mixed drinks.
• Always check your blood glucose after you drink to see how alcohol affects you
• Include alcohol's calories into your daily calorie count.

Drinking Alcohol Effect Diabetes and Raising Blood Sugars?

Small amounts of alcohol will not hinder your control over diabetes but there are some precautions that diabetics should take to make sure that alcohol can be safely enjoyed. If you are diabetic and are currently treated with either tablets or insulin the main risk that you face with consuming alcohol is that alcohol could make you more prone to hypoglycemia. Despite how I feel this morning after getting wasted last night.

Hypoglycemia, which most diabetics already know, is when your blood sugar level drops down to an unsafe level.

The problem is, how is someone going to tell if you are experiencing hypoglycemia or if you are just drunk? Many of the early warning signs of hypoglycemia are mimicked by alcohol. Your friends may not seek help for you until you lose consciousness and maybe not even at that point. Come on, you’ve never seen anybody pass out drunk? Sometimes beer and diabetes don’t mix.

Another problem with a Diabetic consuming alcohol is that if done on a regular basis it can cause you to gain weight. Gaining weight while battling diabetes is pretty much the opposite of what you need to be doing. Weight gain is going to cause a diabetic to lose control over their disease.

Let’s not forget that when you are drunk your judgment could become impaired. This impaired judgment could lead to you eating a whole bunch of things you shouldn’t be eating. Oh, I don’t know, say you’re out on the town and before you know it…last call. Next thing you know you are stumbling into a sub shop that’s open late and stuffing your face with a foot long sub. Not good.

Moderation, awareness and good judgment are key when a diabetic is consuming alcohol. It’s good to remember that just because you may be out having a grand old time doesn’t mean that you are taking a vacation from your diabetes.

You still need to be checking your blood sugar levels and being very aware of any early signs that something is not right.

As for the moderation piece, experts consider a sensible drinking limit to be about 3 alcoholic drinks per day. So 21 per week. Here’s my question: Can you save up all of your daily drinks for consumption on Saturday night?

Drinking Brandy Is Good For Health

Consuming 30 milliliters of brandy per day reportedly has a similar antioxidant potential which a regular dose of vitamin C has, according to researchers belonging to the Monash University. This does not mean that consuming Vitamin C should be given up, but it can continue along with drinking brandy.

Red wine is known to be another source of antioxidant. The arteries are de-sludged by its consumption in addition to it contributing towards preventing strokes and certain types of dementia. The copper from brandy’s distilling process results in the antioxidants being produced, with a better health effect from superior quality brandy. Recent research has revealed that the same health benefits can be derived from whisky also. 

The study was conducted by Dr Steve Langford, a chemist, and Dr Gordon Troup, a physicist. Brandy-infused fruitcake which is consumed during Christmas also has the same effect. As many as seven types of the liquor were tested with an electron spin resonance spectroscopy for imaging antioxidant chemicals and free radicals, and six of them were found to contain antioxidants. The Alcohol in Moderation Digest has published the results of the research. 

Note: I have collected all this information from net, so please be care full before taking any decision based on this article. This is for information purpose.