Alcohol consumption advice

Dear Sir, I'm a diabetic and have high blood pressure (148/95). Kindly advise if I can have alcohol on daily basis. Thank you.



The information that you have provided indicates that you have "mild" high blood pressure, however you stand the chance of contracting a cardiovascular diseases and you already have diabetes. This level of blood pressure could also cause kidney failure. Therefore the consumption of a lot of alcohol on a daily basis is not recommended at all as it will be fatal in the long run.

However if you are sure that your diabetes is under control and that your blood pressure levels are not very high them you can drink a very moderate amount of alcohol on a daily basis. This level should not exceed more than one drink a day. You need to follow this as when you are taking your diabetes medication or insulin as well as alcohol in the same day you run the risk of low blood sugar which can be very harmful to your body. The body's liver will not let out the glucose if it does not clear the alcohol first, thus the need to ensure that there is only a small amount of alcohol in your system, making it easier to dissolve by the body. On the flipside cutting back on alcohol can do wonders for blood pressure and it is advisable to not drink everyday but rather on an occasional basis.

answered by G M

Advice

This is a question you should be asking your doctor, as he or she will be more fully aware of all the details of your condition as well as other factors such as your medications etc. However, in general, consuming moderate amounts of alcohol is safe for most people, including people with diabetes or hypertension or both. Although alcohol tends to temporarily raise blood pressure, in general moderate consumption of alcohol seems to decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke. Alcohol consumption also tends to lower blood sugar levels, and moderate consumption seems to decrease the risk of diabetes as well. However note that the key word in all of this is "moderate", which usually means no more than two drinks a day. Any more than this can cause damage that outweighs the health benefits. In addition, whenever you drink, make sure that you also eat at the same time, and drink at least one glass of water for every drink. It is also a good idea to count calories, as most alcohol contains a lot of calories.

If your diabetes and high blood pressure are under control and if you take these precautions, it should be safe for you to have a couple of drinks daily - however, as mentioned before, first check with the doctor who is treating you.

answered by M W


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