3) Alcohol Consumption – Drinking monopolizes the liver, which has to release stored sugar to counteract falling blood sugar levels. If it’s too busy metabolizing alcohol, it can’t get around to handling the sugar. Thus, drinking can lower the blood sugar for as many as 24 hours after consumption. Alcohol also can wreak havoc with nerves and eyes, both key attack points for diabetes. Moderate consumption under a doctor’s supervision is usually OK, but binge drinking more than the recommended one drink per day for women and two for men will throw off an entire diabetes management plan. It’s also important to stick to sugar-free mixers.
4) Menstruation Management – As hormones change during the week before and while menstruating, so the plans for diabetes management have to adapt. Otherwise, blood sugar maintenance will be in flux, complicating diabetes management. Track blood sugar changes during these crucial times and vary your diet and exercise levels or medications to deal with the changes.
5) Smoking – Even for healthy people, smoking causes all kinds of health issues. But for diabetics, thealth problems can be compounded with things like heart disease, raising your risk of heart problems even further. Smokers generally have poorer blood flow in the legs and feet, which can lead to foot sores and ulcers.
Other issues that can cause problems for diabetics include excessive stress, skipping meals, late-night snacking or so-called yo-yo dieting, where weight is repeatedly lost and regained.
All of the above in combination can produce even more problems for diabetics, throwing blood sugar levels into chaos and making management that much harder. While everyone slips occasionally and doesn’t comply with strict medical advice, diabetics have a choice – they can live longer and healthier by managing their disease or continue bad habits that provide a slippery slope to worsen the condition.