Health Tips: Side effects of alcohol if you have Type 2 diabetes

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The 2013 movie “Blood Pressure” is a chilling tale of a 41-year-old woman who puts her life in danger because she was thirsty for release from her everyday existence. There’s a lesson in there for anyone with Type 2 diabetes who’s thirsty for a couple of drinks of alcohol a day. It may feel like it releases you from everyday stresses, but in truth, it just amps up your risk for high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association looked at the relationship between Type 2 diabetes, moderate alcohol consumption and high blood pressure. Using data on 10,000 participants in the four-year-long Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes study, the researchers discovered that light drinking (one to seven drinks a week) was not associated with elevated blood pressure. But moderate drinking (eight to 14 weekly) upped the risk for elevated blood pressure (between 120/80 and 129/<80mmHg) by 79% and for diagnosed HBP by 66%. They also saw that heavy drinking (15+ weekly) increases the odds of elevated blood pressure by 91% and the risk for severe HBP by 204%.
Heart disease is the number one complication of Type 2 diabetes, and HBP is a major contributor to diabetes complications such as retinopathy, kidney problems and, of course, stroke. So, if you have prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes, it makes all kinds of sense to make sure your alcohol intake is on the low, low end of light drinking.
Coming back stronger from job loss -- tough but doable
According to Department of Labor information, the Sept. 10 advance unadjusted number of people claiming unemployment insurance benefits in state programs totaled 13,197,059. A lot of you are contending with the financial hardships of job loss plus the emotional turmoil it causes, but you need to move forward.
Psychology Today wants you to know that you’ll bounce back best if your first step is to let it all out. They suggest you talk or write about it. Have a good cry. Lick your wounds. Accept hugs. Then you’re ready to deal with today’s challenges and search for a new job.
A study published by the Journal of Employment Counseling stresses how important it is to take charge of your emotions so you can fend off the depression that comes from the loss of social contact and sense of self-worth that work provides. And it can have a positive approach to your job search. You can do that by making sure you get physical exercise, create a structure to your day (up at the same time daily), have a good spot to work from and spend a predetermined amount of time doing your job search, working on your resume and taking classes to expand your qualifications.
And don’t shy away from getting help: The National Employment Law Project offers COVID-19 resources for unemployed and frontline workers at www.nelp.org. And check out “Disaster Financial Assistance for Workers and Small Business Owners” at USA.gov. These are tough times, but you can optimize how you feel and deal. We’re rooting for you!