One of the challenges associated with diabetes is learning to be extra-vigilant about the drinks that one ingests. Diabetics have to prepare special diabetes drinks for themselves or to make sure that drinks served by others or bought from stores fit the basic guidelines for drinks for diabetes.

This means that they have to engage in active label-reading, and to make sure that the listed ingredients are not problematic. This is not a skill that comes automatically. It has to first be learned, and then to be practiced again and again.

Many store-bought drinks and drinks served at bars, restaurants and clubs are chock-full of ingredients that diabetics should not touch. Thus, drinking away from home can become cumbersome for the diabetic who is used to taking a back seat and being passive. It is important for all diabetics to assert themselves to ensure that they are getting the right …