However, the effects of a poor diet can only exacerbate the problem, adding to health risks and furthering a downward spiral. Proper health and wellness can offset the risks of ongoing substance use, encouraging overall wellness and a healthier perspective on life. If you or someone you love is working through addiction, FHE can help, from detox to alumni programming. With a focus on proper supplementation and nutrition, we can support you on your journey to getting well. It’s important to understand that to some degree, taking vitamins is a personal process.
Sustained drug and alcohol abuse bombards the body with constant stress, damaging the proper day to day functions of both body and mind. Adhering to the proper nutritional guidelines can help heal this damage. Aftercare can look different for everyone and may include moving into a sober living environment; continuing to attend group therapy, support groups, or a 12-Step program; or continuing alcohol recovery diet individual or family therapy as well. During medical detox, a healthcare provider assesses your withdrawal symptoms to determine which medications are needed to prevent complications and to help you withdraw safely while relieving symptoms. The consumption of alcohol tricks the body into thinking it’s been fed by providing the calories that would otherwise come from more nutrient-rich food.
Should I make the switch to all healthy foods right away?
In this article, we provide information about the importance of nutrition when dealing with addiction. If you’d like to share an experience and/or still have questions about this topic at the end, please share them below. Some long-term users may be overweight and need to cut back on fat, sugar, and total calories. Over time, the caregiver can habituate to this rescuer and provider role and even develop an identity based on it.
- Similarly, cocaine can cause an alternative form of a gene to be expressed in the reward centers of mice, leading them to seek out more cocaine.
- Fruits and veggies that are fully ripened on a tree or a vine are more nutritious than those that are picked before they are ripened, and then shipped long distances before being stocked in your supermarket.
- Through mechanisms not altogether well-understood, their presence in the brain can send signals that turn down our drive to eat.
- As compelling as it is to attempt to use sweets and snack food to fill the void left behind by drugs or alcohol, use this life change to shift all of your habits — not just the ones related to substance abuse.
- One argument against taking supplements that are either neurotransmitters or substances that directly influence the making of neurotransmitters is that they may cause the brain to produce less neurotransmitters of its own as a response.
Abusing drugs can reduce your daily nutrition intake, making detox and a proper diet even more vital to your full recovery. The first stage in rehabilitation, detoxification is a five- to seven-day program intended to help individuals with a substance use disorder to overcome the initial symptoms of physical withdrawal. Detox can be an extremely stressful period of time for those working to overcome addiction and is often an uncomfortable process. However, putting a focus on achieving proper nutritional intake as well as managing symptoms can provide a better foundation upon which to continue on to inpatient treatment. Recovering drug and alcohol addicts benefit from food that has the highest nutritional value. A variety of certain foods help strengthen the immune system and build up the tissues in the body, including improved performance of brain cells.
Prioritize Protein
Another essential amino acid in the body’s complex system is tryptophan. It is essential in the formation of serotonin, a necessity for restful sleep. Good quality, restful sleep is fundamental on the road to recovery, especially in the early stages. Some AAC facilities provide these and other evidence-based therapies for substance use in tandem with alternative therapies. Laguna Treatment Hospital, for instance, employs holistic healing methods, such as yoga, mindfulness training, and meditation. Greenhouse Treatment Center offers music and art therapy, yoga, meditation, Pilates, and tai chi.
- Over time, the importance of substances comes to outweigh the importance of things like getting exercise and eating right.
- Zinc can help strengthen the immune system and help improve your mood.
- As with any supplement regimen, it is essential to consult with a healthcare provider to ensure these are appropriate and safe for your personal health circumstances.
- AAC is a leading provider of alcohol rehab programs across the nation.
Many nutrient-rich foods can support recovery; however, specific foods typically depend on the individual’s preferences. A high intake of fruits and vegetables and avoiding processed or sugary foods is also important to getting the nutrients that your body needs. Adopting a balanced diet can assist the body in healing and recovering from the damage inflicted by long-term alcohol abuse. Substance misuse disorders often co-occur with other mental and behavioral health issues, including eating disorders. Dual diagnosis treatment centers can diagnose and treat both the eating disorder and the substance use disorder with integrated programs.
Nutrition in Addiction Treatment Programs
Overconsumption of sugar can also be a health risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other serious issues. It is for these reasons that experts warn about consuming unlimited quantities of sugar and instead recommend opting for a healthier diet. For a healthy, balanced diet, experts advise 45% carbohydrates, 30% healthy fats and 25% protein. Sticking close to these numbers can promote recovery and help alleviate some of the stress detox puts on your body. A good diet can help promote improved energy and enhance the body’s ability to respond to physical stress during recovery.
But addictive substances like alcohol and drugs of abuse can overwhelm the natural reward pathways in your brain, resulting in intolerable cravings and reduced impulse control. Nutrients that promote a healthy central nervous system are also essential. For example, with alcohol withdrawal symptoms during alcohol detox, thiamine must be given to avoid a dangerous vitamin deficiency that can lead to brain damage. All other health-related issues are put on the back burner, to be addressed later on, when the person in recovery is in a more stable situation. The problem with ignoring healthy eating habits is that focusing on nutrition is critical to successful, long-term recovery. While a limited amount of sugar is fine in addiction recovery, people in recovery are in danger of replacing a drug addiction with a sugar addiction.
You could offer your perception of the person struggling with alcohol misuse and ask for guidance or perhaps even role play with the therapist to work through potentially difficult responses and how you might deal with them. If your loved one is struggling with alcohol use, it can be challenging to figure out how to help them. An aftercare program, sometimes called continuing care, helps bridge your time between graduating from a treatment program and returning to your home environment, responsibilities, and support system. It also helps you maintain the skills that you learned in rehab and apply them to your daily life. After meeting with admissions, you will then receive a medical and psychiatric evaluation, which takes about minutes, to help further refine your treatment plan.
