Specifically designed rehabilitation programs focusing on wellness (i.e. yoga, pilates, and meditation) may also be available. This combination of diet and exercise can boost mood and self-esteem, repair organ damage, and help minimize your urges to abuse alcohol or drugs. Some people find they do gain weight following crystal meth addiction. Also, this drug frequently results in decreasing the number of foods eaten that are healthy. It’s important to remember that if you have a nutritionist in addiction treatment, they can advise you as to how much weight you can expect to gain. Being underweight is much unhealthier for your body than weighing more and being at a healthy weight.

With proper diagnosis of any possible underlying mental health disorders, a healthful diet and education on how nutrition influences mood and brain chemistry, recovery can be enhanced. Before leaving any addiction rehab treatment program, people in recovery are given a variety of different tools and taught new skills designed to help them remain clean and sober over the long term. Along with a strong relapse prevention strategy, maintaining a good nutrition plan can play a part in a self-care routine that helps improve self-esteem and reduce the risk of relapse. If you aren’t sure how to eat right or how to prepare nutritional meals, most addiction treatment centers offer nutritional counseling.

Substance Use Treatment

Also, some people with addiction develop different socio-economic problems, making food tough to obtain. More protein- Amino acids in the proteins serve to be the building block for neurotransmitters that are lacking in the addicts.

Counseling patients on lifestyle changes to decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes is important. This includes encouraging exercise, weight loss, dietary changes to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and quitting smoking. Amino acids are also essential in recovery because they help the body produce dopamine. Without sufficient amounts of dopamine, many people experience more cravings and negative moods. Amino acids are found in protein, so be sure to get enough protein. You can add more quinoa, turkey, eggs, fish, and legumes to get healthy sources of protein. When it comes right down to it, a nutritional plan not only needs to address the recovering person’s nutritional deficiencies.

Is this something I can do to help a family member who’s struggling with addiction?

Vitamin B12 is also needed for the maintenance of healthy nerve cells. Alcohol and poor eating can stop your liver from releasing glucose into your blood. Still, they may not realize how essential it is to eat healthy during the process of recovering from substance use addiction.

Many people may know the harsher effects of drugs and alcohol on the body, such as liver disease from alcoholism. However, substance abuse extends well beyond this and can create a variety of impairments in physiological functions of the body, including the ability to absorb essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It could be argued that no organ in your body is as affected by addiction as your brain.

Importance of Nutrition and Exercise in Addiction Recovery

From support support groups to individual therapy treatment options, we are here to fight the battle with you. Choose foods that are easy to eat, such as Jell-O, yogurt, chicken soup, and other lighter foods. Your nutritional needs change as you go through the process of recovery. It’s important to bear this in mind, so you have the right dietary tools to supplement the healing process.

• That’s why it’s important to eat three meals a day plus snacks as your body heals.
• Once this habit is established, you can continue fueling your body with the right vitamins and nutrients it needs in your recovery.
• While junk food may be considered the lesser of two evils, when compared to drugs or alcohol, it is actually contributing to the problem and just allowing you to switch one addiction for another.
• Low serotonin levels can result in sleep problems, irritability, and depression.
• It could be argued that no organ in your body is as affected by addiction as your brain.

Kelsey also oversees our women’s sober living environments – The Chadwick House for Women. She is committed to creating a safe, nurturing, and conducive environment for all women that walk through the doors of Chadwick. Opiates like heroin and opioids like Vicodin slow down your gastrointestinal tract. In rare instances, alcohol recovery diet this constipation can be severe enough to cause bowel obstruction, which is a medical emergency. Once you learn the principles of the diet, you can also apply them to any recipes you prefer, including gluten-free, vegan, or kosher diets. A powerful tool to combine with your 12-step or other recovery program.