5 Ways Good Nutrition Can Help in Addiction Recovery
As you plan for your short and long-term recovery, you might be tempted to stock up on brownies and candy. After all, if you have to give up one addiction, it just makes sense that you’d be allowed to indulge – at least a little. No two recoveries are alike, and it’s up to you to find an approach to recovery that works. If you need to gain 20 pounds to get sober, so be it, since nothing is worse for your health than addiction. Good nutrition, though, plays a powerful role in the fight against addiction, so before you splurge on a cabinet-full of junk food, consider these five ways good nutrition can make your journey just a bit easier.
Better Health
Addiction is horrible for your health. Alcoholism can yield liver problems, while many drugs cause kidney issues, gastrointestinal distress, and even brain damage. What you put into your body matters, so why wouldn’t you replace a poison such as heroin with something your body needs, like avocados and dark leafy greens? When you pursue a healthy diet as part of your sobriety journey, you may begin to see a reduction in the symptoms your addiction caused, giving you a strong incentive to stay sober and continue eating well.
Flushing Out Toxins
The concept of detoxing has come under scientific scrutiny lately, and no single food can clear your body of the poison of drugs and alcohol. Nevertheless, addiction throws everything in your body off whack, from changing blood sugar levels to wrecking the way your body processes neurotransmitters. If you want to quickly get things back on track, eat a healthy diet. Doing so may even help reduce the symptoms of withdrawal since many withdrawal issues are due to changes in your biochemistry.
Stronger Psychological Well-Being
Healthy eating is correlated with a lower risk of depression and anxiety, better self-esteem, and stronger motivation. You need and deserve these benefits as you walk toward sobriety, so give your mind the best chance at staying healthy by eating good, quality foods.
Better Sleep
Many addicts struggle to sleep, especially in the first few weeks after they quit using. Good nutrition, though, can quiet an anxious mind, offer relief for minor aches and pains, reduce gastrointestinal problems, and help your body steadily work toward once again regulating your circadian rhythms. All of this adds up to better sleep – a welcome bonus when you’re struggling with addiction.
A New Lifestyle
When you conceive of sobriety as simply giving up substances, you’re doomed to fail. Sobriety requires massive lifestyle changes, from getting new friends to changing the way you view and seek fun. Healthy eating helps you frame sobriety as a lifestyle change, while offering you a safe and healthy goal upon which to focus your attention. After a few months, you may find that you’re living completely differently than you once did. This boosts your chances not only of getting sober, but also of avoiding the dreaded ‘R’ word – relapse.