The Connection Between Nutrition and Addiction Recovery
The Connection Between Nutrition and Addiction Recovery
May 1 – 31 is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month and not only do we look at the importance of health and fitness for our staff as a whole, but we also know that it plays a significant role in the recovery process. Here, we discuss how nutrition and addiction recovery are connected.
Eating a healthy diet is crucial for everyone, but it’s especially important for someone who is recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. Several individuals who suffer from drug addictions, alcoholism and other various mental health conditions often have poor nutritional dietary habits. In fact, research shows that nearly 43 percent of all adults with mental disorders are either obese or overweight. Because poor nutrition can potentially lead to more severe health issues, later on, it’s critical that an individual undergoing addiction treatment is well educated on how to eat a healthy diet while going through the process.
Stage Two of Recovery
The second stage of recovery typically includes the rehabilitation phase. During this particular stage, the individual will engage in a variety of effective therapies. The goal is to help them understand why their addiction initially developed and how to manage it as well as any other potential psychological problems in the future as well.
Many addiction facilities understand the importance of nutrition and addiction recovery, and therefore offer various kinds of nutritional-based counseling in addition to conventional psychological therapies. The individual might receive in-depth advice from knowledgeable nutritionists about different ways to implement a healthy diet. The patient will also learn how important it is for them to eat regular meals and stay well hydrated since these habits can significantly strengthen the body and help the person to overcome intense cravings for drugs.
The Final Stage of Recovery
The last (and continuing) stage of addiction recovery is to help a person return to a normal, healthy lifestyle using their new vital skills they learned during therapy (like nutrition and addiction recovery) to live a safe, drug-free life. During this stage, the individual needs to practice the healthy nutritional habits they learned while attending therapy and should also work to maintain a healthy and disease-free body to stay on the road to recovery.
A Starting Point for Rejuvenation with the Knowledge of Nutrition and Addiction Recovery
- Eat foods rich in antioxidants
- Go decaf
- Energize the body with protein and fiber
- Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugary foods
- Snack wisely
True, drug addiction recovery is all about restoring both the body and mind to its most natural, healthy state. And, eating a proper nutritious diet is one of the smartest ways to replenish a system that’s been severely ravished by chronic drug addiction. Diet will play a significant role in how a person ultimately feels. Also, a person’s highest chances of success will likely come from undergoing quality inpatient drug rehabilitation treatment overall.
