If you’re recovering from a substance addiction, nutritious meals are a must. Diet is often overlooked, not just by addicts, but by the general public. Junk food can be an addiction in itself. Sobriety doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does proper nutrition—which is knowing what to eat, how much to eat, and how often to eat it.
Sometimes, instead of medicine, a patient is prescribed a special diet to fix their nutritional deficiencies. This is because diet plays a huge roll in our health; you can’t always get away with sidestepping it. Not that there’s any reason to try. Switch to a healthy diet – a diet composed primarily of fruits, vegetables, and lean meats – and you’ll likely experience all sorts of improvements in mood, sleep, and general happiness.
A proper diet should include:
Consistency – Try your best to eat your meals at the same time each day. This isn’t just good for the body, but for the mind, too. It teaches self-discipline.
Stable blood-sugar levels – Healthy snacks can help stabilize blood sugar, which is critical to a stable mood. Eggs, nuts, raw vegetables, or any other low-calorie, non-sugar snack can ease mood dips. Eating light, more frequent meals is a good way to keep blood-sugar levels stable.
Few “high energy” snacks – Caffeine and sugar should either be eliminated or drastically reduced when going through addiction recovery. Why? They can cause mood fluctuations.
Not only does nutrition help you maintain your health—it can also make you healthier. Most people assume exercise is the number one key to building muscle, the health benefits of which are endless. In reality, it’s 80 percent diet. Just ask any gym nerd.
HEALTHY DIET IN ADDICTION RECOVERY
Clean, organic food cleanses the body. It decreases stress and “levels you out” the natural, drug-free way.
Diet is often overlooked, not just by addicts, but by the general public. Junk food can be an addiction in itself, just like cocaine or heroin. The skills needed for retaining both sobriety and proper diet tend to overlap. Healthy eating is one of the best relapse prevention strategies to which you can commit yourself.
Most formal recovery programs include some form of nutritional education. With this guidance, you’ll learn your way around a balanced meal. You may also feel inclined to investigate how certain foods affect your mood – a paradigm you probably never before starting treatment.
For help and information to get you closer to a healthy recovery from substance abuse, contact The PAC Program today.
