When breaking free from the clutches of addiction, nutrition and wellness are vital pillars you must pay attention to. Both play an important role in addiction recovery as they help you restore your physical and mental health.
By being more conscious of what you consume and engaging in wellness activities, you equip yourself with essential tools for recovery. Want to know more about how these two can influence your recovery journey? Well, this read is for you.
When you chronically use addictive substances, your physical health and nutritional status deteriorate. With decreased intake (and absorption) of proper nutrients, your body’s functioning can be impaired. Additionally, it can alter hormonal balance and change the way your body perceives hunger and satiety.
According to this study, 92.4% of people with SUDS who don't have underlying medical conditions weighed less than the average weight of the general population. Moreover, 55.7% of them had experienced a weight loss of more than 5%.
But on the flip side, achieving balanced nutrition and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits can be a game-changer in your recovery journey. As you replenish lost nutrients, you can improve cognitive function, attain mental clarity, and stabilize your mood.
Are you recovering from substance use? You can improve your healing process by ensuring proper nutrition.
You may want to start loading up on magnesium and vitamins A, B12, and C. Alcohol and drug addiction often lead to a deficiency in these four.
Magnesium can help reduce cravings while vitamin B12 fosters a healthy nervous system. On the other hand, vitamin A boosts the immune system, and vitamin C has antioxidant properties that help cells heal. When you lack these vitamins and nutrients, you can experience fatigue and nausea, among other symptoms that can trigger relapse.
As for supplements that can help repair bodily systems, experts recommend omega-3 fatty acids, which promote brain health and reduce depressive symptoms. Citicoline repairs damaged neural pathways, while theanine (usually present in tea) helps your body relax and lowers stress levels. Zinc is another important mineral that lowers drug cravings.
Self-care in recovery is vital. And one way you can help yourself recover faster is by practicing mindful eating.
With a more intentional approach to eating, you can be more aware of your eating habits. In this process, you’re also making a conscious effort to focus on how you eat what you eat.
As stressed out by Harvard’s School of Health, combining mindfulness training with nutrition knowledge can promote better dietary decisions, thereby lowering your likelihood of chronic diseases. In the long run, it also bolsters a positive body image. It subsequently boosts your self-esteem, which is something you need to be more motivated in your recovery journey.
The leading institution also lists down ways to practice this kind of eating habit:
If you’re attempting to recover from substance addiction, engaging in physical activities offers benefits that go beyond just physical fitness. It can significantly support your journey to sobriety and overall well-being.
Exercising helps release dopamine and endorphins, which are your body’s natural mood lifters. Exercising with other people is another story. Group fitness activities offer opportunities for social interactions. By developing healthy relationships with others, you can feel less lonely and gain more confidence.
When recovering, some of the exercises you can do include:
In any aspect of your nutrition and wellness, also keep in mind that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Hence, you must tailor your exercise routines according to your physical condition, specific health concerns, and personal interests.
Nutritional therapy is an evidence-based approach that experts employ to assess your nutritional status and design interventions. The goal is for you to meet your specific nutritional needs as you recover from addiction.
When you get personalized nutrition-focused assistance, you can manage your withdrawal symptoms better by stabilizing certain health metrics (e.g., blood sugar levels). Additionally, you can promote the restoration of bodily and cognitive functions — all while getting emotional support from your nutritional therapist.
While triggers are there to pull you back into the pits of addiction, there are ways you can manage them better. Apart from being more mindful of what you eat, you can practice self-care and perform various stress reduction techniques to help combat cravings. Here are some of them:
One key to long-term sobriety is having sustainable healthy habits. This is true for both your eating patterns and wellness practices. Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly in just a short period won’t lead you to long-run recovery success. To promote lasting changes, you must integrate proper nutrition and wellness exercises into your daily life.
This is why, as mentioned, it’s a must to consider your preferences. If you are into running, consider this as your go-to aerobic exercise. If you are fond of gardening, which can be a great mindfulness activity, you might want to invest in making your own gardening space at home. Additionally, you can find groups that share the same interests.
Rather than aiming for drastic changes, opt for gradual ones that you can sustain during and well beyond your recovery journey.
Nutrition and wellness are vital pillars of addiction recovery. While substance abuse takes a toll on your physical and mental health, balanced eating and mindfulness can help restore your well-being.
Apart from doing things like exercising and stress reduction techniques, seeking help from a nutritional therapist is also beneficial. For lasting recovery success, sustainable lifestyle changes are essential.
If you’re battling substance use, you must embrace holistic healing for a bright, addiction-free tomorrow. And with experts from Freedom Recovery by your side, it’s possible to reclaim that kind of future. To learn more about their treatment offerings, get in touch now.
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