Nutrition Assists In Recovery
According to the Center For Addiction Nutrition, “Addiction nutrition is the science of diet and health directly related to helping those with chemical and process addictions.” Nutrition is not a new science. The idea that the body needs to be nourished with the right combination of foods and supplements is revolutionary to some, as is evident in the multitude of food documentaries highlighting the health problems around the country.
Food come with food labels and nutrition guidelines which present complicated numbers about specific facets of nutrition and daily vitamin intake. What food labels lack is what everyone is reading the labels trying to find out: is this healthy or not.
Unfortunately, processed and packaged foods are good at disguising themselves to be healthy options when they aren’t. Much in the same way that addicts and alcoholics repeatedly choose their substance of choice without thinking of consequence about their health or how their choices affect others, we choose food without thinking of what it does to us.
More importantly, we choose food without thinking of what it does to our health, how our health affects others, and how our purchasing choice affects the planet.
There is an easy example to highlight why nutrition in recovery is important and should be specifically focused on addiction. Perhaps you have a plant and it is dying. You know that it is a plant and that it needs water because that is what is healthiest for the plant.
We don’t give dying planets high sugar sodas, fruit juices, or coffee. We give them water. We don’t give sick and dying things substances that wouldn’t help them get better. Nutrition is a focus in recovery through the specific lens of addiction because the physical body of addicts and alcoholics are sick and need to get better. Food is medicine.
Nutrition Can Help With Cravings
Nutrition is the way to make food medicinal. However, it is important to note, that many in early recovery experience insatiable sugar cravings. Even “The Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous encourages having chocolate and candy around for difficult moments. Recovery is all about balance. Nutritional education in treatment helps those in recovery learn how to balance cake with cottage cheese, caffeine with kale.
Nutrition for addiction recovery takes into consideration food that feeds the healing of the mind as well as the body. Mental health necessitates physical health through food. The brain operates on specific parts of food which it can only get from food, like fatty acids and omega-3s.
Vitamins and supplements support nutrition’s efforts in providing what the brain needs through food. A nutrition plan rich in fiber, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, fatty fish, and foods like avocado help nourish the brain as well as the body, supporting all areas of recovery.
Lakehouse Recovery Center provides gourmet meals from an onsite chef working with the nutritional needs presented by addiction recovery as well as the individual plans clients create with a nutritionist. Our residential treatment programs are designed to help clients learn how to stay sober by showing them how to enjoy recovery. For information, call us today: 877.762.3707