Nutrition Plans in Addiction Treatment

Proper nutrition can aid the body and mind, and it can enhance the healing process. For example, certain diet plans and foods can aid an addict in recovery by helping their metabolism, mental health, and organ function. Balanced and healthy diets can make you feel better, improving both your health and mood, and decreasing cravings and the likelihood of returning to abusing substances.

Addicts are generally focused on their drug of choice and not on healthy meals. Those suffering from addiction usually aren’t healthy already and are often malnourished, bypassing nutritious options for junk food or even omitting most food altogether. A proper diet can go a long way toward helping the recovery process. Substance abuse also creates chemical imbalances in the body that a proper diet can help to restore.

Typical Plan

Depending on the type of substance an addict is recovering from, as well as the severity of their malnutrition, a nutrition plan may vary slightly from person to person.

As a general rule, a typical plan will include:

• Protein for the amino acids that build up the neurotransmitters addicts lack
• Fiber from vegetables and fruits to improve the gastrointestinal system
• Whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates
• Healthy fats to absorb fat-soluble vitamins
• Foods rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B-Complex, C, and zinc

Regularly scheduled meals are also important to the recovery process. Several small meals every couple hours are ideal to keep the metabolism up and cravings down.

Things to Avoid

Many drugs, such as stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine, decrease appetites and cause weight loss. Getting a standard, healthy appetite back can take some time, and it is important to be patient and start slow.

As the appetite comes back, however, it can be easy to overeat. It’s important to stay away from snacks that are low in nutrition and high in fat, salt, and sugar. Quitting smoking and lowering caffeine intake can be helpful in recovery as well. Eating more whole foods and fewer processed ones is always a good idea. Since each substance creates specific health problems, diets of recovering addicts should be managed by professional nutritionists specializing in this type of care.

What to Include

A proper nutrition plan will include a dose of exercise as well as a healthy diet plan. Getting the body moving is key to staying healthy physically as well as mentally. Another important thing often overlooked is water. Many addicts are chronically dehydrated and increasing water intake to reverse this is important.

Whole foods rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are vital to a healthier body. Amino acids, fish oil, and flaxseed can help boost neurotransmitter production and restore brain function damaged by drugs or alcohol. Having healthy snacks available to avoid crashes and to keep blood sugar levels stable is important too. A healthy diet makes you feel better, gives you energy, and also boosts your immune system, leading to natural detoxification.

Nutrition education has been proven to be a successful tool in the recovery process as indicated in a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, which showed a 68 percent psychological improvement in recovering addicts who were offered nutrition services. Black Bear Lodge believes in treating the entire person and not just the addiction. Our trained staff members employ both medical and holistic methods to help an addict make healthy lifestyle changes. If you’d like to talk with one of our admissions coordinators about how we can help, call us today at 706-909-9811.