While proper nutrition is needed to sustain a healthy life, it is made even more vital when recovering from a substance abuse disorder. Drug addiction can cause poor nutritional habits, further causing severe health problems. At Blueprint Recovery Center, implementing nutrition in your addiction recovery program is crucial. This is because what you eat greatly affects how efficient and long-lasting your recovery will be. This post aims to convey how vital combining nutrition and addiction recovery can be for your treatment.
How Does Substance Abuse Affect Nutrition?
Many people know the various illnesses and diseases that could result from prolonged drug use. However, they might not be aware that those effects could even impact nutrition, impairing several of the body’s physiological functions. Some of the common effects substance abuse has on nutrition are:
- Poor diet resulting from prioritizing substance abuse over proper nutrition
- Damage to organs like the intestines, stomach lining, and pancreas, which affects digestion and the absorption of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins
- Malnutrition
- Hypoglycemia
Different drugs affect the body’s nutrition differently, most of them making it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients. For instance, opioids slow down bodily functions such as digestion and metabolism. When this happens, your body cannot process the nutrients found in food, disrupting digestion, and causing constipation. Those who chronically use stimulants are also more prone to developing eating disorders like anorexia.
Nutrition and an Addiction Recovery Program
Nutrition therapy plays a crucial role during recovery. During treatment, your eating habits can determine how successful the treatment will be. Having a proper diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to heal and function optimally. Also, maintaining a balanced diet boosts your mood, which helps to lower the chances of relapse. Combining nutrition and addiction not only supports recovery but also kick starts your body’s repair.
Combining Nutrition and Addiction Recovery
The first and most grueling stage in your recovery is the detox phase. Many often experience side effects such as constipation, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Having a precise nutrition plan will help boost your health and mood during this stage.
Consider consuming nutritional supplements like smoothies or protein shakes if you lose appetite during detox. High fiber foods like whole grains, fruits, and leafy greens help with constipation. Also, picking lighter foods is a way to combat the common feelings of nausea. While the detox’s length depends on the severity of your addiction, maintaining a healthy diet can speed up the process.
Your nutrition should include complex carbohydrates that provide steady and long-lasting energy, supplements and vitamins, and high fiber and protein intake. Ensure that you keep a regular eating schedule, watch sugar levels, and limit caffeine, which can cause appetite suppression.
Nutrition and Addiction Recovery at Blueprint Recovery Center
There are several advantages you can experience by combining nutrition and addiction recovery. Paying attention to your nutrition therapy ensures that your body is regularly supplied with the energy it needs. It also strengthens your immune system, rebuilds the organs and tissue damaged by substance abuse, and helps your body regain its proper functioning. Maintaining proper nutrition enables you to feel better not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well.
The importance of combining nutrition and addiction recovery cannot be overstated. Recovery is made more efficient when a proper diet is combined with other treatments in your addiction recovery program. These treatments include:
Prolonged substance abuse causes significant stress to your body. At Blueprint Recovery Center, we are ready to help you with strategies and coping skills vital for your recovery. Our therapeutic modalities and highly dedicated staff provide a holistic approach to recovery. Combining nutrition and addiction recovery addresses both your body and mind, increasing the chances of achieving long-lasting sobriety. Call Blueprint Recovery Center at 833.654.1004 today to start your recovery.
