07 Feb Nutrition and Recovery: How a Healthy Diet Can Support Sobriety

When a person takes the brave step to overcome substance abuse disorder, there is much more at play than the substance itself. Addiction can have a significant impact on many aspects of our lives, and one that we don’t always consider is our diet. When it comes to addiction recovery, overlooking a healthy and balanced diet can be detrimental to the process. Today, we want to discuss nutrition and recovery and how they go hand in hand. We will be talking about the impact addiction has on our diet and bodies, how that can affect us in the long term, and give some advice on enhancing the recovery process. At Calm Rehab, we understand the profound impact that a healthy diet can have on supporting sobriety, so we wanted to share our knowledge. 

How Addiction Can Affect Our Eating Habits

Addiction is something that extends its reach into various parts of our lives, and this includes our dietary habits. When an individual is struggling with addiction, they often experience a range of adverse effects on their eating patterns. Understanding these effects is a crucial aspect of developing a successful recovery strategy. Here are five of the most common ways addiction can change our eating habits.

Appetite Suppression: Many addictive substances can suppress our appetites. Some of the primary substances that can lead to irregular eating patterns and inadequate nutrition are stimulants and prescription drugs. 

Unhealthy Food Cravings: Having a dependence on certain substances can lead to cravings for processed foods, sugars, and fats. This can significantly lower the essential nutrients in our daily diet. 

Irregular Eating Patterns: Substance use is often unpredictable and can have a major impact on our meal schedule. This can have a massive effect on the body’s metabolic processes. 

Issues With Absorbing Nutrients: Addiction often interferes with the body’s internal organs, and this can affect our ability to absorb nutrients from our food. So, even when consuming healthy foods, we might not get much out of them. 

Dehydration: Some substances can heavily contribute to dehydration, affecting our overall health and exacerbating nutritional deficiencies. 

How Addiction and a Lack of Nutrients Impacts Our Overall Health

Addiction and poor nutritional intake can take their toll on our bodies, making the challenge of recovery even more difficult. Here are some of the ways our bodies can be affected when struggling with substance abuse disorder. 

Weakening Our Immune System: Over time, substance use will most likely weaken a person’s immune system, making them much more susceptible to illness and infection. 

Leads to Cognitive Impairment: When a person has a poor diet coupled with the neurotoxic effects of addiction, it can lead to significant cognitive difficulties. This might impact memory, concentration, and overall mental function. 

Damage to Internal Organs: Chronic substance abuse is likely to cause severe damage to a person’s vital organs. This could be detrimental to the function of our kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, and digestive system. 

Increased Mood Swings and Issues with Mental Health: Nutrient deficiency can contribute massively to anxiety, depression, and mood swings, which can make the recovery process even more challenging. 

Decreasing Bone Health: Addiction can lead to malnutrition, which weakens our bones and increases the risk of osteoporosis, fractures, and other bone-related illnesses or injuries. 

Muscle Wasting: Inadequate nutrition can also impact our muscles, leading to the breakdown of their tissue, causing us to become weaker and decrease our ability to engage in physical activity. 

Hormonal Imbalances: It is common for substances to disrupt the delicate balance of hormones in our body, impacting various physiological processes and leading to long-term health issues. 

The Struggle of Getting Our Diets Back on Track When Recovering from Addiction

The complexities of recovery are vast. As well as abstaining from substance use, it is essential to rebuild a healthy lifestyle. Restoring a balanced diet is a fundamental step one needs to take to achieve this, but it isn’t always easy. Many individuals may face multiple issues when beginning this journey. 

Often, those battling addiction will struggle to trust themselves and the food choices they make. There might be an association between unhealthy eating patterns and addiction that leads to this lack of trust, and their mind may want to replace one unhealthy habit with another.  Those who have struggled with substance abuse may also need to address emotional eating. Addiction often serves as a coping mechanism for underlying mental health issues, so it is difficult not to replace it with another form of coping. The recovery process usually involves stress, sadness, and anxiety, and these emotions can easily lead to craving unhealthy foods. Suppose a person falls into the trap of unhealthy eating as a form of coping. In that case, they will develop dietary triggers, which, in turn, can remind them of triggers for past addictive behaviour, and this needs to be addressed immediately. 

As well as struggling with the emotional side, there is also a pressure to develop nutritional awareness. After prolonged substance abuse, individuals may lack awareness of their own nutritional needs and the importance of a balanced diet. They will also need to make significant life adjustments when creating consistent meal patterns, a major part of a successful recovery. There will need to be much time focused on re-educating oneself in order to develop a successful healthy diet when battling addiction. 

One more thing is the management of the physical symptoms of withdrawal. These can impact appetite and energy levels and can be challenging to overcome in the early stages of recovery. It is essential that a person battling addiction dedicates much of their time and energy to introducing a healthy, balanced diet. If a loved one is in the process of recovery, it is also essential to help them embrace and celebrate each achievement. This is a gradual process, and each step is a challenge to feel proud of. 

Ways to Promote Healthy Eating in Addiction Recovery

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or in the process of rebuilding physical health and cultivating a positive relationship with healthy living, here are some steps that might help. 

Nutritional education: Those struggling with addiction or supporting a loved one will benefit tremendously if they understand nutrition. It is essential to develop a comprehensive education regarding nutrition and diet. This is also a brilliant way to foster a sense of control and responsibility during recovery. 

Take Time to Plan: Meal planning and preparation can play a vital role in healthy eating and nurturing a person’s mental health. It gives a sense of independence and helps establish a routine that supports recovery. 

Individualised Nutrition Plans: It is also important to seek the help of a professional who may be able to tell you what nutrients are most needed. Each person will have individual needs regarding their diet, so understanding the specific health requirements is an excellent step to take. 

Get Involved in a Support Group: The chances of developing healthy habits are significantly increased when there is a support network. Support groups will provide an open space for people to discuss their struggles and share ideas. Participating in group cooking classes, nutrition workshops, and communal meals is also a good way to create the right environment for positive dietary changes. 

See a Nutrition Counsellor: Nutrition counselling sessions are a way to address individual concerns, track progress, and make adjustments to a person’s dietary plan when needed. Regular sessions can ensure a person is getting the diet that they need. 

Mindful Eating Practices: During the recovery process, it is crucial for individuals to reconnect with their body’s hunger and fullness cues. This can foster a healthy relationship with food and reduce impulsive behaviour related to emotional eating. 

Create a balanced meal structure: Establish a meal structure that includes a variety of food groups to ensure a regular intake of all the necessary nutrients we require in a healthy diet. Incorporating superfoods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants might also be a good idea. To enhance a person’s recovery, their diet must include adequate measures of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. In addition, it is also worth highlighting that hydration plays a major part in a balanced meal structure. 

Celebrating Every Success: One of the most fundamental aspects of recovery across all parts is recognising a person’s achievements. Celebrating each milestone in adopting a healthy diet reinforces positive behaviour and encourages a person to keep going and stay on track. 

The Changes a Person Will Notice when a Healthy Diet is Being Restored

Committing to restoring a healthy diet may be an immense challenge and often feels impossible. However, it is essential to highlight the changes a person will likely notice in their physical and mental health when they continue to make these positive changes throughout the recovery process. 

Increase in Energy Levels: Eating proper nutrients fuels the body with the necessary energy to engage in activity. The changes a person will see when reintroducing a healthy diet during recovery can be phenomenal. 

Enhanced Mood and Clarity: Balanced diets massively contribute to improved mental health by giving the brain the nutrients it needs for optimal function. Many individuals establishing a healthy diet will experience improved moods, mental clarity, and an enhanced ability to focus. 

Improved Physical Well-being: Restoring a healthy diet is essential in supporting the body’s natural healing process. Over time, someone in recovery will see tremendous improvements, such as quality of sleep and an overall sense of vitality. 

Stabilisation of weight: When people are in recovery, they often see weight fluctuations. This is usually due to a lack of a healthy and balanced diet. When we focus on nursing the body with nutrient-dense foods, we develop a healthy relationship with food and maintain a healthy weight throughout the process. 

Improved Stress Resilience: Nutrient-rich foods support the body’s stress and anxiety response mechanisms, enhancing resilience to the challenges that lie ahead during recovery. 

Digestive Health: A healthy diet is the best way to promote digestive function, which will lead to maintaining a healthy metabolic rate and avoiding constipation or gastrointestinal discomfort that may arise during addiction. 

Improved Immune System: A healthy diet also plays a crucial role in supporting the immune system. When a person sticks to a well-balanced diet, they are far less likely to experience illness and will recover faster when they do. 

Improved Skin Health: Nutrient-rich foods also contribute towards healthy skin, which will help with complexion, acne, and elasticity. 

Enhanced Self-Esteem and Confidence: When a person starts to notice these changes during addiction recovery, there will be a massive improvement in confidence and self-esteem. This will have a knock-on effect on all aspects of a person’s life. 

Foods That Provide the Right Nutrients to Help with a Successful Recovery

When battling addiction and developing a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, it is essential to seek the support of professionals to guide you every step of the way. To give you an idea of the foods a person will need, here is a list of essential foods and food groups that will enhance a person’s diet and lifestyle. 

• Lean proteins
• Whole grains 
• A variety of fruits and vegetables 
• Healthy fats
• Dairy or dairy alternatives 
• Probiotic-rich foods 
• Nuts and seeds 
• Eggs
• Herbs and spices (garlic, ginger, turmeric etc.) 
• Water (6-8 glasses per day)
• Antioxidants 
• High-fibre starchy foods 
• Beans and pulses 

Do You or Someone You Love Need Support with Addiction Recovery?

At Calm Rehab, we understand the difficulties a person faces throughout every step of recovery. Our team of professionals at our rehab in Bali knows what it takes, and we pride ourselves on the help and support we have provided to hundreds of people, helping each one of them become the person they were before addiction. If you need any help or advice regarding addiction recovery, please don’t hesitate to take the first step and get in touch today. We are here to help you beat it.