Recovering from substance abuse or any other form of addiction is challenging process, and one of the essential elements of that process is proper nutrition. As an addiction develops and takes hold, one of the aspects of health that is commonly affected is the appetite, often leading to problematic nutrition. Getting back to normal eating habits will go a long way toward helping the body reestablish balance and counter addiction cravings and other damage caused by substance abuse. Here are some insights from your Foothills Centre for Change team on how addiction affects your nutrition, and how good nutrition counteracts addiction.
Ill Effects of Addiction
Depending on the substance or drug, there can be a variety of effects on health and nutrition.
- Organ Damage: Some substances, like alcohol, can damage organs that manage nutrition. The leads to increased risk of nutrition-related diseases.
- Overeating: Some addictions, rather than reduce appetite, increase it, causing those addicted to become overweight
- Malnutrition: Other substances cause the body to burn energy and nutrients more quickly, or decrease appetite, leading to a loss of weight and related symptoms.
Role of Nutrition in Recovery
Addiction, and in turn addiction recovery, is all about the balance of chemicals in the body. There’s a natural balance we should have. It is lost during addiction, and the objective of recovery is to rebalance all those necessary chemicals. One aspect of this process is detoxification, during which all traces of the harmful substance are removed from the body. This is usually by natural body function, but it can be helped along by a well-regulated nutrition plan including foods that help boost the body’s ability to cleanse toxins from its system. Following detoxification, the most important thing to do is replace the bad habits related to the addiction with good ones, eating and nutrition habits being among the most important.
The Foothills Centre for Change can help you or your loved ones overcome addiction with the help of good nutrition and other healthy practices. Our specially-designed programs cater to the needs of the individual and are adaptable to anyone. Contact us today and see what a difference we can help you make in your life.