For a healthy, balanced diet, experts advise 45% carbohydrates, 30% healthy fats and 25% protein. Sticking close to these numbers can promote recovery and help alleviate some of the stress detox puts on your body. Both eating disorders and substance use disorders have similar behavioral alcohol recovery diet patterns, such as strong cravings and a lack of control over consumption despite negative consequences. People with bulimia or binge eating disorders, like those with substance abuse, have intense cravings and feel like they can’t stop during episodes of overeating.
The right food can not only mitigate drug damage but also help the former abuser feel stronger. It can set off a positive feedback loop to show how ingesting healthy foods – instead of deadly or harmful drugs – will make recovering people feel their best. Not only can it be a good time to regain control over your diet, but it will help your body to achieve optimal function as it goes through the difficulties of withdrawal. A good diet can help improve your mood, increase your energy levels, stabilize your blood sugar levels and reduce cravings. In general, healthy and nutritious foods are the best to eat when you first stop drinking alcohol. Let’s go over which specific types of foods are best to incorporate.
How Substance Abuse Disrupts Nutrition
A healthy alcohol detox diet can help to set the person’s body up for recovery. Opiate and heroin use can be linked to nausea and vomiting, serious organ damage over time, and general neglect of one’s health, potentially leading to nutritional https://ecosoberhouse.com/ deficiencies. For those in the withdrawal phase, the most common food craving is sugar. One reason this occurs is because blood sugar levels are known to fluctuate during early recovery, causing someone to crave sugar more than usual.
Many nutrient-rich foods can support recovery; however, specific foods typically depend on the individual’s preferences. A high intake of fruits and vegetables and avoiding processed or sugary foods is also important to getting the nutrients that your body needs. Experiencing withdrawal symptoms after cutting out alcohol is a very common experience. While these symptoms will subside with time, introducing certain foods and avoiding others can help alleviate symptoms in the meantime.
The Significance of Nutrition in an Alcohol Recovery Diet
While several dietary changes can benefit someone recovering from alcohol, no specific, recognized nutritional guidelines or restrictions apply to someone recovering from alcoholism. The only potential restriction would be relating to the use of alcohol itself. Maintaining the proper diet can help to reduce the stress your body experiences and better equip you to handle the difficulties of alcohol withdrawal. It eases inflammation and protects the thin layer that surrounds your brain cells, called the cell membrane.
In the same manner, those who have bulimia and binge eating disorders experience extreme cravings for food and feel a loss of control when over-consuming. Both food and addictive substances present ways to escape from or numb unwanted feelings. Up to 50% of people with an eating disorder abuse drugs or alcohol, which is five times the rate of the general population. Additionally, up to 35% of people who have abused drugs or been addicted also struggle with an eating disorder.
Best Foods for Alcohol Detox
Our program doesn’t treat one condition after the other, but it focuses on the common causes of substance abuse and eating disorders. By eating a balanced and varied diet that includes these nutrients, we can support our brain’s natural ability to grow and change. Nutrition can also help us prevent or delay the start of brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which are characterized by the loss of neurons and connections. Moreover, nutrition can boost the effects of other things that promote neuroplasticity, such as physical exercise, cognitive training, and meditation.
Well-balanced, calorie-appropriate meals can help detox patients improve nutrient deficiencies, manage low blood sugar and improve and maintain their body weight. Eating a balanced diet is essential to reduce the harm of alcohol and improve your overall well-being. At Aqua Recovery, we are here to help you with your nutrition needs, offering advice and resources for a healthy recovery. Contrary to common misconceptions, not all fats are bad for health.
Making good nutritional food choices as you recover from alcohol addiction will help you succeed in your recovery journey.
Having enough protein can help reduce withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, headache, and fatigue. People may crave unhealthy foods high in sugar while detoxing from alcohol. But eating sugary products in place of healthier foods during this time can result in vitamin deficiencies, creating additional stress on the body. Although eating these foods during detox won’t ensure smooth sailing, they will likely ease the discomfort and cravings that accompany the detox stage.
