Chronic abuse and addiction often suppresses hunger and reduces the body’s natural ability to process food and absorb essential vitamins and minerals, leading many drug and alcohol addicts to enter rehab unhealthy and malnourished. After years of neglecting their bodies, addicts often suffer from nutritional deficiencies that not only increase their risk of serious health conditions, but also put their sobriety at risk. Proper nutrition at drug rehab is an important part of recovery because it restores a patient’s health, improves their physical strength, and improves their mental outlook.
The Importance of Good Nutrition in Drug Rehab
Studies show that a healthy diet is key to addiction recovery. Nutritional deficiencies encourage cravings and make withdrawal symptoms worse, potentially sabotaging a person’s recovery. An unhealthy body also wreaks havoc on a person’s ability to focus on treatment.
People recovering in drug rehab are encouraged to eat three well-balanced and healthy meals a day. Foods that are high in protein, vitamin B12, amino acids, essential fatty acids and probiotics are also encouraged, as they are proven to reverse the deficiencies commonly seen in addicts. Vitamin and mineral supplements are also often administered in order to accelerate the nutritional recovery. Most people in recovery see a remarkable improvement in their health after just one month of nutritional rehabilitation.
Nutritional Counseling at Drug Rehab
Patients who receive nutritional counseling while in treatment have a much higher success rate of sobriety after the treatment program ends. For example, newly recovered addicts often gravitate toward sugar and caffeine, which can cause blood sugar to fluctuate, exacerbate mood swings, and aggravate cravings. A diet high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates can also pose a threat because these foods also induce drug cravings. Nutritional counseling educates these individuals that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, quality proteins and healthy fats can increase their chance of long-term sobriety.
Of course, nutritional counseling alone is not enough to recover from addiction. Rather, it should be part of a comprehensive approach to addiction treatment that involves cognitive-behavioral therapy, 12-steps, detox and other traditional treatments.
At Casa Palmera, we believe that addiction recovery should encompass a person’s entire well-being, including their physical, mental and spiritual health. Our holistic approach will ensure you get all the tools you need to combat every aspect of your addiction.
Start healing today by calling Casa Palmera.
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