Food is a vital part of daily life. Everything from water to meals and snacks influences how the body works, mood, energy, and thought patterns. For those in addiction recovery, diet is especially important. Drugs and alcohol strip the body of essential nutrients that can impact overall physical and mental health. Luckily, addiction therapy programs can help clients get back on track with their diets throughout addiction recovery.
If you or someone you love is looking for addiction therapy programs in New Hampshire, A Better State can help. Our holistic, trauma-informed addiction treatment programs provide dual diagnosis and evidence-based outpatient treatment. Call us now at 781.412.1488 to learn more about the role of diet in addiction recovery.
Understanding Diet in Addiction Treatment
Drugs and alcohol can take a toll on the body. Whether someone suffers from tissue damage or changes in brain chemistry, addiction affects the entire body. Many people don’t consider the fact that prolonged use of drugs and alcohol can deplete essential vitamins and minerals. Eating habits are often one of the first things to change during substance use disorders.
Someone may skip meals, binge on low-quality calories, or suffer an essential mineral loss during substance use. Prolonged drug use can cause severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Low levels of electrolytes and other essential minerals can mimic withdrawal symptoms and lead to other health complications, making the role of diet critical for healthy addiction recovery.
Benefits of Diet Changes in Addiction Recovery
A lack of proper nutrition can cause pre-existing conditions to worsen. This includes mental health conditions. Many people struggling with addiction also have mental health conditions. By increasing essential minerals and focusing on nutrition, clients can experience fewer triggers, improved mood, and overall improvements in health. A balanced diet can help clients feel better faster. Common benefits of a specialty diet in addiction recovery include:
- Tissue and organ repair
- Improved immune function
- Better brain function
- Better sleep
- Lower risk of relapse
- Improved energy
- Balanced mood
A balanced diet can bring only a few benefits to addiction recovery. For those in addiction therapy programs, a dietician can help make a specialty meal plan, assess vitamin deficiencies, and help make healthy food more accessible. Dieticians will often focus on the following:
- Increasing essential vitamins lost during drug use, like magnesium and B vitamins
- Reducing sugar intake
- Increasing fiber
- Increasing hydration
- Balancing electrolytes
- Reducing processed food consumption
Dieticians and addiction therapists can help clients find the proper diet for their specific needs. By working together, clients can feel at ease knowing how the food they eat affects their recovery.
Learn More About the Role of Diet in Addiction Recovery at A Better State
What someone eats affects every aspect of their life. For those in addiction recovery, food is only one tool to help them recover. At A Better State, we believe in a different kind of addiction therapy. Clients thrive by treating the root cause of addiction with holistic, evidence-based treatments. Our addiction therapy programs provide clients across New Hampshire with the support they need at a pace that works for them.
Our intensive outpatient and partial hospitalizations are here to meet clients where they are in recovery and help them stay sober together, no matter their schedule. If you or someone you love is struggling with diet and addiction, our team is here to help. Contact us now at 781.412.1488 to learn more about diet in addiction recovery and how to ease addiction triggers, reduce symptoms, and help clients thrive throughout sobriety.
