The Clean, Sober Diet: Tips for Eating Well in Recovery FHE Health

Ever since I started eating meals consisting of whole foods, I’ve felt much better and become leaner. Juices and sodas account for most of the sugar consumed in the modern diet. These can be replaced with low-sugar kombuchas, unsweetened iced tea, or sparkling waters with natural alcohol recovery diet flavors. As you feel more stable and watch the pounds shed from your mid-section, you’ll stop missing sugary beverages forever. Unlike fad diet programs, simple food substitutions can PERMANENTLY transform your health, mood, and physique – without any need to count your calories.

To this end we have designed the nutritional journey at Flow Recovery Retreat to be a journey which puts you in the driving seat; it’s fun, rewarding and most importantly sustainable. Your long term eating habits will be a guiding light on your road to recovery, the ultimate goal of which being your general physical and mental well-being. Antioxidants are hugely important in our diet, they strengthen the immune system and reduce damage on a cellular level caused by free radicals and toxins. This is doubly important in those who have had alcohol and drug abuse issues, due to the increased quantity of these toxins found within these substances. Blue fruits, especially, are high in antioxidants and so blueberries are an essential addition to the diet of someone on the path to recovery.

Include Plenty of Protein

However, there are some basic guidelines that everyone who quits drinking can follow to maximize their sense of well-being. Too little could eventually cause serious learning and memory problems, a condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome. Eat beans, peas, lentils, pork, brown rice, and fortified foods like breakfast cereal. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine suggest 11.5 to 15.5 cups of water per day for adults. In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about using nutrition to your benefit as you heal from addiction.

Experimenting within the bounds of healthy foods is one of the best ways to fuel your recovery. Eating disorders and substance use disorders share multiple similarities in displayed behavior. The escalation of substance abuse comes with increasingly severe cravings and the inability to control consumption despite building negative consequences.

Whole Grains and High-Fiber Foods

But at the grocery store, they instinctively opt for “low fat yogurts” (often filled with sugar) and cut off the most marbled parts of their ribeyes. In a perfect world, a good diet could prevent relapse, but this unfortunately isn’t true. There’s no one way to prevent relapse and, sadly, around 40 to 60 percent of recovering substance users will relapse at least once before finally getting clean. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Our brain is a remarkable organ that can change and adapt throughout our lives.

• For more information about how much of an impact food has on addiction rehabilitation therapy here at GMBHC and get started on this journey today by contacting us now.
• Instead of obsessing about which produce is the trendy superfood of the week, I eat whole foods and make a smoothie every morning.
• You can replace flour products with “slow carbs” – i.e., foods higher in complex carbohydrates that digest slower, providing longer-lasting energy, curbing cravings, and reducing insulin spikes.

People often need to address past trauma or familial issues during this time. The mental challenge of this stage is not to let anything make you feel defeated. While the abstinence stage of withdrawal causes mostly physical symptoms, post-acute withdrawal is very psychological and emotional. If you’re ready to make a positive change, here’s what you may want to know about the recovery process. Of course, these same chemicals can cause you to crave drinking again which can be a serious problem for former alcoholics for obvious reasons.

Fats

Some people may feel so “broken” that they almost feel they can no longer experience joy and confidence, or have healthy relationships again. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), recovery is a process that involves remission from AUD and quitting heavy drinking for good. Recovery from alcohol addiction generally follows the stages of abstinence, withdrawal, repair, and growth. If you suspect someone you know is experiencing DTs, call their doctor or 911. People with symptoms of DTs may be too confused to recognize the seriousness of their condition. Get started by speaking with one of our compassionate treatment specialists.

When an individual consumes unhealthy amounts of alcohol over an extended period of time, their body can adapt to the depressive effects of alcohol, which slows down the central nervous system. When a person then stops drinking alcohol, their central nervous system can become hyperactive and dysregulated, leading to various withdrawal symptoms. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, nausea, insomnia, and shakes.