Completing drug rehab is the first step in beginning a recovery program. Many addicts, while recognizing the toll addiction has taken on their relationships, don’t realize the additional affects it has had on their physical health and wellbeing.

Addiction often leads to malnourishment, which forces the body to work in less than optimal conditions. A poor diet is tough on the digestive system, which is often already experiencing diarrhea, indigestion, and constipation from the drug abuse. Should an addict try and eat well, the drugs and alcohol prevent the body from absorbing vital minerals and nutrients found in healthy foods.

Addiction can also damage your immune system, disrupting the body’s natural ability to keep itself healthy. A compromised immune system leads to not only colds and the flu, but also the risk of developing certain cancers.

And finally, addiction can take a big toll on the liver. The liver is the organ responsible for filtering toxins out of the blood, and individuals who abuse alcohol and drugs make their liver work overtime. This eventually causes the liver to swell and stop working properly.

Nutrition Tips to Help in Recovery

While it may not be possible to reverse all of the damage caused by addiction, good nutrition can go a long way toward becoming healthier and stronger. If you have access to a dietician or nutritionist, he or she can customize a plan to help your body recover and heal.

If you don’t have access to a dietician or nutritionist, the following tips can help you boost and support your immune system and brain chemistry so you can become a healthier, happier version of yourself.

Avoid Sugar

When it comes to foods that alter your mood and make it difficult to make healthy choices, sugar can be one of the worst. Do your best to stay away from refined carbohydrates such as cookies, cakes and white bread.

Load Up on Produce

Your body needs antioxidants to boost your immune system and keep you healthy. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will support your immune system and your journey toward recovery.

Be a Smart Snacker

Snacking throughout the day will help stabilize your sugar levels and keep your mood stable as well, minimalizing cravings. Just be sure to snack healthily, eating fruits, nuts and other quality proteins and whole foods.

If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction and is interested in exploring treatment, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.

For many people, drinking alcohol is something that is done on occasion and in moderation. Having a glass or two of champagne on New Year’s Eve or a cocktail out with friends is nothing to be concerned about.

For others, however, alcohol is not something one marks a special occasion with; it is the main event.

There are a variety of factors that can influence a person’s behavior when it comes to drinking such as genetics, biology and the environment. While the reasons one becomes addicted to alcohol can vary, what is consistent is a desire to keep drinking, despite being shown the devastation it is causing to their life.

Here are some of the most common excuses people make to keep drinking:

I’ll Lose My Friends if I Quit Drinking

Many a social life is based on partying and having a good time, and that typically includes drinking alcohol. This is especially true for younger people, who feel pressured to drink when they are around their friends. “No one will invite me to their parties if I refuse to drink.” “Everyone will think I’m weird or uptight if I’m the only one not drinking.”

While friends and associates may take notice, it’s important to realize that real friends will want to spend time with you no matter what. Those that don’t may have a drinking problem themselves and are uncomfortable around your healthy change in behavior.

Wine is Good for Me

While numerous studies have suggested consuming alcohol, red wine in particular, can benefit the heart and improve cholesterol levels, all speak of consuming in moderate amounts. In fact, a majority of US health agencies recommend no more than two drinks a day for men, and only one for women.

So, while some studies suggest drinking in moderation is good for health, the amount is really key. If you find you are drinking more than one or two glasses each day, you are no longer promoting health.

Drinking Relieves Stress

It’s no secret that stress can wreak havoc on our health. And no one can really blame a person if they want to somehow “take the edge off.” But alcohol consumption is not the healthiest ways to deal with stress. For those with unhealthy drinking behaviors, the one or two glasses needed to take that edge off turns into three, four and more. Stress and alcohol feed off of each other.

There are much healthier ways to alleviate stress such as meditation and yoga.

Quitting drinking is incredibly difficult, but, with the right support, it can be done. If you or a loved one has a drinking problem and is interested in exploring treatment, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.

If you or a loved one have gone through a program in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center, you know that much of the time spent in rehab focuses on preparing you for your move back home. This can be a dangerous and scary transition if you’re unprepared. Although throughout your stay in rehab you’ve accomplished many things and overcome serious and difficult hurdles, the toughest challenges lie ahead.

Returning home will make you want to settle into familiar routines, which would be a perilous mistake. When you consider that most relapses take place only weeks after leaving rehab, you can value the importance of making immediate changes to accommodate your new, healthier lifestyle.

Clean Up

If possible, have a friend or loved one remove all drugs, alcohol and paraphernalia from your home before you return. If this isn’t possible, recruit a sober friend or your sponsor to help you clean up as soon as you get home. There may also be other reminders or triggers of your former lifestyle in your home. Throw or give these away. Take the time to clean your home and make it comfortable and cozy. Rearrange furniture or change décor to refresh your place as much as possible.

Locate a Support Group

There are lots of sources for continued support for your life after rehab. Seek out an individual therapist you can meet with on a regular basis, find support groups with like-minded individuals, or start attending a local 12-step meeting.

Find New Friends

Immediately delete contacts of friends from your former way of life. It’s vital for those in recovery to make new, sober friends. The temptations and cues to use will drop if you’re surrounded by other sober people. To maintain your sobriety, it’s also important to identify and cut out negative or toxic people from your life. Recovery means creating a more positive and healthy life for yourself, and that includes choosing the people you surround yourself with.

 

Recovering from addiction will probably be one of the most difficult challenges you’ll ever face. This is a lifelong process and commitment and one that’s not without bumps along the road. But by taking it one day at a time, you’ll acquire strength from every passing moment of sobriety.

If you need help staying on a sober path after rehab, a licensed professional can help. Give my office a call today so we can schedule a time to talk.