Natural foods like leafy green
vegetables, nuts, and berries include a number of vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy mind and body. Nutrition education teaches patients the importance of healthy eating while their bodies recover from the harm inflicted by substance abuse. It can ease the recovery process and promote other healthy life skills. Nutrition education is just one part of an all-encompassing addiction treatment program that treats the whole person and not just the disease.
Outreach Recovery supports folks with substance use disorders who are ready to make healthy changes in their lives that promote sober living. Our addiction treatment programs include a mix of behavioral and holistic therapies along with medication-assisted treatment. Patients will work with a therapist in group and private therapy sessions in person or remotely through our telehealth services. To discover the benefits of our addiction treatment services, email or call us at 888.897.9284 today to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members.
How Can Nutrition Education Help with Addiction Recovery?
Before modern medicine, people used herbs, spices, and certain foods to cure illnesses and stave off infections. Today, we take vitamin supplements, use meal replacement shakes, and other ways to get our daily intake of vitamins and minerals. Nutritious eating took a back seat to convenience with the rise in popularity of fast food restaurants and processed foods. Fortunately, healthy eating is making a comeback as more people realize all of the benefits of eating natural foods, like leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fresh fish and poultry.
People in recovery can benefit greatly from starting a healthy diet. When you drink or use drugs, it affects your body’s ability to absorb all of the nutrients in healthy foods. Plus, low levels of vitamins and minerals can cause depression, anxiety, and insomnia, which leads to choosing unhealthy foods like cookies, candy, and breaded snacks. All of these can contribute to increasing drug and alcohol cravings and can make the recovery process more difficult.
Health Dangers of Addiction
People with substance use disorders are at a high risk of becoming malnourished, which can also lead to other health problems, such as:
- Vision problems
- Heart disease
- Anemia
- Stunted growth
- Stroke
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Outreach Recovery is a full-service outpatient treatment center with multiple locations along the East Coast to help as many people as possible beat their addiction to drugs or alcohol. Our nutrition education and counseling program teaches patients the benefits of healthy eating and how to plan, shop, and cook for themselves.
The Benefits of Nutrition Counseling for Addiction Recovery
Mental health treatment centers across the country are beginning to include nutrition education in their treatment programs. It can improve the recovery process, increase retention in the program, and help reduce the risk of relapse. Additional benefits of nutrition counseling for addiction recovery include:
- Learn which foods can boost your mental and physical energy and how to plan, shop, and prepare healthy meals.
- Gain a better understanding of how eating unhealthy foods can increase the risk of relapse.
- Decrease physical withdrawal symptoms during detox by eating healthy meals and snacks.
- Discover how eating healthy snacks can reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol.
- Improves cognitive ability.
- Improves absorption of vitamins and minerals.
- Teaches patients how nutritious eating is the foundation for building a healthy lifestyle.
- Pick up a new hobby, such as gardening, food blogging, or learning advanced cooking or baking skills, and turn it into a profession.
Nutrition education is an important part of an all-encompassing addiction treatment program. It is a natural way for patients to improve their recovery experience and their overall mental and physical health. Individuals who continue to eat healthy, get plenty of exercise, and practice and refine their coping skills will have an easier time ignoring future cravings whenever they reappear.
Find Nutrition Education and Other Addiction Treatment Services at Outreach Recovery
At Outreach Recovery, our mental health treatment programs include nutrition education and counseling, along with behavioral therapy and medical support. Our outpatient programs are perfect for people who can abstain from substance abuse with minimal supervision. Patients can continue working or caring for families while receiving quality care through in-person visits and remote therapy sessions.
Call Outreach Recovery Today
To talk with our team about the Importance of nutrition education in addiction recovery, call 888.897.9284 today or reach out online. Our licensed therapists and clinicians can help you overcome any hurdle to maintain long-term sobriety. Let us show you how we can improve your life through healthy living!