Someone abusing marijuana is likely to choose foods typically associated with cravings, such as those that contain significant amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt.

Consuming a diet like this long-term increases cholesterol, possibly leading to heart disease and failure. It may also contribute to diabetes. Understanding the relationship between nutrition and addiction recovery means understanding the roles nutrients play in the body.

There are six nutrient groups derived from food that are considered essential, and they can be divided into micronutrients and macronutrients. Macronutrients are those your body needs in large amounts each day to function.

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients, while the macronutrients you need are protein, fat, carbohydrates and water. The human body needs 13 different essential vitamins to stay healthy. They are categorized by fat solubility or water solubility.

Fat-soluble vitamins are:. The other type of micronutrient is minerals. Within this category is another division: major and trace minerals. The major minerals are:. These minerals allow your body to keep appropriate hydration levels, plus healthy hair and bones.

The trace minerals you need are:. Proteins are often referred to as the building blocks of the body. While it is most closely associated with muscle building, protein is found in every cell of the body , from bones to skin and hair. Proteins are composed of a variety of amino acids.

Your body is able to synthesize some of the amino acids on its own, but there are several you can only absorb from food. The body needs varied sources of protein for optimal function. Fat has gotten a bad rap in recent decades, as it can be associated with weight gain and poor health. However, it is essential to distinguish between unhealthy saturated or trans fats and healthy fat types like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Healthy fats are necessary for:. Carbohydrates, or carbs, are another nutrient that has been targeted for heavy reduction or elimination by diet fads. However, carbohydrates are essential for the function of the central nervous system and brain.

Foods that include bleached flour and sugar should be avoided, while complex carbohydrates like whole grains and starchy vegetables should be heavily incorporated into a diet for recovering alcoholics or addicts. While the body can withstand malnutrition for weeks, if not longer, dehydration quickly becomes a matter of life or death.

Critical examples include facilitating brain function, improving mood, flushing out toxins and transferring nutrients between cells. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine suggest Neuroplasticity is a key concept in addiction recovery.

Once addiction has forced changes in the brain, however, it damages neuroplasticity and makes it much harder to adapt to sobriety. Additionally, the adaptations that the brain develops disrupt crucial neuropathways, decreasing neurotransmitters and their ability to move normally through the brain.

Brain imaging studies have revealed that drug addiction disrupts connectivity between different parts of the brain, making it more difficult to re-stabilize healthy neurotransmission during recovery. Fortunately, adequate nutrition can improve neuroplasticity by helping the brain replenish normal amounts of neurotransmitters.

Here is how the building blocks of nutrition help restore plasticity to the brain:. The majority of evidence-based treatment programs understand the importance of nutrition for recovering addicts and incorporate nutrition plans to help clients heal more fully.

Designing a meal plan that is balanced and satisfying is one way to significantly improve the experience of treatment. The steps in nutrition incorporation vary between treatment centers, but you can expect a process similar to the steps below:.

As part of the intake process, clients meet with a physician for a review of health history and discussion of the specific issues related to substance abuse.

The review should include a talk about eating habits and weight that touches on:. As the brain is working to re-balance itself after chronic drug and alcohol abuse, the stress hormone cortisol is over-produced and can deplete critical nutrients, including:.

Once specific deficiencies have been targeted, the nutritionist can plan meals designed to replenish the missing nutrients while also providing the client with well-balanced amounts of all six essential nutrients.

The development of a nutritional plan for those in recovery involves planning out meals and determining an appropriate meal schedule that meshes with other activities in the treatment plan. This also involves taking into account any issues the client has around food, including eating disorders.

Depending on individual needs, the plan may leave room for snack times, or it may be a better option to restrict intake to three times per day if the client has issues with things like binge eating. Determining nutritional needs and providing healthy meals is not the only element of nutrition for recovering alcoholics and addicts.

A good nutrition plan will help the client learn and practice good habits on their own, such as:. Giving clients the opportunity to practice good eating habits is essential, especially since food addiction can often replace drug addiction.

By instilling an understanding of nutrition and supporting healthy habits, a quality addiction treatment program teaches clients to use food as a healthy tool for sustained recovery rather than something that provides instant gratification.

The first step in treating addiction to any substance is to remove all traces of the substance from the body. Unfortunately, many people attempt to quit drugs or alcohol on their own, which almost never works. Attempting to go through withdrawal without medical supervision results in a long list of unpleasant symptoms, some of which have dire consequences for nutritional balance.

The nutritional side effects of unassisted withdrawal for most substances include the following:. Brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal and popcorn are examples of whole grains.

Whole grains are also found in a number of products, including breads and pastas. If you eat refined grains, such as white bread or refined cereals, choose products that are enriched, which means that iron and four essential B vitamins—thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid—have been added back into the mix.

Milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy milk are included in the low-fat dairy food group. Low-fat dairy products contain essential nutrients like calcium, protein and potassium, but they contain less fat and fewer calories than full-fat varieties.

Aim for three cups of low-fat dairy each day. The protein food group is comprised of a large variety of foods from both plants and animals. Plant protein sources include nuts, seeds, beans, peas and soy products.

Animal sources include seafood, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Choose lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products. Avoid processed lunch meats and cheeses and choose low-sugar yogurt. Strive to eat around six ounces of protein foods each day, including eight ounces of seafood each week. The recommended daily intake of healthy oils is around five teaspoons each day.

Canola, olive, safflower and sunflower oils are good choices for healthy fats. An important rule of thumb when it comes to eating healthy food, whether for recovery or not, is to choose whole foods over processed foods.

Whole foods are those that are in their natural state: nuts, seeds, an apple, a bag of brown rice, a pound of salmon. Processed foods are those that have been altered in some way.

Lunch meats, pastries, ice cream and bread are examples of processed foods, as are frozen dinners, boxed mixes and packaged foods like chips, crackers and soups.

Highly processed foods contain loads of added sodium and sugar; artificial colors, flavors and preservatives; and a lot of chemical ingredients that are hard to pronounce. Other processed foods, like low-fat, low-sugar yogurt and whole grain breads, are less heavily processed and can be part of a healthy diet.

Whole foods should comprise the bulk of your diet. You should eat it in moderation. Restaurant food—especially fast food—generally has more calories , fat, salt and added sugar than the food you cook at home. Eating out too often can lead to unhealthy weight gain and poor nutrition.

Cooking at home requires some basic culinary skills, but these are easy to learn. Once you master the basics, including the various ways to cook meats and vegetables, you can make an endless roster of simple, healthy recipes. If you often eat on the go, keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand, such as fresh fruit, carrots and hummus, boiled eggs, yogurt, nuts and seeds.

It takes patience, practice and effort. Trying to revamp your entire diet all at once sets you up for failure, but implementing changes slowly can help them not only stick, but also become quite enjoyable. You might begin by drinking more water each day and replacing the refined breads, cereals and pasta you eat with whole-grain versions.

Once that has become a habit and a preference, add a couple of extra pieces of fruit to your daily diet. When that becomes natural, focus on cutting out as much added sugar as possible and eating an extra serving of vegetables each day.

Small changes over time will help your new way of eating become a habit, and each change will bring benefits to your health and recovery as well as inspire even more healthy lifestyle choices. Reduce your stress. Stress can lead to unhealthy food choices and over-indulging.

Keeping your stress levels down will help you stay clear-headed and mindful of the food choices you make. Meet with a dietitian. A dietitian can evaluate your current eating habits and make recommendations for dietary changes to optimize your health. Always eat breakfast.

Most of the time, strive to eat healthy food. The occasional indulgence is good for the soul. Plan ahead for the week. Planning your weekly menus ahead of time—and doing your grocery shopping for the week in one trip—will make healthy meals easier and more convenient to make.

Hit the farmers market. The U. Department of Agriculture touts the benefits of buying fresh, locally grown foods from your neighborhood farmers market, where you can find a huge selection of fresh meats, dairy and produce. By talking to the farmers and ranchers behind the table, you can discover new foods and get advice for choosing and cooking your selections.

Eating locally is also good for the environment and benefits the local economy. Always have healthy snacks on hand at work. Hunger at the grocery store is responsible for many bad food choices. Get into a mealtime routine. Having a routine surrounding mealtimes can make things go more quickly and smoothly.

Enlist family members to help prep, set the table and clean up after meals. Use the slow cooker. Your slow cooker can be your best friend in the kitchen.

Simply prep your meal the night before and put it in the fridge. In the morning, toss the ingredients into the slow cooker and turn it on. In addition, being high or drunk can make it easy to forget to eat, as well.

Poor diet. If you do eat, you might rely on quick options like fast food or unhealthy snacks which can leave you with a nutrient-deficient diet. Immune system damage. A strong immune system needs amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.

Large amounts of alcohol and recreational drugs can impact how well your body absorbs and metabolizes the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals within food. This, in turn, can increase your risk of infections and other health problems. While some substances can suppress your appetite, others can make you consume more food than your body needs.

Organ damage. Abusing drugs and alcohol can damage your liver, pancreas, stomach lining, and other organs that help you digest food and absorb vitamins and minerals. Substance abuse challenges and poor nutrition can lead to low blood sugar.

When you fail to eat consistently over a long period of time, your body can become malnourished. You can also become undernourished when your body can no longer absorb the nutrients necessary to function.

Gastrointestinal disorders. Chronic misuse of alcohol and drugs can lead to irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal inflammation, leaky gut syndrome, fungal intestinal infections, and pathogenic bacterial overgrowth.

Proper Nutrition Supports The Detox Process Detox, or the process of removing drugs and alcohol from your body prior to treatment, is physically demanding.

For example: High-fiber foods can help ease constipation. Fruits, leafy vegetables, and whole grains can help ease this common side effect of detoxification.

Light, easy-on-the-stomach foods can help relieve nausea and vomiting. Some nutrient-rich options to consider include yogurt, chicken soup, wheat toast, ginger or peppermint tea, and chilled fruits. Protein shakes and smoothies can help provide nutrients when detox decreases your appetite.

The trace minerals you need are:. Proteins are often referred to as the building blocks of the body. While it is most closely associated with muscle building, protein is found in every cell of the body , from bones to skin and hair. Proteins are composed of a variety of amino acids.

Your body is able to synthesize some of the amino acids on its own, but there are several you can only absorb from food. The body needs varied sources of protein for optimal function. Fat has gotten a bad rap in recent decades, as it can be associated with weight gain and poor health.

However, it is essential to distinguish between unhealthy saturated or trans fats and healthy fat types like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Healthy fats are necessary for:.

Carbohydrates, or carbs, are another nutrient that has been targeted for heavy reduction or elimination by diet fads.

However, carbohydrates are essential for the function of the central nervous system and brain. Foods that include bleached flour and sugar should be avoided, while complex carbohydrates like whole grains and starchy vegetables should be heavily incorporated into a diet for recovering alcoholics or addicts.

While the body can withstand malnutrition for weeks, if not longer, dehydration quickly becomes a matter of life or death. Critical examples include facilitating brain function, improving mood, flushing out toxins and transferring nutrients between cells.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine suggest Neuroplasticity is a key concept in addiction recovery. Once addiction has forced changes in the brain, however, it damages neuroplasticity and makes it much harder to adapt to sobriety.

Additionally, the adaptations that the brain develops disrupt crucial neuropathways, decreasing neurotransmitters and their ability to move normally through the brain. Brain imaging studies have revealed that drug addiction disrupts connectivity between different parts of the brain, making it more difficult to re-stabilize healthy neurotransmission during recovery.

Fortunately, adequate nutrition can improve neuroplasticity by helping the brain replenish normal amounts of neurotransmitters. Here is how the building blocks of nutrition help restore plasticity to the brain:.

The majority of evidence-based treatment programs understand the importance of nutrition for recovering addicts and incorporate nutrition plans to help clients heal more fully. Designing a meal plan that is balanced and satisfying is one way to significantly improve the experience of treatment.

The steps in nutrition incorporation vary between treatment centers, but you can expect a process similar to the steps below:. As part of the intake process, clients meet with a physician for a review of health history and discussion of the specific issues related to substance abuse.

The review should include a talk about eating habits and weight that touches on:. As the brain is working to re-balance itself after chronic drug and alcohol abuse, the stress hormone cortisol is over-produced and can deplete critical nutrients, including:. Once specific deficiencies have been targeted, the nutritionist can plan meals designed to replenish the missing nutrients while also providing the client with well-balanced amounts of all six essential nutrients.

The development of a nutritional plan for those in recovery involves planning out meals and determining an appropriate meal schedule that meshes with other activities in the treatment plan. This also involves taking into account any issues the client has around food, including eating disorders.

Depending on individual needs, the plan may leave room for snack times, or it may be a better option to restrict intake to three times per day if the client has issues with things like binge eating. Determining nutritional needs and providing healthy meals is not the only element of nutrition for recovering alcoholics and addicts.

A good nutrition plan will help the client learn and practice good habits on their own, such as:. Giving clients the opportunity to practice good eating habits is essential, especially since food addiction can often replace drug addiction. By instilling an understanding of nutrition and supporting healthy habits, a quality addiction treatment program teaches clients to use food as a healthy tool for sustained recovery rather than something that provides instant gratification.

The first step in treating addiction to any substance is to remove all traces of the substance from the body. Unfortunately, many people attempt to quit drugs or alcohol on their own, which almost never works.

Attempting to go through withdrawal without medical supervision results in a long list of unpleasant symptoms, some of which have dire consequences for nutritional balance.

The nutritional side effects of unassisted withdrawal for most substances include the following:. The goal of withdrawal management programs is to provide clients with medical care and sometimes medication in order to maintain the healthiest state possible while the body is eliminating drugs or alcohol.

This may include things like an IV drip for hydration or vitamins to keep levels of both stable throughout withdrawal, leading to a smoother transition to treatment. Eating disorders and substance abuse are closely linked. 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. In the same manner, those who have bulimia and binge eating disorders experience extreme cravings for food and feel a loss of control when over-consuming.

Both food and addictive substances present ways to escape from or numb unwanted feelings. Dual diagnosis treatment programs for substance abuse and eating disorders focus on addressing both conditions and their common roots, rather than trying to treat one after the other.

These programs are unique to the individual and the complex interplay between the conditions, but typically involve individual and group therapy designed to heal the client from both sides. Working toward a balanced diet is not always easy, but this list of foods to eat while going through a medically supervised withdrawal from drugs is a good place to start your nutrition and addiction recovery process:.

The most important part of nutrition for recovering alcoholics and addicts is to find the foods that work for you and the ways you like to eat them.

For instance, you may not like raw kale but find that braising it makes it much more palatable. Experimenting within the bounds of healthy foods is one of the best ways to fuel your recovery.

At Gateway Foundation, we understand the importance of nutrition for recovering addicts, and we incorporate it into our many recovery programs and services. Abusing addictive substances can damage nearly every organ in your body, as well as increase your risk of catching an infectious disease or developing cancer.

Luckily, eating healthy can help restore your physical health. Restoring your physical health to pre-addiction levels may take time, but filling your diet with nutrients, minerals, and vitamins can help heal much of the damage addiction causes.

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, arugula, cabbage, and broccoli contain nutrients that decrease inflammation, heal wounds, and boost your immune system. Nuts and seeds also help fight infection and diseases. Recovering from addiction can also affect your mood and mental health. Detoxing from addictive substances can trigger a wide variety of withdrawal symptoms such as mood swings, paranoia, depression, and anxiety.

Resisting cravings can make you moody and irritable. Luckily, eating the right foods can help balance your mood and improve your mental health. Data from another study reveals that foods high in zinc, magnesium, omega 3, B vitamins, and vitamin D3 may help ease anxiety, relieve depression, and boost mood.

Maintaining your blood sugar can also help boost your mood. When your blood sugar fluctuates, so does your mood. Fortunately, eating lean meats, quinoa, low-fat yogurt, lentils, oatmeal, and berries can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Abusing substances can also negatively affect your memory.

Fortunately, increasing your nutrition levels can help enhance your memory and combat short-term memory loss. Studies show that eating a lot of foods high in vitamins C, D, E, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, and polyphenols can help protect against and possibly reverse the cognitive decline associated with addiction.

Complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, and drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day can help boost your energy. In addition to stabilizing your blood sugar levels, complex carbohydrates take a longer time to digest, giving your body a greater amount of energy for longer periods.

Lean proteins like nuts, eggs, and fish provide your body with even more energy than carbohydrates. Along with carbohydrates, it is important to repair torn muscle tissue with protein. The best proportion for recovery is a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein mix.

For example, chocolate milk has this recovery ratio, and will help replace and repair nutrients lost through exercise. Try and aim for 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Rest is not only important for recovery, but also for growth and keeping your immune system strong.