During substance abuse, your body and nutrition are heavily impacted by the substance. This can mean the loss of appetite, poor eating habits, a weak immune system, or in severe cases, organ damage or failure. Throughout the addict’s recovery, they must prioritize eating nutritious meals and developing healthy eating habits. 

Our physical health and mental health are heavily connected- what we put into our bodies has a direct consequence on our mental health as well. If we eat poorly and lack essential nutrients, we are more prone to suffer from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and other illnesses. Having healthy meals can not only prevent you from having a relapse, but it can also boost your mood and energy naturally. Once addicts prioritize their diet in their recovery, they will be able to continue their psychological healing as well. This can mean strong mental clarity, cognitive skills, and memory. 

Here are some nutritional tips to follow through your addiction recovery:

• Eat foods that are rich in fibre (examples: oatmeal, nuts, brown rice, carrots, tomatoes, and wheat bread)
• Eat more protein (examples: fish, chicken, beans, nuts, and eggs)
• Eat more carbohydrates (examples: potatoes, whole fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grain bread and cereal)
• Eat healthy fat (examples: fish, dairy, nuts, and omega fatty acid supplements)
• Drink lots of water (or other sources of hydration such as cucumber, watermelon, strawberries, low-fat milk, or soup) 
• Cut out fast food/processed foods
• Have regular, but smaller meals
• Don’t skip any meals
• Avoid sugar and caffeine
• Take vitamins or supplements (as advised by your doctor)
• Reduce salt and high-sodium foods

We make sure our patients have a good diet at our rehab centre. When patients leave our rehab centre, we also provide them and their families with nutritional guidelines to ensure their nutrition remains consistent. You may also look for a special nutritionist for additional guidance and regular check-ins.