Nutrition in Recovery
We know addiction takes a toll on the body in a variety of ways. At Yahlight, we understand the important role balanced nutrition has on the recovery journey. We want to bring awareness to the ways balanced nutrition can help you strive in recovery and succeed long-term.
The Importance of Balanced Nutrition in Addiction Recovery
At Yahlight, we know an addiction diagnosis is complex. When addressing the root causes of addiction, multiple factors need to be evaluated. In recovery, it is also crucial that you are seeking treatment for both your mind and body. Nutrition in addiction recovery is an important part of the healing process that can be extremely beneficial.
When you have battled with an addiction like alcoholism, it is common for your body to lack nutrients as a result. Learning to nurture and care for your body is important and is a skill Yahlight believes in. The article “Relationships Between Nutrition, Alcohol Use, and Liver Disease,” which was published in the journal Alcohol Research and Health, discusses nutrition and alcoholism. It concludes that individuals with alcoholism commonly do not absorb nutrients well and have deficiencies in proteins and vitamins. This journal article helps conclude that proper nutrition when in recovery from alcoholism is key to overall health.
Balanced nutrition plays an important role in your mood. A journal article, “Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing?” published in Food for Thought in 2020, discussed nutrition and your mood explained that poor nutrition can cause low mood. Because individuals facing addiction often do not absorb nutrients, you can conclude that they likely struggle with low mood, too. Seeking help for addiction and also correcting your nutrition needs could cause drastic improvements to your mood as a result.
Eating Disorders and Food Addiction
Eating disorders are used to cope with life’s stresses and are becoming more common and affect individuals of all ages, both males and females. Balanced nutrition in recovery can heal your body internally, which can also help improve your mood. Fueling your body properly and learning how to listen to hunger cues is a challenge many people face with eating disorders. There are many myths associated with people who have eating disorders. At Yahlight, we know if you have an eating disorder, you are likely in pain, and we want to help you. The DSM-5 has eight categories of feeding and eating disorders, which are:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Binge eating disorder
- Avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder
- Pica
- Rumination
- Other specified feeding and eating disorders
- Unspecified feeding and eating disorders
Proper nutrition has many benefits to your healing journey when struggling with a feeding or eating disorder, including providing energy. When you have energy, you then have the space to begin exploring your eating disorder diagnosis to overcome it.
Food addiction is a real and challenging, reoccurring behavior that many people face. Learning to care for your body with balanced nutrition is part of the healing process. When you are listening to hunger cues and fueling your body with nutrient-dense foods, you are healing your body and satisfying your nutritional needs as well, which can offset cravings. We understand this is only part of the work that needs to be done. When you give yourself time to heal your body, you open up the opportunity to explore where the food addiction developed and can then begin to heal your mind, too.
Balanced Nutrition and Your Overall Well-Being
Your overall well-being and having balanced nutrition are closely connected. Eating well has many benefits. One of these benefits includes more energy and a clearer mind. When you eat healthy foods that your body can digest well, you have the opportunity to use that energy to take care of yourself in other ways. For example, at Yahlight, we uphold a Christ-centered treatment modality. In your addiction recovery journey, developing your relationship with a higher power is crucial. With balanced nutrition, you will find you have an increased ability to be strong in your body, which improves your ability to have clarity about your psychological issues and gives you more power to surrender and connect with God. Please visit our About Us page for more information on Yahlight.
In recovery, your overall well-being is what we are aiming to improve. This can take time; therefore, nurturing your body, soul, and spirit is helpful to guide you to increased power on your path to recovery. For example, eating well is only one piece of the whole puzzle. We believe taking time to learn from the Bible will help you connect to God. The Bible can also help guide you on your path to recovery. Please visit our Biblical Affirmations and Contemplations page to shop and begin listening to positive messages that can help re-wire your mind and create positive thoughts.
Nutritional Support as a Tool for Long-Term Recovery
When you begin your addiction recovery journey, the goal is long-term recovery. We believe establishing healthy nutritional habits is one important way you can support that goal. Nutrition can be considered a skill, so like any other skill, it will take time to master good nutrition habits. It is key to continue practicing healthy habits and to be kind and compassionate with yourself as you learn this new skill. Learning balanced nutrition may come easy to you, or it could be more difficult. Either way, healthy nutrition can support you in long-term recovery as it can benefit your mood and overall health.
Healing your relationship with food is crucial for recovery. Explore how we can support you on this journey. Work with me to care for your body through proper nutrition.