You are what you eat, as the saying goes.
Like many unhealthy habits and behaviors in the United States, poor diet and nutrition were highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare professionals also saw poor mental health, addiction, and suicidal ideation spike during lockdown. Was there a connection between what people were eating and how susceptible they became to addiction? While no one area of research fully explains the intricate connections between diet and addiction, the evidence is clear: good nutrition supports recovery from addiction.
What Is a Poor Diet?
A poor diet is marked by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals. In the most literal sense, a poor diet includes an excess of sugar, saturated fat, trans fats, and processed foods. Think easy, sugary, fatty, and chemical-based:
- Soda, fruit juices, and cereal bars
- Mass-produced bread
- Packaged snacks, alcohol, and most packaged meats
- Fast food like McDonald’s
Eating these types of foods on a regular basis contributes to high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, high cholesterol, cancer, and heart disease. These foods rob bodies of energy, immunity, and resilience—energy that is crucial for someone in recovery to strive ahead despite setbacks and stress. A poor diet makes a person more prone to sickness and negativity. For someone in recovery, a poor diet puts their sobriety at risk.
What is a Good Diet and How Does it Support My Recovery?
Indirectly, a rich diet helps recovery by mitigating depression symptoms. A low mood can lead to relapse, and eating a healthy diet improves mental health. When depression symptoms are lightened with more fruits, vegetables, and home-cooked meals, people are less likely to feel drawn toward substance abuse. A good diet leads to:
- Fewer uncontrollable, painful emotions
- Fewer mood swings
- Less trouble getting to sleep
- Less fatigue, making everything else throughout the day less irritating and stressful
The bottom line is that mental health, bolstered by a healthy diet, makes addiction recovery more manageable and sobriety more rewarding.
Directly, a rich diet helps to safeguard us against relapse and unmanageable cravings. When people increase their intake of nutritious fatty acids, vitamin Bs, zinc, and antioxidants, the brain has fewer substance cravings, extending the period between potential relapses. It’s also possible that an enriched diet can lessen the severity of withdrawal symptoms in recovery.
The Best Foods For Recovery
A few sugar-infused desserts or fatty, salty meals from time to time are unlikely to do significant damage. It’s the accumulation and habitual intake of nutrient-deprived dishes that impact our health in lethal ways. As long as you’re consuming the following foods daily and the processed, unhealthy foods sparingly, recovery will be a much more rewarding journey. Try incorporating the following into your diet:
- Selenium-rich foods like whole grains, nuts, certain seafood, and organ meats like liver
- Vitamin D-packed foods like oily fish, enriched dairy products, and eggs
- Omega 3-rich foods such as sardines and tuna, along with chia seeds and flaxseed oil
- Antioxidants in berries and other fresh fruits
- B and zinc-rich foods like beans, chicken, dark leafy vegetables
Addiction Recovery Treatment in South Carolina First
If you or someone you love struggles with mental health, SUD, or a dual diagnosis, we can extend support at our Cameron and North Charleston, SC locations. We’re also here to provide medically assisted detox services while assuring that nutritious meals are always readily available for our residents. We encourage you to contact us today to embrace a healthier, sober lifestyle with Waypoint!
