Proper nutrition can serve as a significant benefit to your recovery. It’s important to eat regularly scheduled, balanced meals during and after detox.
Substance abuse can take a significant toll on your body and oftenleadsto poor nutrition. Making sure that you’re taking care of yourself and setting your body up for success is crucial.Drug detoxisn’t solely about quitting the use of a substance. It’s also about replacing the bad with the good. To this end, it is important that you plan healthy dietary choices as you start your drug-free life.
Article at a Glance:
- Substance abuse can enable poor dieting choices, lower your appetite and prevent your body from receiving the proper nutrient intake.
- When you are trying to break from drug addiction, you may have a tendency to consume too much sugar as a way to trigger the brain’s reward center.
- It’s important to eat regularly scheduled, balanced meals containing proper caloric and nutritional values and stay hydrated during detox.
- A meal plan can help you structure a healthy way of living during and after detox to improve your chances of long-term recovery.
Why Diet Matters During and After a Drug Detox
Substance abuse often enables poor dieting choices like late-night eating, skipping meals and unhealthy food choices. Many drugs, when abused, may also prevent your body from receiving the proper nutrients it needs from foods. Abusing drugs can reduce your daily nutrition intake, making detox and a proper diet even more vital to your full recovery.
While detoxwithdrawal symptomsvary based on the substance, one of the more common symptoms is a lack of appetite, usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting. When you find the strength to keep food and liquids down again, it’s crucial to hydrate and feed your body the proper nutrients.
A balanced diet is important for those abstaining from drugs and alcohol:a healthy dietpositively impactsyour overall mood and health andcan reduce symptomsof depression and anxiety felt during early recovery.
[elementor-template id="4848"]Nutritional Deficiencies From Drug Use & What Your Body Needs
Drugs won’t have provided the best nutritional value to your diet. The nutrition your body needs will sometimes vary depending on the substance you’ve been using. Here are some common addictions and what to eat for each:
Detox Food and Dieting Best Practices
Certain foods help promote drug and alcohol detox and recovery. These foods are usually low in carbohydrates, sugars and fats, though this can vary depending on the person and their substance abuse. Some examples of these foods include:
- Fruits and raw vegetableslike avocados, blueberries and beets
- Whole grainslike quinoa, farro and sweet potatoes
- Seedslike hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
- Nutslike almonds, macadamia nuts and pine nuts
It’s important to eat regularly scheduled, balanced meals containing proper caloric and nutritional values. Many people struggling with substance abuse often possess some nutritional deficiencies, which can impact neurotransmitters in the brain andmay contributeto depression and anxiety.
Dehydration is also common during detox.Staying hydrated can help you avoid several negative side effects, like muscle cramps, headaches and fatigue. Limiting caffeine intake is also recommended in detox dieting because it can trigger neurotransmitters in the brain and lead to increased stimulation, something that is best avoided during the detox process.
It’s Not the Drug Cravings, You’re Just Hungry
Many people who have been using drugs for a long timeforget how hunger feels.Once their body begins recovering, those feelings may come back in full force.Nutrition experts recommendstaying on a regular meal schedule during and after detox, as this will teach your body when to expect food and can help keep hunger under control.
Learn How To Cook a Few Meals
You don’t need to become a master chef to cook healthy food. You may be surprised how learning just a few basic meals can benefit your overall nutrition levels. EatingWell has a great collection ofCooking 101 tutorials, but there are many other resources available online. You might even consider investing in a slow cooker. With a slow cooker, you put the ingredients in, turn it on and let it cook, and a few hours later, you have a hot meal waiting for you.
The Basics & Sample Meal Plan
Deciding to detox is a difficult step for many people. But having a plan in place can make things go much smoother. Here’s what to remember when you’re planning your meals.
- Water: Drink lots of water and avoid sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice or caffeinated drinks like coffee.Dehydration iscommonduring the detox process, so it is important to drink up.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for5–9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. There are tons of different types of fruit out there. Not big on apples? Try mangos. Hate celery? A spinach salad with strawberries, chopped walnuts and a light vinaigrette is easy to make and delicious. Foods like papayas, bell peppers, strawberries, pineapple and oranges are all high in vitamin C and many other vitamins.
- Protein (Low in Fat): Protein is a building block for a healthy body. You don’t need much — just0.36 gramsof protein for every pound of body weight. Protein isn’t just in meat: beans, nuts and yogurt are also good sources of protein.
- Multivitamins: A multivitamin may help to kick-start your detox. Many people in recoverycan benefitfrom a multivitamin,especiallyone that contains B-complex, zinc, and vitamins A and C. However, be sure to talk to your doctor before adding vitamins to your diet. Learn more aboutrecommended detox vitaminsbefore starting.
A meal plan can help you structure a healthy way of living. It’s important to remember to balance protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains throughout the day. An example of a meal plan for each meal could include:
- Breakfast: It’s called the most important meal of the day for a reason. Try scrambled eggs with some chopped bell peppers and onion to get your protein and some vegetables. If you are still feeling hungry, you can cut up some fruit, spread some almond butter on toast and have a mid-morning snack.
- Lunch: There are plenty of pre-made salad mixes that have all the ingredients ready to go. Look for dark leaves like spinach or kale for the most nutrition. For an afternoon snack, you can have some nuts, string cheese or applesauce.
- Dinner: Choose a protein, whole grain and vegetable.This easy salmon recipetakes 15 minutes to make, and you could pair it with some quinoa and steamed broccoli. It all just takes a few minutes to complete, and afterward, you’ll feel better than if you had eaten a fast-food meal.If you’re used to having dessert, you can make some healthier indulgences. Try blending some frozen bananas, milk and nut butter into “nice cream.” Top it with some cacao nibs or small pieces of dark chocolate.
Getting Professional Help
Addiction and substance abuse affect nearly all aspects of life. At the Recovery Village, our multidisciplinary staff and registered dietitians specialize in treatment programs that include safe, medically assisted detox and evidence-based treatment programs, with carefully designed meal plans to complement your recovery. Call now tospeak with a representativeabout supervised medical detox and if detoxing in a medical facility is the best option for you.
Related Topic:Getting Help for Addiction with Teletherapy