How often have you met with an addiction recovery group and found the table loaded with sweets? It’s a common picture, and there’s a specific reason for it. Many people crave sugar during addiction recovery.
Is Sugar a Replacement Substance?
This question can be especially applicable for those who struggled with alcohol addiction. Alcohol is full of sugar, and sometimes your body is just getting as close as it can to the old system of dependence. Sure, sugar isn’t so bad as alcohol for your body. And if it’s helping you say no to a more dangerous substance, maybe it’s not so bad to use it as a crutch. Some recovery professionals even encourage it.
Sugar and other unhealthy foods can trigger the same reward center of your brain that you’re trying to gain control over. Often, unhealthy food becomes the new substance that people turn to when they are feeling stressed, depressed, and down on themselves.
Some people find it easiest to work towards addiction recovery in phases. First, you cut out the substance, then the associated behaviors, and then you work on building up good things like healthy food habits and career and relationships.
While everyone’s journey to recovery is different, it’s very important to remember this essential fact: proper nutrition supports a healthy recovery. It strengthens you against cravings, moderates your mood, and helps you have a more positive outlook.
Why Is Proper Nutrition So Important?
Often, during addiction, our bodies are constantly overloaded and undernourished. Many people come to addiction recovery locations with long-term deficiencies in their diet because their drug of choice sapped their system. Many harmful substances impede nutrient absorption, and alcoholics get as much as 50% of their daily caloric intake from alcohol. The habits and behaviors of addiction don’t fuel your body properly. Some find themselves overeating, and others find themselves skipping meals for days at a time.
Addiction damages your immune system, your digestive system, and your self-esteem. In order to restore your body to health, you need proper nutrition. Diet also directly affects your mood. Proper nutrition can help you avoid the peaks and valleys that affect you during addiction. Many foods enhance serotonin production in a healthy and balanced way. In fact, many people recovering from addiction have a tendency to mix up hunger cravings with substance cravings.
Tips for Healthy Nutrition
- Teach your body to crave good things. Make yourself healthy food and zero in on the things you really love.
- Seek out a trained nutritionist to answer your needs and help you get the best results from a new diet.
- Eat small amounts often in order to keep your sugar levels and your mood balanced and moderate.
- Find other ways to give yourself a treat or deal with stress. Things like taking a walk, taking a bath, meditating, getting a massage, indulging in a healthier food, etc. can all give you a pick-me-up without long-term unhealthy ramifications.