Nutrition plays an important part in life after rehab. This is an area many people do not think about but what someone puts into their body has a direct correlation with how successful they are after coming clean. Just a few dietary changes can help someone stay sober and avoid many of the pitfalls common after rehabilitation.
Decaf
One way to help maintain sober living is to go decaf. Some people trade one vice for another (such as caffeine for tobacco), but the caffeine found in beverages can change food cravings and actually make it difficult to avoid drug and alcohol cravings.
Cut the sweets
Following addiction recovery, avoiding refined carbs and sugary foods is important. This not only includes pastries and candy but white bread. Sugar is on the same level as caffeine. It makes it difficult for the body to fight off specific cravings, including drugs. Plus, cutting sugar makes it easier to maintain a healthy diet.
Pump up the antioxidants
Found in fruits and vegetables, antioxidants help build up the immune system. After months, if not years of drug use, a person’s body often has a weakened immune system. This not only makes returning to using a drug easier but it puts a person at a higher risk of infection and disease. Boosting the antioxidant levels makes it easier to build this immune system back up.
Protein and fiber
With the new influx of vitamins and minerals being sent to worn-down locations in the body, a person can eventually feel tired. It takes time to build the body back up, which is why eating more lean protein is important. Protein can come from a wide selection of foods, including fish, chicken, turkey and beans. The fiber helps improve the digestive track, which likely has been damaged from extended drug use.
Many people gain weight after rehab. This is due to eating unhealthy foods as comfort. However, these kinds of foods actually make it difficult for someone to avoid falling back into using again, which is why following through with these tips is important.