Changing How You Talk About Drug Use
The language you use has a direct and deep impact on people around you. You can reduce stigma by changing the words you use to talk about drug use. Using kind words can make it easier for someone to speak up, to feel understood or to receive help.
You can:
- use person-first language, for example say ‘person who uses drugs’ instead of ‘drug user’
- use neutral, medically accurate words when describing drug use
- avoid slang such as “addict” and “junkie”
- use language that shows care and concern, rather than judgement
- speak up when you hear someone being treated or talked to in a disrespectful way
- use language that acknowledges and promotes the fact that recovery from addiction is possible, and looks different for everyone
Diet For Addiction Recovery Meal Suggestions
The following are meal suggestions for people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction following proportions mentioned above:
- Breakfast: a bowl of oatmeal with fruits like berries, bananas or apples, hard-boiled egg, decaffeinated coffee
- Snack: whole wheat crackers with low-fat cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- Lunch: Half a cup of brown rice, a cup of steamed green beans and carrots, grilled chicken breast
- Snack: Half a cup of nuts like pecans, walnuts, almonds or cashews, a piece of banana
- Dinner: A cup of mashed potatoes flavored with non-fat milk, cucumber and orange salad, baked fish like tuna or salmon
- Snack: A cup of non-fat yogurt flavored with honey, half a cup of berries
With the right guidance, diet and support from loved ones, a person can surely recover for alcohol or drug addiction. All it takes is discipline, a positive attitude, an open heart, and willingness to change for the better.
Learn More About Recovery Food At Midwest Detox Center
Remember, recovery from alcohol or drug addiction is as much about changing your lifestyle as it is ending your addiction. To find out more about how food can help you with your recovery, Midwest Detox Center at , or contact us online. We offer a variety of addiction treatment therapies that help you overcome your addiction to drugs or alcohol.
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The Weight Of Drug Use
Is low BMI Associated with Specific Drug Use Among Injecting Drug Users?
Drug addiction harms the body in two ways, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. First, the drug directly damages the functions of the body. Secondly, addiction influences habits such as sporadic eating and poor nutrition that impair the body.
The findings charted above may appear counterintuitive: stimulant drugs such as amphetamines are associated with a greater prevalence of overweight or obese BMI classifications than other substances studied, even though these drugs have been prescribed in the past for weight loss. And opiate drugs with depressant effects, such as heroin and morphine, trend toward a greater likelihood that their users will be underweight.
Which processes are behind this? Opiate and heroin use can be linked to nausea and vomiting, serious organ damage over time, and general neglect of ones health, potentially leading to nutritional deficiencies. Conversely, users of stimulant drugs such as amphetamine and methamphetamine may experience elevated blood sugar levels and cravings for sugary foods after drug use ends, which can contribute to weight gain or even obesity.
Why Addiction Messes Up Your Appetite
Think of this way: everything you consume either helps or harms your body in some way. Substance use disorders are no different. They can have a profound impact on your health and well-beingand even on your appetite.
The change in appetite can come in a variety of ways. The substance may act as an appetite suppressant. It simply reduces your desire for food. Over-the-counter products are labeled for this purpose, but certain prescriptions may function in the same way. Stimulants are one form of substance that may lower your appetite.
Some substances may make you forget to eat. They may impair your judgment and have other effects on your brain that keep you from eating. Distracted by drug use, you may unintentionally skip meals regularly.
Another impact on appetite can come from tricking the body into thinking its been fed by consuming high-calorie alcoholic drinks. Long Island ice tea and margaritas are two examples of cocktails that contain more than 700 calories. Just one of these drinks is comparable to the recommended calorie intake for women at lunch or dinner.
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Nutrition In Addiction Treatment Programs
Typically, a person must complete detoxification before theyre ready for nutritional therapy. Withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable and painful. Depending on the drug, the person can be treated with medication to ease these symptoms.
Developing a Nutrition and Diet Plan
Once the person goes through detox and is stable, the nutritional counselor will evaluate the person for any nutritional deficiencies and devise a program to meet his or her dietary needs. The plan will include well-balanced meals that provide quality fats, complex carbs, and proteins. 1 The person may also receive healthy snacks throughout the day, particularly early on in recovery. 1
Another important aspect of health and nutrition is exercise. Many treatment centers employ recreational therapists or personal trainers who work directly with the people in the program to improve fitness levels and promote wellbeing and positive body image.
Other recovery programs have gyms and fitness centers that you can use at designated times. Both regular exercise and a healthy diet can improve mood, increase energy levels, promote self-confidence and self-esteem, repair tissue and organ damage, and alleviate drug or alcohol cravings.
Diagnosing and Treating Eating Disorders
Guidelines For Meal Plan
Abstinence is a Commitment to Recovery
Definition of Abstinence: We ask for help from our Higher Power to abstain from those substances we find ourselves craving, ever mindful of our addiction to sugar, flour and wheat. Feeding our bodies with a plan of sound nutrition will allow us freedom from the insanity of this disease. With honesty, an open mind, and willingness to share our experience, strength and hope, we can recover from this disease ONE DAY AT A TIME.
Of course, to the new recovering person, this appear as another diet. But we who walk this path of recovery know that this program of eating is unique.
One of the obstacles you may encounter in early recovery is the temptation to alter the food plan to suit yourself. It is our experience that deviations recreate our old food problems. To guard yourself against the tendency to rationalize, it is suggest that you discuss any additions or subtractions you may think are necessary with a sponsor or someone in the program who is abstinent.
ROTATE ALL FOODS.
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Food Addicts In Recovery Anonymous
FA says that food addiction is âa disease of the mind, body, and spirit forwhich there is no cure, but it can be arrested a day at a time by adapting to adisciplined way of eating and the Twelve Step program of Food Addicts inRecovery Anonymous. When we abuse food by using it as a drug, our lives becomeunmanageable. Food addicts have an allergy to flour, sugar, and quantities thatsets up uncontrollable craving. The problem can be arrested a day at a time byweighing and measuring our food and abstaining completely from all flour andsugar.â
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous400 W. Cummings Park, Suite 1700Woburn, MA 01801FoodAddicts.org
Hanley Center Meals And Nutrition Programs
Chronic use of alcohol and other drugs can cause digestive problems and impair the absorption of important amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. This starves the whole body including the brain. Chief Clinical Officer Dr. John Dyben.
Origins offers nutritional psychology as a patient education program. The course helps patients understand how nutrition is related to function of neurotransmitters and hormones. They also learn how nutrition impacts mood, energy, focus, and overall brain health.
Having patients explore their own pattern of nutritional behaviors is intended to empower them to make healthier decisions regarding food choices. One tool used by Origins is a 3-day journal for food. Patients can document what they ate and how they felt, and then bring it into a group discussion.
Food and mood get special attention as part of patient education. Under this topic, patients may learn theyre eating too much sugar or not enough protein. They may begin to see how their eating patterns shift from eating too much to not eating an adequate number of times per day. These unhealthy eating patterns can be adjusted in a matter of a few days during treatment.
Along with the focus on brain recovery in its meal planning, our dietary team addresses the importance of a balanced diet in community meetings. Executive Chef Tim Pearce
For information on our programs, call us today: .
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What Should Recovering Users Eat
Good nutrition starts with developing healthy eating habits. While theres no one specific diet that works best for alcoholics and addicts in recovery, there are practices that can be implemented to encourage healthy eating and nourishment, both while in treatment and after treatment.
Addiction recovery diet plans that balance nutrition support the improvement of users moods and health, and if those improve, then the person is less likely to start using again. A nutritionist or registered dietitian can help recovering substance users establish a meal plan that works best for them. Professionals can also address any eating disorders, such as binge eating and anorexia, that may be present.
Working with a professional can help change the way a person views food and their eating routine, medicines, and diet can work together for the good of their recovery goals. Treatment center clinicians usually first conduct nutrition screenings for the client to before making specific recommendations. They also follow up to monitor the clients progress.
While ideal addiction recovery diet plans should reflect a persons individual needs, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute advises that a healthy eating plan:
- Emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products
- Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts
- Limits saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars
- Controls portion sizes
Ehn Canada Facilities Can Help You Eat Healthy Achieve Recovery And Maintain It
The comprehensive drug rehab and other treatment programs at EHN Canada facilities include nutrition planning through consultation with our staff dietitians. Our nutrition planning aims to get you eating healthy with the following objectives for successful long-term addiction recovery:
- Stabilize your mood and improve your resilience
- Increase your focus and energy levels
- Reduce your cravings for drugs, alcohol, and addictive behaviors
- Heal the damage caused to your body by alcohol or substance abuse
- Improve any other medical conditions you may have
- Develop habits of self-care and a healthy lifestyle.
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Meal Plan For Success
Arm yourself properly by always planning each and every meal. This is especially important as you begin the process of breaking the food addiction. Dont find yourself staring at an open fridge or in a supermarket aisle wondering what your next meal should be?
This pattern sets you up to fail. For someone who deals with food addiction, meal planning is a crucial and necessary step.
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What Makes Fentanyl So Dangerous
Fentanyl is a dangerous drug because:
- It is 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. This makes the risk of accidental overdose very high.
- It is odourless and tasteless. You may not even know you are taking it.
- It can be mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. It is also being found in counterfeit pills that are made to look like prescription opioids.
You increase the risk of overdose if you use fentanyl with:
- cold, clammy or bluish skin
- severe sleepiness or loss of consciousness
If you do use opioids or drugs that may be contaminated with fentanyl:
- do not use alone
- carry naloxone and know the signs of an opioid overdose
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Drug Addiction And Diet
With prolonged drug use and abuse, your eating habits have likely changed drastically. Many drugs either suppress the appetite all together or have the opposite effect . If Alcohol was your drug of choice, you may have found yourself eating unhealthy foods after a night of drinking or noticed some weight gain due to all of the calories and sugars in alcohol.Drugs also have the ability to affect your body and diet in the following ways:
- Cause you to have an irregular eating schedule
- Cause your body to use up energy faster
- Cause you to lose nutrients though vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Cause damage to your stomach lining making it difficult for you to eat certain foods or keep food down at all.
When your diet gets out of whack, it can affect the way that your brain functions, too. Your chemicals begin to be imbalanced and you may find yourself feeling angry, anxious, restless, forgetful, tired, or depressed.
Addiction Makes It Difficult To Eat Healthy Often Resulting In Nutrient Deficiencies
Addictive substances and behaviors can make healthy eating more difficult in a number of ways. They can also prevent you from getting enough nutrients despite a normally healthy diet. When you dont get enough of a particular essential nutrient in your body, you develop a nutrient deficiency. Addictive substances can interfere with healthy eating and cause nutrient deficiencies in the following ways.
Reducing your appetite
When your appetite is reduced and you regularly eat less food, you might not get enough nutrients and energy even if the foods you eat are normally healthy foods.
Increasing cravings for unhealthy foods
When you have cravings and eat a lot of unhealthy foods, it can be difficult to get all the nutrients you need, since unhealthy foods contain low amounts of essential nutrients.
Reducing how well you absorb nutrients
Getting enough nutrients requires that you absorb the nutrients from food in your digestive system. Since some addictive substances can reduce your ability to absorb nutrients, you might not get enough nutrients even if you have a normally healthy diet.
Depleting nutrients in your body
Getting enough nutrients means that the amount of each nutrient you get equals the amount your body uses up. Some addictive substances can cause your body to use up nutrients in much larger quantities than normal, or they can destroy nutrients in your body. When either of these happens, you might not get enough nutrients even if you have a normally healthy diet.
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Too Much Of Certain Macro
Certain macro-nutrients consumed in excess can harm you and make addiction recovery and recovery maintenance more difficult, a few examples follow.
Carbohydrate: Sugars
Too much sugars can cause you to have unstable energy levels, intensified cravings, and lower willpower. Sugar is a reinforcing substance which has demonstrated cross-sensitization with other addictive substances such as amphetamine and alcohol in rodent models .
Fat: ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3
Researchers believe that a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 can increase systemic inflammation which contributes to the development of chronic conditions such as arthritis and cardiovascular disease and also depression .
Protein:
Some addictive substances cause kidney damage. If you have kidney damage, there is evidence which suggests that excessive protein consumption can make it worse .
Make A List Of The Key Elements You Want To Address In Your Plan
When youre finally ready to sit down and write out your plan, make a list of specific issues that you want to address. These issues can include:
- Common triggers you should avoid
- Realistic strategies for addressing each trigger
- Ways to incorporate self-care into your routine
- Coping skills you want to learn or work on
- Practicing relapse prevention strategies
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Drinking Lots Of Water For Detoxification
Drinking lots of water can do wonders for your health. Water detoxifies your system, allowing it to heal from past abuse. Being hydrated also gives you a brighter skin and a youthful glow, things that may have been lost during alcohol or drug addiction. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day for fast recovery and a healthier system.
Develop A Nutritional Plan
The development of a nutritional plan for those in recovery involves planning out meals and determining an appropriate meal schedule that meshes with other activities in the treatment plan.
This also involves taking into account any issues the client has around food, including eating disorders. Depending on individual needs, the plan may leave room for snack times, or it may be a better option to restrict intake to three times per day if the client has issues with things like binge eating.
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How A Healthy Diet Can Help With Addiction Recovery
Prolonged drug use can exact a toll on almost every part of the body. It puts abusers at increased risk of developing serious health problems, including stroke, cancer, lung disease, heart disease, and other health conditions, which can greatly affect their quality of life. As such, establishing a healthy diet can help not only to reverse whatever damage the drugs have done to the body but also to help the body itself recover and heal faster.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, some 35 million people in the world suffer from drug use disorders and are in need of treatment services.Recovering from this type of addiction is a gradual process. Experts press on the importance of maintaining a healthy diet in helping drug abusers rebuild themselves and achieve their sobriety goals.
