Food and
nutrition
Focusing on Nutrition During Recovery Promotes Restoration
Bringing Back Balance with Food
What you eat
A person’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health can go out of balance
in recovery
can play a very
important role.
Better nutrition
during active addiction. Nutrition is one of the important things that falls out of
focus when substance abuse accelerates. Many people arrive at treatment with
medical issues related to their substance use and lack of proper nourishment. A
weak immune system, compromised muscle tone and nutritional deficiencies are
common. Skin tone, energy levels and sleep patterns may all be negatively affected
can reduce
as well. In order to have the strength to do the work of recovery, patients need
cravings and
restore health.
to begin rebuilding their physical health immediately. This starts with proper
nutrition.
Balanced meals can
provide a number
of positive effects
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during recovery.
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Moving Toward Healthy Eating
Today’s quick and cheap American diet often revolves
around processed foods, empty calories and sugar.
Fast food is affordable, convenient and filling, but its
low nutritional content means regular consumption
can damage your health, leading to weight gain,
obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.
Additionally, having an addiction puts added strain
on the body. Proper nutrition is a key component to
living a full and healthy life, and focusing on nutrientdense food early on in treatment helps to restore
health and prepare the body for a lifetime of recovery.
Reversing the effects of poor and unhealthy eating
may take some time, but the introduction of regular,
nutritious meals can provide benefits right away. The
body can start healing itself with the proper building
blocks.
www.FoundationsRecover yNetwork.com | (866) 494.7787
The Addiction-Nutrition Connection
The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has officially recognized the connection between addiction and poor
nutrition, saying: “Many debilitating nutritional consequences result from drug and alcohol abuse. Chronic
nutrition impairment causes serious damage to the liver and brain, which reinforces the craving for more
drugs and alcohol and perpetuates the psychological aspect of addiction.” If poor nutrition and lack of exercise
can have negative effects on an otherwise healthy person, reincorporating good food and physical exercise
is vital for a person recovering from an addiction. “Nutrition makes a difference in the rate and quality of
physical recovery, which prepares individuals to function at a higher level in treatment—cognitively, mentally
and socially,” the ADA tells us. What you eat during treatment can play an important role in recovery. The
healing properties of organic, fresh foods allow the body to reach a balance that helps to reduce cravings, create
strength, calm emotions and bring clarity of mind. Quality foods provide the nutrients a healthy body needs to
restore cellular function and build and maintain health. Then, as patients begin to return to physical wellness,
they are better able to address the issues that drove their substance abuse.
The introduction of regular, nutritious meals can
provide benefits right away. The body can start healing
itself with the proper building blocks.
A New Habit of Self-Care
About Foundations
Recovery Network
Good nutrition is about more than
Foundations Recovery
Network is recognized
as the premier leader in
integrated treatment for
co-occurring addiction and
mental health concerns.
Our award-winning model
combines evidence-based
addiction treatment with
innovative therapies for
emotional and mental health
to address co-occurring
disorders effectively.
Results demonstrate that
FRN patients are twice as
likely to maintain sobriety
one year post-treatment
compared to those who
attend traditional programs.
and self-care. Addiction can be very
just eating well; it’s also an act of love
damaging to the body, and repairing
one’s health involves not just changing
old habits, but also accepting one’s
own
worth. Healthy eating is part of the
overall picture of caring for one’s mind,
body and spirit. Foundations Recovery
Network seeks to emphasize a total strategy
of self-care, and providing regular, healthy
meals is an important part of our
treatment programs. Residential
treatment provides a perfect
opportunity to start new, positive
habits related to food and exercise,
improving health and aiding long-term
recovery.
www.FoundationsRecover yNetwork.com | (866) 494.7787