Nutritional Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for supporting brain health and overall recovery. It is important for you to know these challenges when you are recovering from alcohol, showing you the need to take care of your nutrition as part of your wider journey to healing from alcohol abuse. Eating a balanced diet is essential to reduce the harm of alcohol and improve your overall well-being. At Aqua Recovery, we are here to help you with your nutrition needs, offering advice and resources for a healthy recovery.

• Adding a little bit of cayenne pepper to food can help boost mood and also aid with nausea.
• Ria Health’s online recovery coaching supports you in improving self-care, and sticking with sobriety long-term.
• Water intoxication, a potentially fatal condition where the body holds more fluid than the kidneys can remove, occurs when the amount of salt and other electrolytes become too diluted.
• Some of the best foods that have omega-3 fatty acids are fatty fish, flax seeds, walnuts, avocados, and chia seeds .

Alcohol and Cialis: Risks, Side Effects & Treatment

The more alcohol you consume, the more regularly your body is in a state of inflammation, which can cause issues with the liver, brain, intestines, and more. Inflammation can be especially impactful in the intestines, as the harmful components of alcohol can leak from the organ, alcohol recovery diet which becomes weaker as drinking continues. Worse, the immune system will eventually struggle to fight off the resulting infections. Similar to vitamin B, zinc is another nutrient that can’t be adequately absorbed when a person consumes alcohol. Zinc deficiency not only increases the risk of disease but can include other symptoms like loss of appetite, mental lethargy, and rough skin. Alcohol consumption often leads to a vitamin B deficiency because your body cannot properly absorb vitamin B when there is alcohol in your system.

Foods High in Zinc

If this is a concern for you, consider periodic fasting if intermittent fasting isn’t helping you as quickly as you’d like. Glycine is also used to create protein, helping you replenish your ability to strengthen your muscles. Most meats contain adequate levels of glycine, but it can also be found as a powder for supplementation. Adequate glycine levels can help you can feel fuller, stronger, and more nourished.

• Instead, focus on consuming soups and other liquids to replenish nutrients and keep yourself hydrated.
• Experts suggest a diet composition for those in alcohol recovery of approximately 45% carbohydrates and 30% healthy fats, with the remaining 25% from protein.
• They will likely have a nutritional counselor on staff, who understands the needs of people in recovery, and will create an individualized nutrition plan based on the patient’s needs and health.
• It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.
• As always, if you are unsure about whether or not you will have an allergy issue with a certain food, consult with your doctor.

Seeking Professional Help for Alcohol Detox

In many cases, the person may be so focused on drinking that they make poor food choices or do not eat enough. This cycle can be reinforced by how the brain, especially the midbrain, responds to drinking. Although it is mainly known for playing a role in motor control, the midbrain can also increase cravings for drinking and stop the desire to eat. Over time, the body will work through its nutrient stores but will not have enough new nutrients from food to work properly. But it’s crucial to act now to avoid inflicting permanent damage on your brain or liver. When I was in detox for alcohol withdrawal, I met several people with cirrhosis.

Best Foods to Eat in Recovery from Alcohol

Prolonged alcohol use can also cause a severe deficiency in thiamine, a nutrient vital to brain health; this deficiency can lead to permanent brain damage. It’s normal for recovering alcoholics to desperately crave sugar to the point that they struggle to eat anything else. This is usually due to neurotransmitter imbalances, fluctuations in blood sugar content or just having an addictive personality.

Leafy greens like spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, or romaine lettuce are also great choices (please note that cooking any leafy green diminishes the vitamin B content). Other options include eggs, milk, beans, lentils, and whole grains. Whole grains are fiber-rich foods that slowly release sugar into a person’s system, which helps to prevent mood swings and keep you feeling fuller for longer. At The Recovery Village Columbus, we care about helping you feel your best during recovery, ultimately succeeding in your recovery journey.

Mental Health Benefits of Quitting Alcohol

Processed foods or foods high in sugar can promote inflammation, encourage poor eating habits and fail to provide the nutrition you need to optimize your body during recovery. Eating junk food can lead to a host of health problems, such as weight gain, high cholesterol, and blood https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-to-do-if-the-person-you-love-is-an-addict/ pressure. Junk foods’ tendency to make you feel depressed or sluggish can also affect your mental state in addition to bodily organs like the heart and liver.

Is Drinking Alcohol Safe with Naltrexone?

(Be sure to check out the Kitchenistic review of “avocado savers.”) People who eat a lot of these foods every day rarely have cravings for carbs and junk. To feel your best after quitting drinking, you’ll want to completely eliminate foods made with sugar or flour. Along with supplementation, designing your ideal diet is a major pillar of physical recovery from alcohol addiction.