How Can I Have a Healthy Relationship With Food?
How do you view food? Are you someone who is constantly on the go and just grabs whatever is quick and convenient? Maybe you’re someone who carefully plans each and every meal and prepares ahead of time when possible. Or, maybe you are somebody who tries your best to eat a healthy and balanced diet but occasionally gives in to cravings for brownies or junk food from time to time.
Establishing and maintaining a healthy relationship with food is important to your health. Sure, treating yourself on occasion is absolutely alright. Sometimes, tough times or stress can distract us from prioritizing healthy eating. However, consuming a balanced and healthy diet is essential to good mental and physical health and can aid in addiction recovery.
Addiction and Appetite
Addiction can impact your appetite and the way you eat. Some people find themselves eating very little while they are struggling with substance use disorder (SUD). Food becomes a lesser priority than drugs or alcohol and can often be pushed aside or forgotten. Others may find themselves consuming way too much food or all the wrong types of food during their addiction. Certain substances can encourage you to eat more while others can suppress your appetite leading you to eat less or not enough.
Whether your addiction is to benzos, heroin, or other substances, you are likely to possess some poor eating habits. This being the case, you may find yourself either gaining weight or losing weight during the treatment process. During treatment, your body has the opportunity to heal as it learns to function again without drugs or alcohol. By removing these toxins, your body can reset and begin to absorb the benefits of eating good, nutritious food again.
Food should serve as a source of energy, nutrition, and fuel for everyday functioning. You will see and feel your body change as you start to incorporate healthy foods in healthy amounts into your diet. You will sleep better, have better focus, and feel better overall.
Food and You
So, how do you establish a good relationship with food? This can certainly be easier said than done, especially after developing poor habits as a result of your addiction. It’s important to change your perspective on food. Whether you viewed food as an obligation to survive or eagerly awaited each meal, allowing food to serve as a motivator or comfort, it’s time to change how you view it.
As previously stated, food should serve as fuel for your body. In order to utilize food for its intended purpose, you must select the correct foods to ensure you are getting proper nutrition. When you adjust your perspective to consider food as something that should be working for you and not against you, you can begin to alter what you choose to put in your body and the portions you choose to consume.
It’s important to acknowledge when you’re full. It is equally important to acknowledge when you’re hungry. Learning to listen to your body and its cues can help in creating a healthy relationship with food. Our body has a way of communicating with us and letting us know what it needs. By cleansing your body of substances, you are better able to identify these cues, and your body can clearly communicate them.
Organic Eating
You have probably heard the hype about choosing organic foods. There’s hype around this topic for a good reason. Organic foods are free of pesticides and harmful chemicals that often exist in non-organic foods and are often more nutrient-dense and ethically grown.
Organic eating can be more simple than you might think. Growing your own organic produce and herbs could be a great way to ensure you always have a selection easily accessible and available to you. Here at Enlightened Recovery, we grow our own local produce at our farm to create a menu full of nutritious and healthy meals for our clients. We understand the value of eating well and want to share that with those in our care.
In what ways could you change your relationship with food during recovery? Here are a few key takeaways:
- View food as fuel
- Listen to your body
- Choose organic
By keeping these tips in mind, you can successfully change your viewpoint and perspective on food and will be able to make better decisions when it comes to what you put into your body. Healthy eating is essential to your wellness and can support your efforts to maintain good health throughout treatment and addiction recovery.
Food should serve as fuel for your body, providing essential vitamins and nutrients for good health and optimal functioning. Addiction to drugs or alcohol can cause you to develop unhealthy eating habits. At Enlightened Recovery, we prioritize healthy and organic eating and incorporate this value into our treatment program. At our farm, we grow organic produce and herbs that you as a resident can take part in. You will learn about the growing process, participate in giving back to the community, and come to understand how good nutrition can support you in healing your body and mind after battling substance abuse. If you or someone you care about could benefit from our holistic approach to treatment, please reach out. We would love to help you heal mentally, physically, and spiritually and live the life you deserve free of drugs and alcohol. Call Enlightened Recovery today at (833) 801-LIVE.
Begin Your Recovery at Enlightened Recovery
Enlightened Recovery is here to help you or your loved one overcome drug and alcohol addiction as well as co-occurring mental health disorders. Our holistic treatment programs treat the whole person in recovery. We have locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
Get the help that you deserve now with Enlightened Recovery.