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What to Expect from Nutrition-Based Recovery

You’ve probably heard the expression, “You are what you eat.” This is true, to an extent. The foods we put into our bodies have a direct effect on both mental and physical health. Surprisingly, the term “comfort food” doesn’t actually refer to foods that are healthy and balanced. There are many times in life when stress, anxiety, or depression enables us to turn to unhealthy foods. They’re convenient; they’re inexpensive; they also just taste good.

When people think of addiction recovery, chances are they think of the medical side of things. That is certainly a big part of recovery; long-term substance abuse can wreak havoc on the body, which requires extensive medical care. As you move further along in recovery, you can start to focus on building up healthy habits, one of which includes food choices. At Enlightened Recovery, we use holistic methods as part of our treatment for complete mental and physical health. Proper nutrition goes a long way to restoring bodies that have been deprived of nutrients and proper care during years of drinking or drug use.

By learning how to make better nutrition choices, you have a much better chance of retaining a healthy, sober lifestyle. The healthier you are, the better you will feel, both mentally and physically: so much so that you can learn to stop craving toxic substances. Let’s learn more about how integral good nutrition is to addiction recovery, and what to expect from this treatment method at Enlightened Recovery.

What to Expect: Wellness and Nutrition-Based Recovery

No matter what treatment method is right for you, personalized therapy is available. Nutrition and wellness treatment, however, is done in a group setting. This is because the support that is found in a group environment, as everyone works toward one goal, is critical to the recovery process. After all, everyone has to eat, right? Nutrition groups at Enlightened Recovery allow people to share their experiences and build accountability to stay on track with recovery goals. Once these goals are made known to others, the better chance you have to follow through on them.

In nutrition and wellness groups, holistic and healthy living is one of those goals. No matter where our clients are in their recovery, good nutrition is important at every stage. Everyone is learning how to get rid of the toxic substances that have been habitually put into the body and replace bad habits with healthier ones. Healthy food by itself cannot cure the damage done by substance abuse, but it is true that consuming healthy food promotes clearer thinking, increased energy, and improved health in the long run.

Learning Healthy Nutrition Habits at Enlightened Recovery

Enlightened Recovery has an executive chef on-site who uses only the freshest and organic ingredients for meals. Along with our chef is a certified nutritionist who also assists in preparing menus for our residential clients that target parts of the body in need of healing. Those who have dietary restrictions will find their needs catered to as well.

As nice as it is to have a professional chef prepare your meals, eventually, you will return to your regular life, ready to put the skills you learned here into practice. That includes, among other things, learning how to cook. Nutrition and wellness groups will show you how to choose healthy ingredients, pay attention to portions, and engage in creativity when coming up with recipe ideas. You are doing far more than simply preparing meals, but learning important skills as far as impulse control, patience, responsibility, and more. Food also just tastes better when you know everything that goes into it.

As you work toward your recovery goals, you will learn about how each component of your meals interacts with your body. It is far more effective to create healthy meals for yourself outside of treatment when you understand how your body responds to specific foods. Because our treatment plans are customized to the unique needs of our clients, you can learn which specific nutrients your body is lacking and needs more. With time, you can begin to restore an upset balance by making wiser choices about what goes into your body. Every type of treatment offered at Enlightened Recovery has a built-in lesson about mind and body health, nutrition included.

Understanding the Relationship Between Wellness and Nutrition

Your body needs energy to function, and that energy is found in food. But the right kind of food can produce real energy, rather than a quick burst that wears off fast, making you feel more tired than before. That’s the effect you can expect from artificial, processed “fast” foods. The better you feel on the inside through cultivating good nutrition, the better able you will be to redirect and heal a brain affected by addiction. However, good nutrition alone does not lead to comprehensive wellness; regular exercise and good sleep habits are also important. And guess what? Enlightened Recovery can teach you about those, too.

Health and wellness practices at Enlightened Recovery provide the following benefits:

  • Mindfulness and self-awareness
  • Community and accountability
  • Physical strength
  • Self-control and reduced temptations or cravings
  • An improved ability to follow instructions, as well as take instructions and suggestions for improvement
  • A desire to try new things
  • Learn how to listen to your body
  • Healthy self-care
  • An improved immune system
  • Natural energy that is not dependent on caffeine

There’s so much to re-learn when you decide to start a life of recovery: Every unhealthy habit must be replaced with a healthier one. At Enlightened Recovery, we can help get you started on a new, sober lifestyle. We can teach you not only better nutrition habits but coping mechanisms for life’s problems and much more. Our holistic treatment methods have helped many people successfully quit drinking and doing drugs and go on to live full, sober lives. With encouragement and support from our knowledgeable and compassionate staff and the accountability from group therapy, you, too, can start a new life of recovery. Call us today at (833) 801-LIVE to learn more.

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.