What benefits the body, benefits the mind. Your body and mind are intricately connected, working together to help you thrive. But, in that same vein, what poisons the body also poisons the mind. And there’s no better example of this than alcoholism.
Drinking helps you feel relaxed and confident by triggering the release of dopamine in your brain. While this may seem good in the moment, alcohol is doing much more damage to your body and mind than you realize. And without proper treatment, alcohol addiction can cause serious, long-term consequences.
Luckily, proper nutrition can help your body and mind fight back. In this article, we’ll take a look at a few of the key effects of alcoholism and how nutrition can aid your addiction treatment and recovery.
How Alcoholism Damages the Body and Mind
Alcohol Can Alter Gut Bacteria
Your gut plays a significant role in keeping you healthy. In fact, research has found that gut bacteria can actually help your brain function properly. But this all changes with alcoholism. Alcohol can alter the makeup of gut bacteria, leading to problems like liver disease, inflammation in the brain and decreased production of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine.
Alcohol Can Trigger Blood Sugar Fluctuations
When your blood sugar is steady, you’re able to think clearly and make better decisions. But when your blood sugar drops, you’re more likely to experience cravings and impulsive behaviors. When the majority of your diet is alcohol, your body loses the nutrients and proteins it needs to stabilize your blood sugar levels and naturally create dopamine.
Alcohol Can Cause Nutrient Deficiencies
Alcohol lacks the critical nutrients your body and mind need to keep you active and healthy. For example, alcohol addiction usually means lower zinc levels because you’re not eating the meats and whole grains you need. And even if you’re still eating properly, alcohol makes it difficult for your body to absorb zinc. This can lead to skin sores, decreased vision, depression, irritability and much more. View Photos Of Our Ranch
How Healthy Eating Aids Alcohol Treatment and Recovery
There’s no doubt that alcoholism can deplete your body and mind of necessary nutrients. But your body and mind have an amazing ability to bounce back and heal – that is, if you get the correct nutrition and treatment.
If you’re looking for alcohol addiction treatment, look for treatment centers like The Raleigh House that incorporate the pro-recovery diet into your treatment plan. This is because eating proper foods actually helps heal your mind and body from the damage caused by drinking.
Let’s use your gut as an example. Right now, drinking has altered your gut bacteria so significantly that it’s possibly damaged your liver and neurotransmitter production. Eating proteins and co-factor nutrients like vitamin B and omega-3 can help to replenish your gut bacteria. This leads to renewed creation of the amino acids, which are needed to naturally produce dopamine and serotonin to help you feel good.
Eating right also helps to keep your blood sugar levels balanced. By avoiding sugar and caffeine and eating the right amount of proteins, vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates, your body and mind will get all the nutrients it needs for improved focus, concentration, patience and decision-making.
Nutrition for Alcoholism at The Raleigh House
At The Raleigh House, we’ve seen firsthand how poor nutrition can ravage an individual’s body and mind. But we’ve also seen how powerful eating properly can be to someone trying to overcome and recover from alcohol addiction.
This is why nutrition is so heavily incorporated into our treatment program. During residential treatment, you’ll receive a 5-star dining experience where our team will make you heathy, natural pro-recovery meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
During outpatient treatment, our expert nutritionist will educate you on the pro-recovery diet and teach you how to meal prep. This education will help you continue eating the right foods and nutrients as you transition back to normal life, so that you can maintain long-term recovery.
Let Your Body and Mind Heal from Alcohol Addiction at The Raleigh House
Are you ready to find lasting recovery from alcoholism? At The Raleigh House, we take an evidence-based and holistic approach to alcohol addiction treatment and recovery that includes healthy eating.
If you’re ready to learn more, we’re here to answer your questions and talk more about our unique and effective approach to addiction treatment. Fill out our form or contact us today to get in touch with one of our friendly team members.
