How Healthy Eating and Exercise Help with Addiction Recovery

While going through the addiction treatment process, clients are given opportunities to learn about things they don't already know. Of course, that includes learning about the issues that seem to be driving their addiction. That is certainly the primary goal of the treatment process. However, a good therapist and rehab facility will also seek to teach much more for the benefit of their clients.

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One of the issues a lot of long-term addicts encounter is health issues caused by neglect. When someone wraps themselves up in the cycle of addiction, they tend to lose sight of their overall well-being. That often includes them having bad eating habits and a complete lack of exercise.As we treat clients, we seek to offer them more than a solution for their addiction issues. We also seek to teach them how to improve their health and overall quality of life. That refers to a life with structure and meaning.

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In the following sections, we want to address what we believe is an important connection between nutrition, exercise, and maintaining a strong recovery.

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Going Through Detox

After using drugs and or alcohol for an extended period, the body gets depleted of the valuable nutrients it needs. That depletion of nutrients can have a profound effect on how the brain and other body organs function.

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For many clients, the first step in the treatment process is going through a detox program. Treatment professionals develop detox programs as a way to help clients get safely past any withdrawal symptoms they might encounter. The primary goal of the medical professionals who monitor detox programs is to allow clients to detox as naturally as possible. That encompasses a focus on great nutrition and a meaningful exercise program. As they progress through withdrawal, they need as many healthy foods a possible to replenish what the body is expelling through body functions associated with the detox process.

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Exercise helps to keep the blood flowing while the mind is hopefully distracted from cravings. It's only when clients start to show legitimate signs of distress that a medical professional will intervene. Prescription drugs in rehab are almost always treated as a last resort. Otherwise, good nutrition and exercise should be enough to help clients pass through withdrawal with minimal issues.

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The Value of Nutrition and Exercise During Therapy

After passing through a successful detox program, clients will typically head right into therapy. Therapy places great demands on a client's ability to concentrate and focus on their issues. That's infinitely easier for them to do when they feel as healthy as possible.

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For clients who participate in residential treatment programs, there are a couple of reasons why the facility's administrators put forth so much effort to feed clients well. First, it helps clients continue the body repairing process by filling them with the right nutrients. Also, it's an attempt to teach clients how to prepare and eat balanced meals for better overall health.

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As far as exercising, most rehabs, ours included, will make sure clients get exposure to physical activities. These activities will typically help strengthen the client's body and keep them focused on living a balanced lifestyle.

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Recovery After Rehab

Hopefully, clients will get the not-so-subtle hints we give them regarding the importance of nutrition and exercise in recovery.

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One of the things we like to stress is the importance of improving one's overall well-being. That involves a lot more than staying away from drugs and alcohol. It also includes eating right, participating in physical activities, and addressing spiritual needs. These are all things that addicts neglect when they are in the throes of their addiction.It's scary to consider what drugs and alcohol can do to the body. Also, this all can adversely affect the brain, heart, and liver. It's not an overstatement to say that these three organs alone serve as the center of a person's body function. If someone has been abusing a harmful substance for a while, it's going to take time to repair the damage caused to their body.

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The good news is a healthy diet and a good, consistent exercise program are exactly what the doctor orders. There is one other aspect of this that we have not yet mentioned. People tend to abuse substances when they don't feel good about themselves. They tend to start feeling sluggish and turn to drugs/alcohol to mask the way they feel.Eating right and exercising help people mentally feel better about themselves in addition to the physical health benefits they get. If they are mentally healthy, the need for drugs/alcohol diminishes.

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If you are ready to get help with your addiction issues, we are ready to help you. We'll not only help you address your addiction issues, but we'll also work with you to bring a better sense of overall well-being back into your life.