Your Guide to the Stages of Alcohol Recovery

Zinc can help strengthen the immune system and help improve your mood. Nutritional supplements can play an important role in alcohol recovery, assisting in replenishing the nutrients often depleted due to alcohol misuse. B vitamins such as thiamine (vitamin B1) and folate (vitamin B9) are critical for brain function and energy production, which can be negatively impacted by chronic alcohol consumption. Regular supplementation of these vitamins may assist in restoring cognitive function and general vitality. A big part of alcohol recovery is taking steps to improve your lifestyle through changes like diet and exercise. If you’ve been trying to get to and maintain a weight that supports your health, quitting alcohol can help you meet that goal.

That is why it’s important to maintain a healthy diet in early recovery, full of fruits and vegetables. That said, everyone’s relationship with food is different, and your diet shouldn’t be a point of immense stress, especially in early sobriety. If a few more sugary snacks will prevent you from drinking, it can be okay to treat yourself a bit more than usual.

Low-Fat Proteins

Ever since I started eating meals consisting of whole foods, I’ve felt much better and become leaner. Juices and sodas account for most of the sugar consumed in the modern diet. These can be replaced with low-sugar kombuchas, unsweetened iced tea, or sparkling waters with natural flavors. As you feel more stable and watch the pounds shed from your mid-section, you’ll stop missing sugary beverages forever.

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. alcohol recovery diet Adequate glycine levels can help you can feel fuller, stronger, and more nourished. With careful planning and attention to your diet and lifestyle, you can address your physical needs, stay in recovery, and go on to live a meaningful life. People often need to address past trauma or familial issues during this time.

When Does the Body Start to Use Muscle Tissue for Energy?

When I’m consistently eating a lot of fat from whole food sources, my sense of well-being soars. Most Americans have been conditioned since childhood to avoid eating fat – or at the very least, to feel guilty about it. While conquering sugar dependence tends to be the most difficult task for ex-drinkers, increasing fat intake is difficult for a different reason. I used to eat a lot of whole wheat bread (the worst offender), pasta, and cereal.

• Over time, the importance of substances comes to outweigh the importance of things like getting exercise and eating right.
• Our bodies metabolize foods in a complex chemical system, certain elements are essential in order to keep this system fully operational.
• But, alcoholism is also responsible for a lack of other essential vitamins such as vitamins A, D, and E.
• Whole, unprocessed grains contain more fiber as well as B vitamins, which are a common deficiency in alcohol abuse.
• They’re likely cooked in unhealthy fats, like saturated and trans fats, and aren’t very nutritious.

And since your brain needs certain fatty acids to function optimally, eating enough good fats is key in a healthy diet for alcoholics. Healthy fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids in foods like fatty fish, walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds, play an essential role in brain health. Since alcohol consumption affects the brain and can lead to conditions like depression and anxiety, these fats can aid in recovery by enhancing cognitive functions and mood. Your doctor can recommend medications that can help with alcohol withdrawal symptoms and cravings during your recovery. Naltrexone is one type of medication that can help reduce alcohol cravings, making it easier for some people to stop drinking.

The 4 Stages of Alcohol Recovery: A Path to Healing

And that’s not to mention their tendency to make us feel depressed or sluggish after eating them. Because withdrawal can already induce depressed and sluggish feelings, it’s best to eat healthier foods that leave us feeling energized and nourished. Fish, for instance, is healthy in moderation because it’s often low in saturated fat and high in protein; some fish also contain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. Generally, people who consume more fish report lower levels of depression, though experts have contested the exact fish oil or dietary factor that’s responsible. Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol are different for everyone and can last anywhere from a few days to more than a week. During this period, when your body is adjusting and healing, it is important to have a healthy diet and nutrition to support you in your new alcohol-free lifestyle.

The amino acid, tyrosine, is fundamental for cells to create proteins which in turn is essential for the synthesis of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine. Another strategy to consider is the use of kombucha tea to stand in and provide relaxation during times you’d normally desire alcohol. Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented tea created with yeast and bacteria cultures that can help you improve your gut health. While the fermentation creates a bit of alcohol in kombucha tea, it’s incredibly small, under 0.5%. It’s recommended to use tea that’s low in sugar and proceed with caution with any beer or wine stand-in. Vitamin C is found in most fruits and can help repair liver damage and increase glutathione levels.