How to Eat Right to Live Sober

Proper nutrition is an important component of a sober life. As you undergo the mental and physical stresses of detoxing, your body will need nutritious fuel to help keep you healthy. Like any other type of recovery, a recovery from addiction takes a toll on your physical health, and your body needs more energy and the right balance of nutrition to speed the process. A well-balanced diet will help you feel your best as you embark upon a healthier new life. Be sure not to neglect this often forgotten aspect of total health during sober living.

Instructions

• 1

  See a doctor or nutritionist to determine any nutritional imbalances. During your time as an addict, one of the things you may have neglected was proper eating. Self-care can be one of the first things an addict ignores. Many drugs, such as amphetamines and other stimulates, suppress one's appetite enormously. Being addicted to these substances over a long period may have caused malnutrition or put your body into a starvation mode. Because the nutritional profile of each addict's diet is different, it is important to see someone who can diagnose your symptoms and detect what nutritional deficiencies you may have.

• 2

  Tackle emotional eating. As you face the challenges of recovery, you may look to food for comfort. However, comfort foods are often far from healthy. Instead of choosing foods laden with fat, salt and sugar, try your hand at re-creating healthier versions of your favorite comfort foods. Try a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that you have never had and you may find some new favorites.

• 3

  Eat to restore your body's proper functioning. Drugs like alcohol, when abused, can impede the proper functions of organs such as your liver. Drinking lots of water and eating a wide variety of fresh, raw vegetables can assist in liver repair. Drugs that are stimulants may affect your heart. See the Resources section for a list of 25 heart-healthy foods. Drugs that interfere with certain chemicals in your brain (such as dopamine, epinephrine, and serotonin) may cause depression when you have given them up. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, may help with depression.

• 4

  Avoid substituting one addiction for another. For example, many people do not think of caffeine as a drug, but it is actually a powerful and addictive stimulant that can lead to cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Sugar is another food to which many people can become addicted. Eliminate foods with processed sugars and eat fresh fruits when you have a sweet tooth. Green tea has less caffeine than black tea or coffee and can be a healthy way to start your day.