On Staying Healthy During Recovery

Anyone who has ever had a problem with substance abuse knows that drugs are not the only thing we are abusing! Our health takes a toll as well and many times this is the ultimate cause for hitting bottom. There is only so much abuse a body can take and so everything from your skin to your hair to your vital organs will suffer.

Also, one of the quickest triggers for going back ‘out there’ is to feel so badly that you are in need of that little ‘pick me up’ no matter what your substance of choice. If you are going into a residential treatment facility, choose the right drug treatment center that will help you take care of your body, mind and spirit along the way. Staying healthy during recovery is a vital component to success.

Healthy Foods and Vitamin Therapy

Believe it or not, there are a number of foods and supplements which can help cleanse the body of all those toxins you’ve built up over time. A diet filled with foods known to be rich in antioxidants will help cleanse toxins from your intestines, skin and organs while herbal supplements such as dandelion root and milk thistle have proven results in not only cleansing the liver of toxins but also protecting it against further damage.

Steer Clear of Simple Sugars and Saturated Fats

We all know that simple sugars are a leading cause of diabetes and that fats are processed through the liver. Just as drugs can damage the liver, so too can fats and if you’ve a history of drug abuse, your liver is probably already significantly damaged. Avoid eating anything that will prevent your body from healing. Sometimes it isn’t always enough to eat healthy foods but also to avoid those that are known to be an unhealthy, empty source of calories.

Clearing Toxins through Exercise

Some of those toxins will naturally be passed through and out your pores as you sweat them out! Sounds a bit crazy but with a regimen of antioxidants and a bit of extra exercise, you can speed up the healing process. Also, you’ll probably need to rebuild some muscle mass that may have been so depleted that your body is as limp as a used dishrag. Exercise will also increase blood flow to the brain and throughout every cell in your body, bringing those nutrients you are absorbing to where they need to go!

The point is, you’ve done major damage to your body over a long period of time. Drugs and/or alcohol have taken their toll and now it’s time to work on reversing the damage. What better time than in recovery when you need all the help you can get to stay strong and motivated. Be patient with yourself because recovery is going to be a lifelong process. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will recovery be. Make this the first day of the rest of your life. With proper nutrition and healthy living, may it be a long, sober life ahead.