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When battling substance abuse, it isn’t uncommon for many other areas of an individual’s health to become compromised. One of these areas includes their nutrition. Unfortunately, one of the areas that’s often overlooked during recovery from drugs and alcohol is a person’s nutritional effects. These effects can include how a person responds to the withdrawal symptoms that are in direct association with the treatment of addiction. When an individual’s eating habits and dietary requirements aren’t adequately met when they’re recovering from alcoholism or any other kind of substance abuse, this can result in a significant lack of focus and intake of information throughout their therapy and treatment. As a result, they could experience negative outcomes following their treatment.
When undergoing addiction and alcoholism treatment in South Florida, or any other part of Palm Beach County, it’s critical for patients to look for facilities that will incorporate special dietary requirements and nutritional planning into addiction treatment plans. In doing so, it’s possible for individuals to receive the support of scheduled, satisfying, and balanced meals that will improve their treatment outcomes. There are some simple steps involved in the incorporation of this program’s element.
Addiction Recovery and Special Dietary Requirements
It’s critical for everyone to incorporate healthy eating habits into their everyday lives, but even more so for those in addiction recovery. Those who are suffering from addiction, as well as other mental disorders, often have poor nutritional habits. Because these habits can lead to other health problems that are serious later on, it’s vital that a person undergoing substance abuse treatment receive education regarding healthy eating.
When there are circumstances where an individual already knows what their dietary requirements are, it’s critical that they have a meeting with a supervising doctor. Communicating what their needs are regarding these special needs are vital because, if there are allergies or other issues where the patient could become ill, that could hinder the treatment process. Therefore, it’s essential that this communication occurs on day one. We’re going to look at the steps necessary to take for incorporating healthy eating into a recovery treatment plan.
Discuss Nutritional Deficiencies With Supervising Doctor
When individuals are undergoing the intake process, this is where all health and wellness reviews occur. It’s all at this time that the doctor will discuss eating habits and any special dietary requirements. Discussion of the following topics will also happen:
• Potential weight gain from drinking alcohol, taking depressants, or taking sedatives.
• Experiencing weight loss from taking stimulants or due to appetite suppression.
• Deficiencies in vitamins or minerals due to alcohol or drug abuse or poor eating habits.
• The potential for co-occurring eating disorders that may be accompanying the substance abuse.
Develop a Plan with a Nutritionist
Once you’ve communicated your needs with the supervising doctor and they’ve assessed how you’re doing physically, it’ll be time for the nutritionist to step in to help. They’ll examine the notes from the doctor and develop a plan for your specific needs. In addition to taking your specific vitamin and mineral deficiencies into consideration, they’ll also pay close attention to your special dietary requirements.
The nutritionist will also be taking into consideration your level of stress. When the body is in transition during recovery, it’ll be producing additional stress hormones that will result in the depletion of nutrients including:
• Minerals including zinc
• Electrolytes including sodium and potassium
• Vitamins including A, E, C, and B
• Essential fatty acids
When discussing your special dietary needs during the intake process, it’s critical that the supervising doctor know everything about what you need so they can help you through the recovery process. When they have a clear picture from the first day of your treatment of addiction, they can ensure your recovery from drugs and alcohol is as successful as possible with a healthy nutritional plan. We can help, call now 844-903-2111.
