Adopting a balanced diet can assist the body in healing and recovering from the damage inflicted by long-term alcohol abuse. Before we get started, you might be wondering what causes alcohol withdrawal? When an individual consumes unhealthy amounts of alcohol over an extended period of time, their body can adapt to the https://ecosoberhouse.com/ depressive effects of alcohol, which slows down the central nervous system. When a person then stops drinking alcohol, their central nervous system can become hyperactive and dysregulated, leading to various withdrawal symptoms. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, nausea, insomnia, and shakes.

  • Alcohol is an empty calorie, increasing your calorie intake without actually providing nutritional value.
  • While several dietary changes can benefit someone recovering from alcohol, no specific, recognized nutritional guidelines or restrictions apply to someone recovering from alcoholism.
  • It also affects your body’s ability to absorb B vitamins and folic acid.
  • Recovering drug users see improvement in their moods when they eat balanced diets, which often leads to the greater mental willpower necessary to conquer addiction.
  • While the body can withstand malnutrition for weeks, if not longer, dehydration quickly becomes a matter of life or death.

B vitamins are important in detoxification and energy production. Alcohol depletes these vitamins, so replenishing them is key to recovery. Fruits and vegetables also contain many compounds that can aid in liver detoxification. While they won’t repair permanent liver damage, they can speed recovery. They also help maintain a healthy digestive system, which can be disrupted by alcohol.

2. Work With a Nutritionist

However, these foods often lack vitamins to replenish the body with nutrients. If you quit drinking and are hungry all the time, you’re not alone. It’s common to begin craving sweets and other unhealthy foods when you give up alcohol. This also involves taking into account any issues the client has around food, including eating alcohol recovery diet disorders. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to form new connections and rearrange old ones, typically in response to injury, disease or a change in the environment. The development of addiction is itself an example of neuroplasticity, as the reward pathway’s activity chemically adapts to the presence of drugs or alcohol.

alcohol recovery diet

However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification. Good nutrition during recovery is important; however, good dietary practices rarely happen accidentally. A good plan is essential to maximize the benefit of changing your diet and stick with the changes during recovery.

How Substance Abuse Disrupts Nutrition

Alcohol is an empty calorie, increasing your calorie intake without actually providing nutritional value. Heavily drinking increases calorie intake significantly, making you more likely to gain weight. That’s what evens out your moods, helps you sleep better, and soothes the urge for alcohol. Experts suggest a diet with lots of complex carbs like whole grains, veggies, peas, and beans.