Most individuals know the power of a healthy diet and
consistent fitness regimen but getting started is always the difficult part.
Like so many things that are good for us the hardest and least desired time to
start is the exact moment when it is vital and extremely beneficial to do so.
While there are a number of these situations the one this author is focused on
is the individual who is dealing with alcohol and/or drug addiction. Whether at
the beginning, end, or sometime during the duration of one’s addiction
treatment, in or out of a rehab center, physical wellbeing is beneficial in
more ways than not.
Poor diet, sedentary living, and unfavorable physical shape
can lead to anxiety, depression, and a decrease in one’s sense of overall
wellbeing; all things that plague the person dealing with addiction and make treatment
progress at a decreased pace. While the treatment of addiction has its core
focused around the medical, psychiatric, and behavioral aspects of alcohol
and/or drug addiction, the same three elements can be applied to just one’s
physical wellbeing. So how can diet and exercise help the individual in their
addiction treatment?
Most people are familiar with the benefits of diet and exercise;
in fact, it is plastered everywhere we look and for good reason. The importance
of diet and exercise are, for the most part, common knowledge to most
individuals. But why mention it when talking about addiction treatment? Here is
why.
Beyond the normal benefit of eating healthy and exercising,
which is everyday knowledge, there are powerful implications for these
practices in the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction. First of all,
treating addiction is something that must be holistic and improving multiple
aspects of one’s life is vital in long-term success. Proper nutrition and
physical fitness are just a few more of these vital elements.
Diet can be adjusted to achieve a number of different goals.
Studies have shown certain diets as effective in the replenishing and balancing
of powerful chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters which are a big
part of the disease of addiction. Diet and exercise also have positive effects
on cognitive ability and brain functioning.
Intrapersonal benefits are also a benefit of diet and exercise,
things such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, and self-worth. Exercise can also
help an individual deal with some of the very stressors that can trigger those
in recovery to lapse and use again. Only positives can come from a healthy diet
and exercise regimen when it comes to the individual in addiction treatment.
Yes, I agree that aside from the help from alcohol rehab centers, proper diet and is also helpful.
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