How Good Health Habits Help You in Recovery
As a recovering addict, your body has likely been through a lot of abuse. In addiction, we don’t care about things like blood pressure, cancer, and heart disease. The only focus is on getting high or drunk. It takes precedence before any other obligation or responsibility in your life. Starting while you are in rehab, one of the best things you can do is develop good health habits. Not only will this help repair your body, but it will also build a foundation for a healthy future.
You can start small, but developing healthy habits over time will help you have a happier, more fulfilled life. You’ll find more purpose in everything you do. As they teach in treatment, being mindful of your actions is key to recovery. Eating well, exercising, and living healthy is all about mindfulness and treating yourself right. It goes hand in hand with recovery because both are meant to make you live a happy, healthy life.
How Good Health Habits Help You Heal
When you arrive in rehab you are physically, mentally, and spiritually in chaos. Drugs or alcohol have taken over every part of your life and body. Your body has become completely dependent on your substance of choice. Because of this, it is necessary to enter a period of detox. During detox, you are given medicine to keep things safe and comfortable, and you’ll be monitored by your doctor. This is to ensure the process goes smoothly and that no medical complications occur.
After detox, you will be expected to start integrating yourself into the program. You’ll be attending group therapy, individual therapy, and be taking part in various activities. Programs are built to be well-rounded to offer a full mind/body approach to healing and well-being. Many treatment centers offer nutrition classes, yoga, and other health and wellness activities. This is purposefully done to help with the treatment and recovery process. It is important to integrate healthy habits slowly into your regimen. This way, you won’t shock your body. Instead, making small modifications over time will help make the transition easy.
Being healthy helps your body heal. Most alcoholics and drug addicts come into treatment malnourished and vitamin deficient. Usually, you will be prescribed a multivitamin as a part of your daily medical regimen. This is to help your body regain strength while you learn to live a sober life. Healthy, well-rounded meals are provided because food has a direct link to your well being. If you can, take a nutrition class so that you can learn what the best foods for you are. Engaging in physical activity is also important, regardless of your fitness level. Take it slow, do what feels right, but always challenge yourself at least a little bit.
Healthy Habits in Recovery
Picking up good health habits while in treatment is a good start. Rehab is on many levels a launching pad for the next part of your life. And, the hope is that you will remain sober in the next part of your life, which is recovery. It is important to have a long-term treatment plan post-rehab to help you stay on track. To supplement that, healthy habits can make a world of difference. They can help bring awareness to your body and well-being. They will also help your body function at it’s highest capacity, making you feel your best. In recovery, the goal is to feel good so that you aren’t tempted to go back to drugs or alcohol.
So, what can you do to foster healthy habits? Two of the main things you can do are eat right and exercise. Eating rich provides fuel and strength to your body. Things start to go out of whack if your body is deprived. If you eat a consistent, well-rounded diet, you will make sure you have everything you need. A good diet consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. It also includes lean protein and plenty of water. The more real and natural you can eat, the better. So put down the candy bars and energy drinks and swap them for fruit and water.
In addition to eating well, activity is key. Get outside as much as possible. Find an activity you enjoy and commit to doing it at least three days a week. Take a yoga class, join a gym, or take a dog for a hike. Whatever you enjoy, do it often and you will reap the benefits. Plus, it will keep you occupied and away from bad people, places, and things.
The Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle brings with it a number of benefits, whether you are a recovering addict or not. It is important to understand that small changes amount to big positive steps in the right direction. For example, committing to eating a healthy breakfast each day instead of fast food is a good first step. Healthy food makes you feel good. Your energy level will be higher, you’ll sleep better, and you’ll feel lighter and cleaner. As a recovering addict, feeling good is hugely helpful in staying sober. You’ll be less tempted to reach for drugs or alcohol to make you feel better.
Combining exercise with healthy eating will bring your health benefits to the next level. Humans are meant to move, and eat what suits their body for the job at hand. Exercise boosts your immune system, give you a surplus of energy, and even help mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Many people who rely on antidepressants are able to wean off them or stop taking them after starting to exercise. Of course, it is always important to do so under your physician’s recommendations and supervision.
By making the right decisions, you’ll open up new doors for yourself. Being healthy is all about a lifestyle, and it begins with individual choices. The healthier you feel, the less likely you’ll be to return to drugs and alcohol. Exercise and nutrition can help you to channel your focus on something positive instead of something negative.