Nutrition Therapy Alongside Addiction Treatment
At Wellbridge, we aim to implement the latest innovative research and science-based treatment to give our substance use disorder (SUD) patients the best opportunity for successfully maintained sobriety. Our team focuses on treating a patient holistically to ensure we are not only treating co-occurring disorders, but also treating the body. Part of this is focusing on the role of nutrition in addiction recovery.
Addiction takes a major toll on the body – both mentally and physically. While talk and creative arts therapies can treat the psychological impacts of addiction, the physical impacts are often overlooked in many treatment programs. But the role of nutrition in addiction recovery is a crucial one, as it addresses both physical and behavioral impacts of addiction. By implementing nutrition therapy into our patient-centric treatment programs, we aim to not only heal the body, but develop healthy nutrition behaviors to support ongoing sobriety and healthy living.
Addiction’s Toll on the Body
Many people with SUD put nutrition on the back burner, developing poor nutritional habits during periods of addiction. Nutritional deficiencies, digestive issues and risk for eating disorders are just a few of the physical repercussions of addiction and each can have long-term, life-altering impacts if not treated concurrently with the mental implication.
After long-term stress on the body through substance abuse, proper nutrition can help the body and the brain heal and maintain sobriety. By relearning healthy eating habits and individual eating, patients are able to feel a sense of control. Additionally, by focusing on nutrition education, treatment programs are empowering patients to take control of their own health moving forward while also giving them the tools to do so.
Benefits of a Healthy Diet During Recovery
Not only can a focus on nutrition support recovery and ongoing sobriety, but it can also greatly benefit the body through:
- Increased energy
- A better mood
- Reduced risk of relapse
- Improved immune system
- Repair to damaged organs and tissues
The Role of Nutrition in Addiction Treatment at Wellbridge
During treatment, it is essential to get back to the basics and relearn a nutritious way of eating. That’s why Wellbridge focuses on nutrition education and individualized nutrition plans.
Taking into account individual preferences and nutritional desires helps patients get interested in nutrition instead of just providing them with a specific menu to follow. This, combined with our hands on nutrition education programs (like gardening and cooking classes) and one-on-one nutrition counseling with a registered dietitian, helps our patients relearn healthy eating habits and develop a better relationship with food.
Our goal for nutrition therapy, along with every part of our treatment program, is to provide our patients with the tools and skills that will support their life following treatment at Wellbridge. While, in our industry, nutritional therapy is often an underutilized therapeutic method, we aim to change that.
If you have a patient who you believe will benefit from our evidence-based, patient-centric treatment at Wellbridge, contact us today.