Any type of substance abuse or alcohol addiction can lead to severe nutritional deficiencies and related medical conditions. Nutritional counseling for individuals battling addiction needs to be highly specialized because the nutritional problems associated with particular substances vary dramatically. Unfortunately, few people associate addiction with the need for nutritional counseling. In fact, addiction specialists have indicated that nutritional services are among the most critical building blocks of a long-term recovery program. And this is why GIA’s nutritional program is one of our addiction education programs‘ central components.

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The improvement in physical health that accompanies proper nutrition leads to improved mental well-being, which is key to rehabilitation and recovery. As numerous studies have demonstrated, there is a direct correlation between the lack of nutritional health and the mood and anxiety disorders that so often underpin and fuel addiction. This means that nutritional services are not just important early in the recovery process, but they can also help you avoid relapse later in your recovery.

The Importance of Nutritional Services in Addiction Treatment

There is a very clear link between poor nutrition and substance abuse, and it is common to see nutritional deficiencies among people who abuse drugs and alcohol.

• Opiate addiction can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, leading to nutrient deficiencies and electrolyte imbalances.
• Alcohol abuse damages pancreatic and liver functions, resulting in severe electrolyte, protein, and fluid imbalances.
• Alcohol abuse can result in B1, B6, and folic acid deficiencies essential for brain function. Chronic alcohol abuse can also lead to high blood pressure, malnutrition, and even diabetes.
• Cocaine and stimulant abuse can cause weight loss, memory loss, and malnutrition.
• Chronic marijuana abuse can cause cravings for fatty and sugary foods, which can cause weight gain, poor nutrition, and diabetes.

Proper attention to nutrition and hydration is, quite simply, a critical component of everyone’s health and vital for those recovering from addiction issues. People struggling with addiction rarely get the nutrition they need as substances chemically suppress or increase the appetite or do not allow the body to adequately process the nutrients it is receiving.

Nutritional Services at GIA Miami

Maintaining a healthy diet is an essential aspect of a person’s social, emotional, physical, and mental well-being. Maintaining a healthy diet and giving your brain and body the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids it needs to function is of vital importance in the “reprogramming” your brain will undergo as you recover. Mental wellness and physical wellness go hand in hand, and nutrition is a critical component that cannot be overemphasized.

After a detailed evaluation and review of your biochemistry, nutritional habits, and preferences, you and your nutrition specialist will devise an aggressive plan to optimize your dietary and nutritional needs. You should view this as a fundamental part of rehabilitation as optimizing your nutrition will lead to:

• Physical healing: A healthy diet will replenish lost nutrients and enhance physical healing
• Emotional well-being: Proper nutrition can enhance mood and behavior and assist in reducing depression and anxiety.
• Increased energy: Replenishing your body’s nutritional deficiencies leads to more energy.
• A more effective immune system: When the body is well-nourished, immunity increases, which protects from sickness, infection, and disease.

GIA Gives You the Tools You Need

GIA’s nutritional program focuses on replenishing the nutrient deficiencies that damage the mental and physical health of patients battling addiction. This means providing you with the tools you need to eat consistently balanced, calorically appropriate, nutrient-rich meals. Among the focuses of our program are:

• Personalized nutrition plans — learning what your body needs, how it processes your food, the importance of balance, and the benefits to your overall health
• Kitchen basics — focusing on setting up and stocking a kitchen properly, and the basics of cooking, so that you can be self-sufficient and not rely on others for your nutritional needs
• Planning and creating satisfying meals — planning balanced, nutritious meals, learning how to shop efficiently, and how to be creative with your diet
• Your diet in the world — understanding the relationship that your food choices have on your body, the rest of the world, and the environment
• Understanding how to make healthy choices when eating out

By focusing on these and other vital aspects of your physical and mental health, the team in the nutritional services program at GIA Miami can help lay the foundation for your future health and happiness.

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Reach Out to GIA Miami Today

At GIA, our mission is to help you free yourself from drugs and alcohol. But the process is more complicated than just helping you stop your drug and alcohol use. A healthy drug- and alcohol-free life must naturally involve abstinence from these substances. But it must also balance that with the establishment of routines that will be the bedrock of your long-term recovery, and nutritional counseling is an integral part of that process. Contact GIA online or by calling 833.713.0828 to learn more about our nutritional services program.