Other medicines, counseling, and psychosocial support can also help to abstain or reduce unhealthy drinking. The important point is that one must be aware of the bad consequences of drinking and take steps to stop or reduce excessive drinking. When you stop drinking, it can also reverse the negative effects alcohol has had on your cognitive functions like problem-solving, memory, and attention.
What foods help you get sober?
- During this period, when your body is adjusting and healing, it is important to have a healthy diet and nutrition to support you in your new alcohol-free lifestyle.
- While I am not a nutritionist myself, there are certain foods research has demonstrated to effectively support the alcohol recovery process through all stages of recovery.
- When you stop drinking, it can also reverse the negative effects alcohol has had on your cognitive functions like problem-solving, memory, and attention.
- When a person then stops drinking alcohol, their central nervous system can become hyperactive and dysregulated, leading to various withdrawal symptoms.
- Excessive drinking can lead to the build-up of toxic, highly cancer-causing (carcinogenic) compounds that contribute to inflammation in your body, especially in your liver.
- DT affects roughly three to five percent of those who go through alcohol withdrawal, and can lead to death without close medical supervision.
- They are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are necessary for overall health and wellness.
Alcoholics are commonly deficient in vitamin B6, thiamine, and folic acid; however, they still can gain weight because of the empty calories in alcohol. Also, because of the way alcohol best diet for recovering alcoholic affects our brain chemistry, it’s common to experience mood swings in early sobriety. Salmon, which has already appeared on our list once, is also extremely high in omega-3s.
Impact of Alcohol on Nutrient Absorption and Digestive Health
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.
Marijuana and Nutrition
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about using nutrition to your benefit as you heal from addiction. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.
- This plan should encompass a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of essential foods.
- Detox can be an uncomfortable process for individuals experiencing alcohol addiction.
- Our ancestors instinctively knew that organ meats have more nutrient density than the popular cuts that we eat today.
The responses to comments on fitrecovery.com are designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional care if you believe you may have a condition. If you have any questions about alcohol recovery diets, feel free to leave them in the comment box below. Too many people focus solely on psychological healing, only to be brought down later by biochemical imbalances caused by alcohol that can linger for months or years. Avocados, olive oil, nuts, salmon, and grass-fed beef are my personal favorite sources of good fats. (Be sure to check out the Kitchenistic review of “avocado savers.”) People who eat a lot of these foods every day rarely have cravings for carbs and junk.
- I’ve also noticed that I respond well to homemade sourdough bread, which contains enzymes that pre-digest much of the starch.
- This will help support your recovery and ease your transition to a newly sober life.
- With these interventions, people can find health and happiness in sobriety.
With years of constant damage and scarring, the liver becomes swollen, stiff, and incredibly weak, meaning it can no longer carry out its important functions. Cirrhosis is unfortunately irreversible, though you can slow its progress by ceasing alcohol consumption and eating an anti-inflammatory diet. As you evaluate treatment programs to assist in your alcohol detox and recovery, it’s important to look for a program that includes nutritional assistance and behavioral change as part of the program. This will help support your recovery and ease your transition to a newly sober life. So, you’ve quit drinking—and perhaps you’re already starting to feel the health benefits.
Eating may be the last thing you’ll want to think about when it comes to alcohol detox, but it’s an important part of the process. It may be difficult to eat any food at all during the initial stages of your detox. As your symptoms improve, however, it’s important to eat a balanced diet that will help replenish alcohol-related vitamin deficienciesand support your health and strength. At Orlando Recovery Center Drug and Alcohol Rehab, we offer many alcohol addiction treatment options led by train medical professionals.
The best time to eat these is in the morning because they will help clean your system out while you sleep at night. Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of fiber that helps with digestion which can make it easier on your stomach when going through withdrawal symptoms such as nausea or vomiting. It can disrupt your sleep, damage your liver, and leave you lacking in nutrients. It can also make you crave unhealthy foods, which can lead to weight gain and other problems. Alcohol has no nutritional value, and instead dehydrates you and can lead to malnourishment. This double effect shows why it is important to be aware of and deal with these issues for your physical and mental health.
