Nutrition During RecoveryNutrition During Recovery

Lindsey RichardsonLindsey Richardson

Nutrition for the AddictNutrition for the Addict

An addict will spend most of the day doing, An addict will spend most of the day doing, searching and/or being under the influence searching and/or being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol…so how important of drugs and/or alcohol…so how important is nutrition in their daily life?is nutrition in their daily life?

According to Homefamily.net; Heavy According to Homefamily.net; Heavy drinkers can consume 50% or more of their drinkers can consume 50% or more of their calories from alcohol. Alcohol contains calories from alcohol. Alcohol contains "empty calories" because it does not have "empty calories" because it does not have the nutrients needed for health. the nutrients needed for health.

Inside the Addict’s BodyInside the Addict’s Body

Heavy drinkers entering treatment have digestive, Heavy drinkers entering treatment have digestive, circulation and internal problems, and a poor circulation and internal problems, and a poor appetite due to the damage to their body tissues.appetite due to the damage to their body tissues.

Drug addicts are an average of 20-30 pounds Drug addicts are an average of 20-30 pounds under weight when the enter treatment, have poor under weight when the enter treatment, have poor skin, thin hair, little circulation in their body, skin, thin hair, little circulation in their body, sunken eyes and protruding bones due to the sunken eyes and protruding bones due to the damage drugs have done to their body. damage drugs have done to their body.

Nutrition and RecoveryNutrition and Recovery

How important is nutrition during recovery?How important is nutrition during recovery? Good nutrition while in recovery can both Good nutrition while in recovery can both

correct the effect of poor eating habits and correct the effect of poor eating habits and repair and rebuild tissues is needed during repair and rebuild tissues is needed during recovery. (homefamily.net)recovery. (homefamily.net)

Good nutrition during recovery can also Good nutrition during recovery can also continue after treatment is done, making it a continue after treatment is done, making it a life style change.life style change.

Nutrition and RecoveryNutrition and Recovery

Proper Proper nutritionnutrition is is criticalcritical to to physical and physical and emotional healthemotional health during recovery during recovery

Relapse to using the drug of choice is also more Relapse to using the drug of choice is also more likely when blood sugar fluctuates due to the likely when blood sugar fluctuates due to the irregular intake of food, which is why regular meals irregular intake of food, which is why regular meals are so important. are so important.

Addicts and alcoholics often forget what it's like to Addicts and alcoholics often forget what it's like to be hungry and instead interpret this feeling as a be hungry and instead interpret this feeling as a drug craving, so they should be encouraged to drug craving, so they should be encouraged to consider the possibility that they may be hungry consider the possibility that they may be hungry when cravings become strong.when cravings become strong.

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy EatingEating

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy EatingEating

According to Canada’s food guide the “normal” According to Canada’s food guide the “normal” adult person should consume in one day:adult person should consume in one day:

7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables 6-8 grain products (with 6-8 grain products (with a focus on whole grains)a focus on whole grains) 2-4 dairy products2-4 dairy products And 2-3 meat and And 2-3 meat and AlternativesAlternatives 8-12 glasses of water 8-12 glasses of water

Nutrition on a BudgetNutrition on a Budget

Private treatment centers usually have a wide Private treatment centers usually have a wide array of healthy foods, prepared by red seal chefs, array of healthy foods, prepared by red seal chefs, because the clients pay thousands of dollars for because the clients pay thousands of dollars for treatment.treatment.

Publicly funding facilities do not have the same Publicly funding facilities do not have the same luxuries. Most facilities are funded through luxuries. Most facilities are funded through government agencies, local business, fund raising government agencies, local business, fund raising and tax relief programs. There are no red seal and tax relief programs. There are no red seal chefs, and not a lot of money in the budget for chefs, and not a lot of money in the budget for food (food sometimes being donated by the food food (food sometimes being donated by the food bank like at SAM’s).bank like at SAM’s).

Sample Menus: Food For Thought!Sample Menus: Food For Thought!

Private Facility Private Facility (New (New Seasons Treatment Center in Seasons Treatment Center in

California)California)

Breakfast:Breakfast:

Public Facility Public Facility (Southern (Southern Alcare Manor in Lethbridge)Alcare Manor in Lethbridge)

Breakfast:Breakfast:

2% milk, coffee and tea, low 2% milk, coffee and tea, low sugar cereal, toast, peanut sugar cereal, toast, peanut butter and jam, and apples butter and jam, and apples or orangesor oranges

Eggs, bacon, sausages, Eggs, bacon, sausages, French toast and/or French toast and/or pancakes are offered on pancakes are offered on weekendsweekends

Fresh-squeezed Orange Juice, Oatmeal & Bran, locally-grown Seasonal Fruit, Yogurt, Eggs, assorted Whole-grain Breads and Bagels, Sweet Butter & assorted Nut Butters, Jams, Milk, and Soy Milk.

Sample MenusSample Menus Private FacilityPrivate Facility

Lunch:Lunch:

Salad of Various Baby Lettuces Salad of Various Baby Lettuces and Micro Greens, Diced and Micro Greens, Diced Garden Tomatoes finished in a Garden Tomatoes finished in a Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Broiled Breast of Chicken with a Broiled Breast of Chicken with a Grain Mustard and Herb Sauce. Grain Mustard and Herb Sauce. Steamed Lemony Asparagus, Steamed Lemony Asparagus, Toasted Brown Rice. Toasted Brown Rice. Iced Rooibos Tea w/ lemonIced Rooibos Tea w/ lemon. .

Public FacilityPublic Facility Lunch:Lunch:

Sandwiches with processed meat, Sandwiches with processed meat, soup (either homemade or from soup (either homemade or from a can), cake, pie or cookies, and a can), cake, pie or cookies, and fruit salad, as well as coffee, fruit salad, as well as coffee, tea, and 2% milk.tea, and 2% milk.

Sample MenusSample Menus

Private FacilityPrivate Facility Dinner:Dinner:

Private FacilityPrivate Facility Dinner:Dinner:

Deep fried chicken strips, gravy, Deep fried chicken strips, gravy, boiled potatoes, frozen boiled potatoes, frozen vegetables, salad (with ranch, vegetables, salad (with ranch, Italian, or 1000 island), left over Italian, or 1000 island), left over cake, pie or cookies, fruit salad, cake, pie or cookies, fruit salad, coffee, tea or 2% milk.coffee, tea or 2% milk.

Roasted Vegetable Soup w/ Parmesan Croutons Broiled Salmon w/ Basil Pesto, Ratatouille Rosti PotatoesCaramelized Plum Crostata w/ Creme FraicheIced Decaffeinated Green Tea

My Questions to YOUMy Questions to YOU

If we know that nutrition is a very important part of If we know that nutrition is a very important part of life, and there is even guide lines for healthy life, and there is even guide lines for healthy eating, then why is nutrition being over looked at eating, then why is nutrition being over looked at public facilities?public facilities?

What can we do to change the importance of What can we do to change the importance of nutrition at public facilities?nutrition at public facilities?

Where can the extra money come from?Where can the extra money come from? We know that private facilities have a higher We know that private facilities have a higher

success rate than public, so how much of an success rate than public, so how much of an impact does nutrition play in sobriety? impact does nutrition play in sobriety?