People who consume large amounts of alcohol typically have nutritional and vitamin deficiencies that need to be addressed immediately when entering a treatment program. Nutrition and vitamins can address some of the issues that take place when abstaining from alcohol by replacing much needed deficiencies and helping to curb those urges and keep them under control.
Scientific and evidence based addiction treatments now typically implement nutritional guidelines into their programs.
Depression and Anxiety
People with alcohol addiction who are in the throes of addiction or in recovery have low levels of serotonin in the brain, which can cause depression, anxiety and low energy. Antidepressant drugs are available to address these but there are also certain foods that help to produce serotonin in the body.Consuming foods like nuts, salmon or tuna, chicken or turkey, low fat milk, yogurt, brown rice, legumes, soy products and fresh fruit can help to increase a sense of well-being and reduce many symptoms of depression.
Cravings
Alcohol cravings occur because of physiological responses including the discomfort of withdrawal. One symptom of withdrawal is the craving for sugar. A way to reduce sugar cravings is to avoid simple sugars such as candy, baked goods and chips. Complex carbohydrates should be an important part of the diet as these are energy foods that are converted into glucose in the blood and they provide much needed vitamins and minerals.The vitamin B family is important to increase serotonin production and is known to be deficient in people who are in recovery. These vitamins should be taken on a daily basis while in recovery and some treatment centers may recommend a B12 shot.
Deficiency of Vitamins
Alcohol in your body can damage the stomach and intestines resulting in a low absorption of important nutrients into the bloodstream. Besides the B vitamins already mentioned, here are some other critical nutrients that should be replenished when in recovery:Vitamin A - Regulates the immune system, promotes bone growth and vision. Good food sources of Vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots and dark leafy greens.
Vitamin D - Strengthens bones, boosts the immune system, and is important for certain skin conditions. Vitamin D can be found naturally in sunlight or in milk, egg yolk, trout, salmon, and fortified orange juice.
Vitamin E - Helps to prevent development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Natural food sources for Vitamin E are wheat germ, spinach, avocado, tomato sauce, eggs, almonds, and sunflower seeds.
High consumption of alcohol can have debilitating and even deadly effects on the body and considerable health problems can occur if alcohol is consumed over a long period of time. There is good news though - the human body is remarkable at repairing itself once alcohol is removed and replaced with healthy food choices.
