Once a person begins a sober way of life, it is super important to incorporate good nutrition in recovery. English Mountain Recovery’s residential drug and alcohol rehab program includes all nutritious meals. Other rehab programs require the client to pay for food from a separate account, in addition to the treatment fee.
Substance Abuse Causes Damage
Usually years of substance or alcohol abuse depletes the body of vital nutrients, and we have ingested a ton of sugar. Studies show that eating right also helps to reduce the craving for our old substance of choice.
Start Your Day Off Right
Before you rush out the door without eating breakfast, considering eating an egg (it’s brain-food), or grab a quick a bowl of cereal. When you skip breakfast you set yourself up for overeating later in the day. Start off with a healthy meal that can give you energy.
Eating breakfast gives you good energy which will enable you to make good decisions and feel good all day long. A bowl of fruit, yogurt with a piece of toast gives your body a jolt of healthy energy. Here is a list of healthy foods to start your morning off right:
Oatmeal – Is a great breakfast food with low cholesterol and is high in potassium, Omega -3 fatty acids, and Folate. Sweeten your oatmeal up with a little milk, fruit or honey. Nuts are good too, and a great source of protein.
Grapefruit – Is great for you its hydrating, filling, healthy and packed with immunity boosting antioxidants. Be careful and ask you doctor about interference with prescription drugs.
Banana – A very healthy carbohydrate that keeps you fueled longer, it also helps fight those cravings at bay and one of the best sources of resistant starch. Great in oatmeal or on cereal with its natural sweetness it may not need additional sweetener.
Egg – The ultimate brain food high in cholesterol (the yolk containing about 60% of your daily allotment), eggs are now a healthy source of protein and nutrients like vitamin D.
Almond butter – Is a great source of protein, filled with the good fat (monounsaturated). It’s a very delicious spread on a piece of whole grain bread with a banana or apple.
Blueberries – Fresh or frozen are packed with antioxidants. Tt has been said that eating blueberries can improve everything from memory to motor skills to blood pressure and metabolism. Wild blueberries especially have a super high concentration of antioxidants. Put them in your cereal very tasty.
Strawberries – Great on cereal, oatmeal or just plain, very high in antioxidants without being high in calories. For instance 1 cup of strawberries contains your full recommended daily intake of vitamin C, along high quantities of folic acid and fiber when women eat them they are less likely to have heart attacks.
Coffee – Not a bad combo of caffeine and antioxidants. Also lowers the risk of several diseases such as diabetes and prostate cancer. Skip the fancy syrups and stick to skim milk.
Cantaloupe – Like most melons are a great source of vitamin C and A, n important nutrient for younger looking skin. Throw some on cereal and it will keep you hydrated and fueled all day.
Kiwi – A delicious fruit with about 65 milligrams of Vitamin C per serving, also rich in potassium and copper. Kiwi contains more fiber than a banana which makes it easy to digest. Kiwi is slightly tart and good to mix with strawberries or bananas in a smoothie, or on cereal.
Orange Juice – A classic morning nutritional drink that is filled with vitamin D. The sunshine vitamin has been linked to a lower risk of osteoporosis, depressions and certain cancers. Stick to a glass a day.
Cranberry Juice – Might be the best known for limiting bacterial growth, and known for warding off urinary tract infections. Don’t stop there – the tart juice appears to promote cardiovascular health and increases overall health.
Cereal – The best bet is the one with about 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of sugar. The winning combo is found in whole grain or bran cereals, with a winning bonus of fortified riboflavin, folic acid and other essential nutrients. Skim milk and some cut up fruit is very good for you.
Raspberries – A delicious summer time favorite with a type antioxidants that’s thought to have cancer fighting properties. Raspberries are also high in fiber (8 grams per cup), vitamin C and K which which helps to build strong bones. Frozen raspberries will be cheaper but just as nutritional and are perfect to add to cereal, yogurt or mixed into a smoothie.
Eat Breakfast
This list of healthy items goes to show you how important breakfast really is, and mixing a few together can change your day, week or month into a healthy and happier way of life.