Considered by many to be the forefather of modern medicine, Hippocrates coined the phrase, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Whether we realize it or not, nutrition is an essential part of health. Yet, in the 21st Century, many people ignore it. Nutrition is also quintessential in recovery, which is why nutrition therapy can be so important.
What Exactly Is Nutrition Therapy?
Nutrition therapy (also called nutritional therapy) can be a highly beneficial component of any recovery plan. According to an article in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, “Nutritional Therapy uses food to prevent and reverse diseases that plague most Western societies: diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and depression. In order for food to be therapeutic, it must be nutrient-dense, measured in part by the nutrients and anti-nutrients, contained in consumed foods.”
The concept of “nutrients and antinutrients” is critical in helping people heal at the cellular level during recovery. This is especially true for people trying to recover from issues of addiction.
Understanding Nutrient Deficiencies in Addiction and Mental Health
People may be unaware of how depleted of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants someone struggling with active addiction can become. This can be particularly true for those with alcohol addiction. According to an article published in the journal, Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, “Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin b6, thiamine, and vitamin a.”
These deficiencies also stay with people when they enter a detox and treatment program. Some of these nutrients are reintroduced during detox, but they must still be continued afterward. Nutrients must come from an ongoing regimen of healthy foods and supplements.
The Benefits of a Healthy Diet Focused on the Gut Microbiome
Nutrition therapy offers many benefits such as increased stamina, weight regulation, mental clarity and focus, better heart health, reduced stress, and better self-esteem. These benefits can be gained through certain types of diets.
An essential element of nutrition therapy is the way food is prepared and presented. In the aforementioned article, the authors explain that “Nutritional Therapy is also concerned with the way that foods are prepared and delivered for consumption. In order for foods to be therapeutically beneficial, the appropriate micro- and macronutrients must be delivered in a nutritionally dense format without contaminants. While plants are the main source of micronutrients, nutrient content can be altered with improper handling.” The types of foods are vital when it comes to the concept of food as medicine. This is particularly true when it comes to taking care of the “gut-brain axis,” and all the benefits that come from it.
According to an article published in the journal Clinics and Practice, “The bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and gut microbiota, referred to as the gut-brain axis, has been of significant interest in recent years. Increasing evidence has associated gut microbiota with both gastrointestinal and extragastrointestinal diseases. Dysbiosis and inflammation of the gut have been linked to causing several mental illnesses including anxiety and depression, which are prevalent in society today.” This is why we focus on offering only gut-healthy foods at Clearview Horizon Girls Academy. These foods include healthy clean proteins, leafy green vegetables, and fresh fruits.
The Benefits of Nutrition Therapy Combined With Physical Activity
However, nutrition therapy cannot accomplish full mind-body recovery alone. For full healing, physical activity must be undertaken as well. Physical activity releases the essential chemicals in the brain and the body that help make healing possible. These are chemicals like endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline. All of those brain chemicals are essential for recovery.
The good news is that Clearview Horizon Girls Academy offers many excellent opportunities for physical activities. These activities include hiking up Schweitzer Mountain (as well as snowboarding and sledding down) and swimming and boating on Lake Pend Oreille. We also offer horseback riding, team sports activities, bike riding, yoga, and rock climbing.
Whole Mind-Body Healing at Clearview
Here at Clearview, we don’t simply focus on the traditional medicinal side of our students’ recovery. We also focus heavily on the nutritional side of things. This is because food truly can be medicine.
One of the first modern culinary critics and writers, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, once said “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.” Her words essentially coined the phrase “you are what you eat.” This idea is important when it comes to getting back to optimal shape in recovery.
Whole-body healing is what we are all about at Clearview Horizon Girls Academy. We don’t aim to simply fix the surface issues. No, we want our students to recover from the inside out. Nutrition therapy can help with that. Yes, food is medicine, and we are thankful for it.
Here at Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we have a very specific focus on nutrition. We believe in the concept of “food as medicine” and that proper nutrition actually replenishes the much-needed nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants) that addiction and mental health can deplete. We also believe in the benefits of gut-microbiome-specific food, and a gut-microbiome-specific diet. If you feel like your daughter is struggling with issues of addiction and/or mental health, please reach out today. We can help her and your whole family find a healthy path to recovery. For more information on the benefits of nutrition therapy and other effective types of treatments, reach out to Clearview at 866-584-4788.
