The Mediterranean diet helps those in treatment to build back a healthy body and mind.
Healthy eating. It sounds so simple, but it really does benefit someone already in treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction. In addition to the damage substance abuse does to relationships and families, it also depletes the body. Without the necessary nutrients, it’s harder to focus and to do the work required for a successful stay in treatment.
The Mediterranean Diet
That’s why treatment centers like La Paloma rely on the healthy Mediterranean diet to restore the physical health of those in their care. The diet is characterized by a high intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grain cereals as well as unsaturated fat in the form of heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil and a lot of wild-caught fish (unfried and unbreaded, of course). Conversely, adherents focus on eating few saturated fats (like those found in meat and dairy) and a low intake of dairy, meat and poultry.
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Addiction recovery consists of much more than simply ending a chemical dependency. Even the food you eat plays a role. When food is in its most natural state, the body recognizes and responds to it more readily than processed snacks or junk foods. The level of nutrients satisfies more readily than empty foods. 