Special Diets - Health Issues

The staff at Caron Texas makes every effort to accommodate patients with dietary requirements due to health issues, such as diabetes and other diseases, and food allergies. We also realize that proper diet and nutrition has a major impact on recovery; that biochemically nutrition is an essential component of a patient’s individual drug and alcohol treatment plan.

It is important to realize that alcohol and drug addicts become malnourished and how they become malnourished. Only fat contains more calories per gram than alcohol. As a result, alcoholics while drinking experience a sense of fullness having eaten very little or nothing during a period of binge drinking. This leads to poor eating habits and eventually malnutrition. Drug abusers experience a similar affect. Alcohol and drugs actually keep the body from properly absorbing and breaking down nutrients and expelling toxins. This leads to a host of health problems.

In addition to a poor appetite, addicts experience gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, and overall an inability to digest foods properly. This results in a special need for foods that are high in nutrients to rebuild damaged tissues, organs and regain appropriate functioning of the nervous and gastrointestinal systems. Research shows that a diet with the right types of high protein and high carbohydrate-rich foods can make a big difference in dealing with the cravings for alcohol and drugs that addicts experience.

Food affects mood, which is important to the recovery process. Along with amino acids, deficiency of nutrients like folic acid and other B-complex vitamins can have a serious and negative impact on an individual. Sugar and caffeine are known to contribute to mood swings, so intake should be reduced during the early stages of recovery.

Alcohol and drug use prevent the body from processing two important amino acids, tyrosine and tryptophan, which are responsible for norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin production. These neurotransmitters are essential for emotional stability, mental clarity, and a general state of well-being. Decreased levels of these neurotransmitters negatively affect mood and behavior.

Tyrosine is a precursor to the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine--chemical messengers that promote mental acuity and alertness. It is found in protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, seafood and tofu. Tryptophan is essential to the production of serotonin, which has a calming effect and is important for proper sleep. It is found in foods such as bananas, milk and sunflower seeds, as well as in turkey meat.