Addiction takes a significant toll on your body’s physical resources, and this depletion can leave you feeling unwell and may bring on serious cravings as you move through recovery. Adding some useful herbs to your diet may help in restoring your body’s balance.
Are cravings threatening to derail your recovery? A visit to the local health food store may offer some relief. Talk to your doctor first about adding some of these herbs to your shopping list to help quell your cravings.
Overcoming Addiction and Cravings through Healthy Living
Part of recovery focuses on rebuilding an ability to cope with stress using healthy mechanisms rather than addiction. Another crucial step is helping your body return to a healthy, thriving state, where it has the nutrients, vitamins and activity it needs for you to live your best life.
Dependency on drugs or alcohol throws your body wildly off-balance, and restoring this balance in recovery can be an uncomfortable process. As you move away from your reliance on a particular substance, you will likely still experience cravings for it as your body slowly readjusts. However, adding in or increasing your intake of certain vitamins and nutrients can help mitigate cravings and restore your health.
Herbal Medicine and Supplements
Both traditional and modern forms of medicine have identified a variety of herbs as having properties that are useful in overcoming addiction. Many of these can be purchased at your local health food or vitamin stores, and can be effective in reducing cravings, restoring organ health, or managing symptoms of withdrawal. Potentially useful herbs can include:
- Milk Thistle
- Kudzu
- Liquorice
- Kava Kava
- Cayenne Pepper
- Dandelion
- St. John’s Wort
- Passionflower
- Goldenseal
- Ginseng
Vitamins and Nutrients
Addiction drains your body of key nutrients needed to support healthy organ function, positive moods, and sufficient energy to get you through your days. Consciously adding these back in can make a world of difference in your recovery and your long-term health. Key vitamins, minerals and nutrients include:
- Vitamin B – often depleted during addiction, this vitamin helps improve brain function and memory, aids sleep, reduces anxiety, and helps digestion
- Amino Acids – taking amino acid supplements can aid in restoring brain chemistry and mitigating cravings
- Zinc – helps to improve brain, liver and immune system functioning
- Iron – reduces occurrences of headaches, low energy, and depression
- Calcium and magnesium – help to boost mood, improve nerve function, and promote bone and muscle health
- Omega-3 – these essential fatty acids help to manage anxiety, depression, and stabilize moods, as well as reduce inflammation and improve nerve function
Holistic Healing at The Dawn
The Dawn Wellness Centre and Rehab Thailand takes a holistic approach to recovery, helping you to uncover the root causes of your addiction while strengthening your ability to cope with stress and take care of your physical and mental health. Our programmes employ a unique “Twin Pillars” approach, combining the most effective Western psychotherapies with proven Eastern wellness practises to fully heal your mind and body.
Call us today to learn more about how we can help you restore your health and ease you into a lasting recovery.
