Robzoloft

Hey All- Anybody know or know how to access information on nutritional support for alcohol recovery and for dealing with various PAWS type symptoms? I'm specifically looking for info on vitamin and supplement support for some of the mental health type issues ( anxiety, insomnia, etc.) as well as support for physical healing after long term active alcoholism and addiction....Thanks

c49

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...influence.html This sticky thread has some content on nutrition but I do recommend the book, which I am currently hooked on.

In a nutshell, complex vitamins (especially B and B12), vit C, a balanced diet and exercise is the way to go. No instant gratification here. It works and you can feel better in as little as a few days to a few weeks or more depending on how much damage you did over the years.

Be patient, which I know for us drunks, can be asking the impossible at times.

c49

I should add... limit the caffeine!! The difference in energy between 1 cup or 6 cups of coffee is slight at best. BUT, The effect on anxiety is HUGE!

Robzoloft

Thanks for the info...I'll check it out

CarolD

If you Google ...beware of sites that promise quick healing.
They are there to sell you their products ..

By following the eating plan + supplements recommended in
"Under The Influence" and by walking daily to AA

I felt back in balance physically and mentally by the
end of 2 months sober.

Wishing you the best a healthy life offers...

andyaddict

Might I suggest information on nutritional support NOT dealing with alcohol and various PAWS type symptoms?

I think all the hype surrounding "the past" impedes an individual's progress into long term healthy living in the present and for the future.

It was mentioned already, vitamins, exercise, and a reduction in caffeine - very good advice.

First though, I noticed your name ***zoloft... be careful with linking your identity so closely with pharmaceuticals. I always suggest researching any mind-changing mood altering medications and communicating that inventory with your medical professional - remember, you are just as responsible for your recovery and/or wellbeing as your medical provider is.

Let me expound a little on the lifestyle modifications that were already mentioned.

Vitamins - we all (most all) live with nutrient deficient diet, any dietician will tell you that. In today's society if one wants a healthy body it is our responsibility to take a seriously hard look at what goes in to that body - not just the supplements but the complete diet, every meal, every part of that meal, and portions thereof.

Research the vitamins and minerals as well some will help to wake you up, i.e. stimulate the central nervous system (ex. potassium) and some will work to relax you (ex. calcium).

Exercise - we all (most all) live a sedentary lifestyle (couch potatoes). This has been ever increasing since the industrial age. Our bodies have evolved to be active - hunters and gatherers. This takes energy and exercise, so very few members of our society gets but a fraction of what people used to exert only a few generations ago. This allows heightened levels of the chemicals released by the human stress response to flow and flow through the body as they do their damage. Regular exercise, even as little as 1/2 hour 3X/week will help to alleviate some of the most severe stress symptoms (insomnia & anxiety) and subsequent physiological damage.

Caffeine - caffeine is a drug, period. It is commonly served at meetings and used with impunity by many. "You" might be an exception, especially when mixed with a variety of other lifestyle complications (not to mention medical or psychological). I always suggest limiting the amount of caffeine and completely cutting it off at least 6 hours before you plan to sleep for it has a very long half-life.

Sleep - One that wasn't mentioned and rarely get's the respect it deserves. The human sleep cycle is the offset of the wake cycle (duh!) but it is more complex than that. If one does not achieve a healthy sleep they will not experience a healthy wake. The wakening cycle consists primarily of the sympathetic nervous system (stress cycle) where as the sleep cycle consists of the parasympathetic (rest, digest, heal, and grow). Think of them like a teeter totter or seesaw.

Caffeine, as already mentioned, will significantly impede a healthy sleep cycle. However a couple other tricks that can help you sleep would be the use of natural sedatives like calcium, magnesium, valerian root, and even chamomile (tea). Turn the lights and sound down this naturally triggers the melatonin in the brain. Exercise a little ever day as it burns off the natural stimulants created during the wake cycle (stress response) epinephrine, norepinephrine, & cortisol. And lastly, go to bed with an "empty" stomach, it is a myth (and poor one at that) that going to bed hungry is a bad thing. Digestion of excessive food impedes the critical, deeper cycles necessary for a recuperative sleep. This also allows for a greater appetite for the most important meal of the day - breakfast.

In closing, all of these need to work together to increase overall health. I don't see the need to research "alcohol" or other drug interactions unless you plan on going back to using them AND live a healthy life (see the paradox?).

Good luck with your recovery and remember - it's the journey not the destination.

a