CareBearStare

I was just wondering what everyone else was doing to try to get healthy other than being sober. I know I started taking a multivitamin, and drinking more water. I am looking for a tension reliever too like maybe doing yoga. Any suggestions.

odaat

I didn't really focus on anything else for the first 6 months. I suppose I was 'white-knuckling' it. After 7 months, I felt able to tackle my binge eating, and have been binge free for 11 weeks. I'm now trying to keep on top of the housework and chores, not easy with depression. I'm having an assessment with the Community Mental Health Team next week, so hopefully I can get some help for my depression and anxiety. I've started taking a multivitamin tablet too. I'm trying to leave the house more, as I've suffered with very bad anxiety outside for a while and haven't left the house much.

Aysha

I always go on health kicks when I am trying to get clean.
Hopefully this will be my last time "TRYING".
I eat right and try to do at least 15 mins of walking or something like that.
I want to start taking a multivitamin too.
I am going to join the gym soon. Something to do during winter months.
I start doing real good with it and after a month or two I end up relapsing.
I plan to not relapse again and maybe see some real results in my health and body.
I also try to have quiet meditation type time. Really just relaxing somewhere peaceful and just soaking in my surroundings.
Thats what I miss about living in Florida...The beach or the intercoastal is the perfect place for me to do that.
Now I ma in Ny and the closest thing to water is the nasty ole Mohawk River. Too darn cold right now to sit by water.

CareBearStare

I know what you mean about beautiful settings. I live in a stinky little meat packing town. When I go outside it smells like burnt hair lol... I tried doing the meditation thing before but my mind goes bonkers when I am sitting still lol...

Odaat, I think working on your depression and anxiety is a great way to get healthy. I definitely need to work on my depression myself, but I dont have a doctor. So meds are out for me right now. I am just hoping by getting healthy physically it will help my mental health. We will see.

Hevyn

It was suggested to me to take all the B Vitamins, Thiamin & Vitamin C (acts as an anti-toxin). Since we don't pay attention to what we're eating when drinking (a favorite dinner of mine was chips & dip) we're not only malnourished from not eating right, the alcohol is also robbing us of any nutrition that we do get. I finally told my doctor what I'd been up to, drinking wise. He did a liver test & other things. I know I hurt my stomach by not only drinking but taking mega doses of painkillers to try to calm the shakes. Walking is great, however living near the ocean, as I do now, has a downside - so many bars & party places! When I first ventured out into the world as the fog started to clear I felt like an alien! I had to take tiny baby steps. Feel much better now, and even talk to people sometimes! Imagine....

CareBearStare

I read also about the B vitamins but I am hoping that the multi will be giving those to me. Walking sounds good but that time of year around here is about over ... Snow and cold lol... I dont know how much fun that would be. I have thought about the gym thing too but I dont have anyone to watch my kids and the gym that has onsight chlid care is really really expensive... I have already used the only person that will watch my kids to go to AA lol and she will only do it once a week.

Jomey

Hi Care Bear, I highly recommend yoga. I started in the middle of July (before I was sober, because my tension had nothing to do with my drinking, of course - rolling eyes here) and I have been amazed by how useful both the class and the skills that you learn are. If getting out to a class is a problem, maybe you could try a DVD at home? Most rental places have them. Good luck!

CareBearStare

I was thinking of tivo-ing some off the fitness channel lol...

Afraid2Succeed

Hi Carebearshare,
I'm am totally a health freak nut, and recently an exercise nut.

I've reduced/eliminated the amount of white, refined carbs.
I've reduced the amount of red meat consumption.
I've upped my fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
I eat not to be full, but to be not hungry.
I've started to swim everyday. In less than 5 days I'm back to swimming for 25 min non-stop!
I drink green tea instead of coffee (which also stains the teeth).
I take Omega 3 and Omega 6 for my heart and circulation, 1/meal.
I take multi-vitamin just to cover all my bases.
I take B-complex once a day for my nervous system and brain.
I take chlorella to detoxify and remove harmful metals in my system.
I take digestive enzymes w/each meal to break down my food (less gas).
I try to eat every color of the rainbow each day.
I do slight weight training to look good.
I have a 29 gallon fishtank to keep my calm.
I have SR to help with my recovery!

And I think yoga would be great for relaxation. So would meditation. So would reading.

Thanks to all the other posts for some great tips!

Best,
Dave

gypsytears

Vitamins
Daily walk/Bike Ride
Yoga
Meditation

I've always eaten healthy & the vitamins. Only the walk & yoga/meditation is since stopping drinking.

GrouchoTheCat

Yoga good,
Tie-Chi good,
Meditation good,
Walking, good,
Vitamins, good,

It's all good, do whatever appeals to you.

Tap-dancing, good

Jomey

Hi Care Bear - If you decide to Tivo, make sure you watch an episode or two first, esp. if you are a beginner. I taped some stuff off the fitness channel, and I was knotted up like a pretzel & unable to keep up in two seconds flat!! It was very depressing for this beginner, b/c I had already taped about 2 weeks worth of stuff and there was just no way I will EVER be able to do them!

Octoman

I have returned to the gym. Something I used to do regularly some years back. I take a break from work three or four times a week to go for an hour. I have a long way to ge on the fitness front but just using my body and the simple task of focusing on a particular excercise is incredibly therapeutic for me. Right now I think I get as much from the process mentally as well as physically.

I would like to tackly my eating habits but dont feel able to confront that just yet. I have been eating a huge amount of sweet things lately...

I am trying to do healthy physical activities with my family at the weekends. I used to arrange everything so I could drink so we never traveled anywhere - even locally. Today we went to the beach. I dug a hole in the sand with my two year old son and then we sat in it as the incoming tide filled it. He was laughing so much I couldnt help but laugh too. I became a two year old myself for a little while I think

Hevyn

Oh, Octo that brought tears to my eyes - those are the little things we don't even notice when we're obsessed with alcohol - being sure we have access to it at all times, or our nerves are shattered. If I left the house I made sure I was going somewhere it would be available, if not I made sure I took a little stash. (Also had to be sure there'd be a restroom nearby wherever I was!) I had been a person who liked to hike or go for long walks - well, that was out! It does feel strange when you're first without it, but if you give yourself a chance you realize just what a fool you've been anesthetizing yourself against some of life's most precious moments.

tawny

Check out the book "seven weeks to sobriety". It has some really good stuff in it regarding vitamins and diet. I just started it today..I'll post back in a week and let you know how it is working.

chicago

i have a multi-layed fitness program intact. the backbone of it is my diet. i eat extremely healthy (fruits, veggies, and boneless skinless chicken breast). in addition i consume large amounts of protein in a variety of ways (shakes, bars, foods). lots of water....no fried foods, fast foods, or sweets (i do have 2 fellowship cheat meals a week where we go out for pizza after meetings though).

i workout rigorously. 4-5 times a week i hit the weights extremely hard. also im taking yoga for school twice a week at night after work. so not only am i graduating in spring, but growing spiritually!

diet, working out, yoga, and AA....cant beat it. im in insanely good shape now after only 4 months of healthy nutrition/exercise. this the first time in my life ive been totally comfortable in my own skin. i am proud to be me for the first in my life. its all because of sobriety....i was always insecure.

Afraid2Succeed

chicago you just inspired me! good job!

CareBearStare

Thanks for all of your imput... I really appreciate the suggestions and they were all great... I imagine that just living free from alcohol is the first step to becoming healthly lol. But I think these are lots of things that can help take my mind off of it.

Hevyn

Not that outward appearance is the most important thing, but was just thinking today when brushing my hair - handfuls of it did NOT come out in my brush as has happened the past few months. Also my fingernails are growing, where they wouldn't before. SO, that just proves to me that I have been malnourished & what it's probably done to my insides would be very scary. Only 4 wks. off it and already an improvement. We need x-rays of what our intestines look like when drinking, as when they used to show us the x-rays of black lungs to try and keep us from smoking.

Octoman

Thats so true Hevyn. For me, enjoying the simple pleasures in life like a day at the seaside with my little boy has been the greatest part of my recovery process. A lot of the recovery process takes time and patience for the benefits to become apparent but improving as a father has been an immediate benefit. Something I can feel proud about.