A Plan For Recovery

1. Pray and meditate while making up your mind to make changes in your lifestyle.

2. Get an evaluation from your doctor.

3. Eat balanced meals as tolerated and as advised by your doctor.

4. Try to eat your meals at the same times each day.

5. If you feel you need to snack or start to crave sweets, nicotine or other substances, snack on healthy items.

6. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables daily.

7. Take a dietary supplement if you need one.

8.  Restrict the amount of sugary foods you eat

9. Find alternatives to coffee, tea and caffeinated beverages.

10. Avoid putting yourself in situations that are likely to present temptations for you.

Some Specific Drugs That Cause Nutritional Problems

Amphetamines (“speed” or “uppers”)

Methamphetamines (“speed”, “meth”, “chalk”)

Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, “ice”, “crystal”, “glass”, “tina”)
-Makes the mouth dry, alters taste, causes nausea, upset stomach, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach ulcers, back and forth cases of constipation and diarrhea.

Cocaine (“snow, or “coke”)

 -Alters taste of food, has an anesthetic effect.

Barbiturates (“barbs”, “downers”)

-Causes vitamin D, calcium, Thiamine (B-1), folic acid and vitamin B-12 to function improperly in the body. It also causes the body to lose more vitamin C.

Tranquilizers (“Valium”, “Librium”)

-Causes increased appetite, weight gain, and higher cholesterol levels. It also causes the vitamin Riboflavin (B-2) not to work properly in the body.

Opium

Causes cravings for sweets, fluctuations in blood sugar, and possibly weight gain.

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (“LSD”)

Phencyclidine (“PCP”, “angel dust”)

-Causes high blood pressure, increased heart rate and increased blood sugar.

 Marijuana/Cannabinoide (“pot”, “grass”, “Weed”)

-Causes dry mouth, increased appetite and weight gain.

Heroin (“H”, “junk”, “smack”)

-Leads to decreased appetite and weight loss. Also causes nausea, vomiting, constipation and electrolyte imbalance.

Morphine (“M”, “dreamer”) codeine

-Causes dry mouth, loss of appetite, weight loss, slowed digestion, nausea, vomiting and constipation.

Nicotine (cigarettes)
-Causes vitamin C to not work properly.

Caffeine – found in coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, soft drinks and some over-the-counter medications

Caffeine is a stimulant. It can lead to insomnia, nervousness, irritability, anxiety, heart rate and heart rhythm disturbances.

Alcohol – found in liquor, wine and beer. It can lead to malnutrition because it provides calories without protein, vitamins or minerals. It takes the body about 1 1/2 hours to process a serving of alcohol. Alcohol significantly affects most vitamins and minerals in the body and thus, leads to many health problems. It can also lead to burning or erosion of the throat and stomach, bleeding ulcers, high blood sugar, low blood sugar, and cirrhosis of the liver, cholesterol problems and diarrhea.

Sugar – a concentrated form of carbohydrates that has 16 calories per teaspoon. Sugar provides calories while not providing other important nutrients. Too much sugar can lead to obesity, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder disorder, liver problems, high blood pressure, hernia, gout and breathing disorders. Too much sugar can also cause tooth decay.

Substances Of Abuse: We Can Overcome

Substances of abuse, including Alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs and prescription drugs if taken without discretion, can affect your health and nutrition status.

1. Some substances increase or decrease your appetite,

2. Some substances interfere with the absorption of nutrients from the foods you eat.

3. Some substances interfere with your metabolism or how your body uses the nutrients in the foods you eat.

4. Some substances affect how your body excretes urine and feces.

5. Some substances can interact with medications you need to take in order to manage a health problem.

So when we take concentrated substances into our bodies whether they are necessary, unnecessary or illicit substances, there are almost always side affects and/or consequences---and we should always weigh the benefits of taking medication versus what would happen to you if you don’t take the medicine. The cure should not be worse than the disease. Certainly recreational drugs should have no place in a healthy persons lifestyle.