Addiction takes a toll on a person, and even if you aren’t the one with the problem, a family member’s addiction can affect you too. Living with an addict isn’t always easy, and you may find that once they’ve gone through recovery you need to make changes too, to help them stay on the right path. You may have to removed all alcohol from the home, or even put locks on your medicine cabinets.
There is a path to a healthier life, though, for addicts. It’s sometimes a long road to get there, and then you need to treat yourself, or your family member, with kid gloves as they learn to live life without the thing they were addicted to. It is basically like learning to live life all over again.
Eating Healthier
By adopting a healthier diet, a recovered or recovering addict can work to make their body healthy again. Healthy foods promote the health of your body and your mind. Also, by finding a new focus, such as this, you’ll have less time to focus on addiction.
You could take some classes on healthy eating and healthy cooking, if it’s something that is new to you. As a recovered addict, you may also want to cut out other addictive substances, such as caffeine and sugar. It will be a work in progress, but as you continue to eat healthier you’ll feel stronger and happier.
Getting Exercise
Exercise is another way to help heal your body after addiction, and it will also help you strengthen your mind, body, and soul. Even if you don’t need to lose weight or build muscle, exercise can still be a good thing for you.
Take up light workout practices, like yoga and walking. These are both things that give you meditation and reflection time, while still strengthening your body. Nature walks allow you to get outside and breath fresh air, and get that natural vitamin D from the sun, which is also great for your health.
Friendships
Living healthier after recovery also has a lot to do with the people that you have in your life. Addicts need to pull away from the enablers in their lives, even if they are family members. It can be hard to let go of people, but when it comes to bettering your health it can be an extremely important step.
Make friends with people you’ve met in recovery, who understand what you are going through. This can be helpful on your path. Also, keep around the people that have stood by your side and helped you get clean and sober, they are the people that really care.
You can have a healthy life clean and sober, you just might need to work a little harder at it.
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