Advice from our Nutrition Coach Kathleen Russell

Creating new ideas and habits around food is the easiest way for implementing change that sticks and no longer feels like a chore. Learning that we matter and deserve good health is the first step.  When struggling is our daily reality it becomes normal and neglecting ourselves is a result of that struggle. Recovery reminds us to live one day at a time or in this case, one meal at a time. This philosophy is a way to simplify our thinking and to remain mindful of our choices.

Our journey in recovery teaches us that our addictions blocked us from reaching our spirit selves. The quiet voice within was rarely heard. Learning to have a new relationship with food is not by any means easy and as with any change, requires a conscious commitment to take the necessary steps. Daily meditation is a powerful way to enhance our attitude towards ourselves. I would encourage you to begin a short daily practice alongside your nutrition changes to help make your new lifestyle easier.

Understanding the value of feeding the body and really helping our systems to operate at its best is a very positive life altering action. If we choose to pay attention we will see results in a relatively short time. A little effort goes a long way and there are endless possibilities for healing from within.

It is very common for people in recovery to go through cycles with food for absolute comfort. We may find that much of our food intake becomes excessive as we try and fill the void that our other addictions used to fill. I have been there at times in my own recovery and have witnessed the disease manifesting itself in this way.

So just what can we do to accomplish feeling better and taking care of our mind, body, spirit connection as a whole person, using food? Can we feed the body to honor not just the body, but the soul and mind also? The answer is, yes we can. It’s possible and very advantageous to have a new enriching relationship with nutrition when recovering from addiction, and mental and emotional issues.  We deserve to give our best effort at maintaining good health!

The first step is simple. Become aware of how you feel after eating or drinking anything.  Mindfulness is a good place to start – Pay Attention to your body and its reactions.

Here are some ideas to get started:

• Take a minute to write a list of foods you think would be healthy to eat that you will enjoy.
• Go shopping and buy them in advance (3 days is best and keeps the food fresh). Pre planning is a great tool.
• Decide to pay attention to how you feel after a meal. Even pick just one meal a day to start with and write down any negative or positive affects you become aware of.
• Purified water is extremely important. The best way to individualize your needed intake daily is to take your current body weight, cut that number in half and you are left with ounces needed per day. For example if you weight 150lbs, 75oz of water is your daily water requirement.
• Become familiar with food labelling so you know exactly what you are ingesting and how many calories consumed daily, paying specific attention to Protein, Carbohydrates and fat grams per serving is extremely helpful.

Whether you are looking to lose weight, gain weight or maintain a healthy balance, these simple steps offer endless possibilities for healing from within.

As a woman in long term recovery, making healthier choices has helped my own recovery incredibly, and it’s making those choices on a daily basis that accumulates long term benefits.

Here’s to your Health.