Take Control Of Your Health

The Smart Recovery handbook reminds us, that once an Addictive Behavior is stopped, our appetite returns. Unfortunately for me, and probably others, it returned ravenously. It seems that it happens so quickly, that I almost didn’t even have time to lasso it, and bring it under control. Or at least bring to control not so much my eating in general, but just what I was actually eating.

An imperative factor to living a healthy life, whether you’ve never been an addict, or you’re a person now living in Recovery & Sobriety is healthy eating. It’s a factor to keeping things like blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol at healthy levels, and it also assists in the quality of other areas of physical health, as well as mental health too. No doubt about it. A key factor is to remain mindful and vigilant that our appetites will return briskly once we begin sobriety. Instead of starving ourselves, or trying to fight off and ignore that strong craving of munchies that may appear, it’s often better to feed that appetite, and if we get that issue often, then we should often feed that craving. It is all about keeping things healthy, not hindered.

Sometimes with a healthy diet, it’s better to stay a few steps ahead, and pre plan. Keeping a shopping and grocery list ahead of time is one big step that helps avoid impulse eating, and impulse buying.

Exercise is next on the list. Smart Recovery states the obvious, that “any for of physical exercise is beneficial.” I can write and speak first hand about this.

Exercise is something that I recommend keeping very gradual and slow, and pacing ones self.

You will be surprised how well it will get, and how quick the progress will be. The slower one starts off, it seems the better the outcome will actually be. I would say maybe start off with walking. Start at 15 minute intervals, 4 to 5 days a week. Then take it to 30 minutes. Then add a day. Next thing you know, you will be walking for 45 minutes, 6 days a week. If you follow that pace, then those numbers will not at all be extreme. Keep it at 15 minutes per mile. So, you have yourself 3 miles in 45 minutes.

Numbers like that, will boost your health tremendously. Your progress one month will be excellent. Not too strenuous, but certainly brisk.

That, along with hearty, but healthy diet is wonderful for heart health, and you may see great progress in things like blood pressure.

Sleep is a major factor in all of human health. The patters of our sleep go through dramatic and drastic changes for those in active addiction, and those who go back into sobriety. It is one of the parts of life that are hit the hardest when it comes to the parts of us that change because of addiction and alcoholism.

When we choose sobriety, our bodies will need some time to adjust, and though discouragement is quite common, a good amount of patience is needed for that adjustment.

I can confirm that another thing related to sleep especially in the early phases of recovery, are nightmares, and disturbing dreams. Simple things like light exercise each day, and giving ourselves a settling down period before bedtime each night has the chance to help. Stopping activities that stimulate the brain around an hour before bed is a good idea.

Things long known to relate to that are things like television watching, and playing with our cell phones, especially in this era of smart phones.

After time, sleep patterns usually return to normal. For those of you not in addiction, are seem to be suffering, I always believe in addressing issues like these with your doctor. Sleep is one of the most important things we have for our health. So, let’s keep good care of it.

The last subject is Medication. Smart Recovery, as well as I wholeheartedly support the science and benefit of medication. Psychiatric medications can work excellently in conjunction with therapy, and a complete treatment plan when it comes to mental health treatment, or addiction treatment.

Neither Smart Recovery, nor myself can give advice specifically on pharmaceuticals, like doctors can. It is however, an avenue I’d strongly recommend.

Another component,encompassing & regaining our overall health.