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Physical wellbeing and alcohol use have a strong relationship. When a person consumes too much alcohol for too long, their physical fitness suffers. And when a person improves their physical wellbeing or fitness, their fight against alcoholism and its negative effects improve.
Essentially, using alcohol for a long time dampers the ability of a person to achieve their physical wellbeing goals. On the other hand, working out can be an effective method for combating alcoholism. It can help in counteracting the negative effects of alcohol on the overall health of a person.
Some people on AA meetings say they noticed an improvement in their physical health after engaging in exercises and relaxing more often. These approaches, combined with proper nutrition, help individuals that want to recover from alcoholism in many ways. They can also prevent a relapse.
By the time most people seek professional treatment for alcoholism, they are no longer engaging in physical exercises. Some of them are also not getting a proper diet at this time. Improving physical wellbeing by exercising more often, and eating properly can, therefore, help with alcoholism. Essentially, working on physical wellbeing is a great way to adapt to a healthier lifestyle when fighting alcoholism.
How Exercising and Relaxing Can Help with Recovery
Research indicates that exercise can positively impact excessive alcohol consumption and the resulting problems. That’s because it can lead to a reduction in alcohol intake. As such, engaging in physical activity can help with recovery from alcoholism.
When a person engages in more recreational activities, they can reduce stress, Stress is often a relapse trigger for people battling alcoholism. What’s more, engaging in a recreational activity can reduce boredom. For some people, boredom is a major relapse trigger. Also, physical activity can boost the emotional wellbeing of a person by restoring their life balance.
Involvement in physical activity can boost the overall health of a person. It can also make them feel good physically. And this can help with recovery from alcoholism by minimizing post-acute withdrawal symptoms’ severity if they re-occur.
Incorporating Physical Activity in Your Recovery Process
When a person is going through active alcoholism, they may not engage in physical activity. That means by the time they are in a recovery facility, they have been physically inactive for quite a long time. Therefore, it’s reasonable for such people to check with their healthcare provider or doctor before they engage in any physical activity. What’s more, a person should ease into any physical exercise they choose. Ideally, a person should avoid overdoing the exercise early. Most people attending AA meetings report being discouraged due to the effects of over-exercising.
So, when a person starts exercising hoping the move will help in the fight against alcoholism, they should know they are not doing it to become a professional athlete. A daily walk in the mall or neighborhood might be enough. A recovering alcoholic can also play with kids in the park or even go for a bicycle ride. Even picking up the sport they enjoyed before alcoholism could help. So, if you were once a fan of softball or table tennis, consider engaging in such activity.
Ideally, a recovering alcoholic should focus on being active at a comfortable level. Their progress in being physically active should be gradual, not instant. That way, they can avoid feeling discouraged and improve their health.
Eat Healthy and Exercise
In addition to physical activity, recovering addicts should embrace healthy eating habits. That means an individual recovering from addiction should focus on getting proper nutrition. During active alcoholism, most people spend most of their time drinking. That means they don’t eat properly.
Research has shown that most people in active alcoholism also have malnutrition. That’s because alcohol suppresses a person’s appetite. As such, many people have already skipped several meals by the time they enter rehab or professional alcohol treatment programs. Essentially, the appetite-suppressing effects of alcohol make a person feel full at the time they should eat.
When attending AA meetings USA forums, most recovering alcoholics admit to having poor eating behavior. And this increases or exacerbates the risk of certain health conditions. Consequently, engaging in physical activity without working on diet or eating habits can worsen the condition. Here are health problems that a person can develop if they don’t eat properly and exercise while recovering from alcoholism.
- Brain Damage: The brain function can suffer severe or even permanent effects if a person doesn’t eat properly while fighting alcoholism. Thiamine deficiency, which is common among alcoholics, can lead to serious neurological problems.
- Liver Disease: Alcohol is a primary cause of liver damage in alcoholics. However, poor nutrition increases the chances of developing liver disease.
- Pregnancy complications: Nutritional deficiency and alcohol can affect the development of a fetus. What’s more, alcohol can cause nutritional deficiencies in the mother. And this can affect fetus’ nutrition adversely.
- Pancreatitis: Protein deficiency can exacerbate the damaging effects of alcohol on the human pancreas.
Essentially, good nutrition is as important as physical activity for a recovering alcoholic. Both nutrition and physical wellbeing lessen most post-acute withdrawal effects that a recovering alcoholic may experience. What’s more, proper nutrition helps in rebuilding the body organs that alcohol might have damaged.
Work with Experts and Others in Recovery
One of the best approaches towards recovering from addiction is avoiding journeying alone. That’s why many recovering addicts join Alcoholics Anonymous programs. Being part of such groups enables a person to share their experiences and learn from the other recovering addicts. And there are many types of AA meetings that a recovering addict can consider.
Since alcohol is a highly addictive substance, overcoming alcoholism without professional assistance is not easy. Even when you know that physical wellbeing and a proper diet can help, you need professional assistance. That’s where professional rehab or treatment programs come in.
Therefore, if you or a person you care about is battling addiction, talk to them about seeking treatment at a professional facility. They should also be part of an aftercare program where they can share their experiences with other recovering addicts. Perhaps, the best approach is to find out how long do AA meetings last and the requirements for joining them. That way, a recovering alcoholic can always have people to talk to whenever they feel like relapsing.
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