Diet – Three Main Hot Meal and Snack
Having a good nutritional status is an important factor in the progression of an addict’s treatment. Therefore, providing proper nutrition is one of the main ways in the program of detoxification of addicts. In a variety of addictions (drug and alcohol), preventing malnutrition or, if any, dietary treatment is of special importance. Substances that affect the immune defense and immune system are toxic to the body and cause physical damage and malnutrition. In general, drug addiction increases the nutritional needs of the individual. Therefore, the need for nutrients to detoxify and increase the metabolism (the amount of energy needed to metabolize drugs) increases in addict individuals.
Nutritional Problems in Addicts
- Deactivation of vitamins and coenzymes involved in the metabolism of nutrients.
- Depletion of liver deposits due to liver lesions
- Bad Attraction
- Low intake of nutrients due to anorexia
- The weakening of muscles and organs and increased nutrient excretion due to excretion of urine or diarrhea. Addiction is a mental and social disease and nutritional care should be applied in the treatment of addiction in a team form. The principles that a dietitian applies in setting up a diet for addicts to detoxify is:
- Assessing the nutritional status of the addicted person in the course of drug addiction
- Monitoring nutritional rehab via nutritious meals
- Apply nutritional programs and counseling with the addicted person as well as his affiliates
- Follow-up care for an addict after an addiction withdrawal program
Assessing Nutrition Status
During the time of drug withdrawal, the body suffers from physical stress and distress. Following these stresses, complications such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea occur, leading to disturbances in body salts and fluids, and disturbances in the body’s caloric balance. The diet should be adjusted in such a way as to reduce the severity of the disturbance and complications of drug addiction. The type and severity of nutrient lacking should be identified as soon as possible to determine the type of nutritional supplement needed. Biochemical tests are available to determine the body’s metabolites (protein, iron, electrolytes, which are the mineral salts in the blood, and water-soluble vitamins that contain vitamin C and B vitamins). Addicts with liver disorders should refrain from taking iron and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins a, d, e, k). For various reasons including poor diet, the immune system is impaired in most addicts, and therefore addicts who are exposed to the HIV virus are more likely to become infected. Probably an inadequate diet is one of the drivers of the growth and spread of the virus until the stages of the infection. If an AIDS virus is detected in an addicted person, a diet rich in calories and nutrients with supplementation should be used.
Diet Teaching and Counseling in order to Have a New Lifestyle
Nutrition counseling is required at all stages of the treatment process, and issues such as finding a substitute for drugs, appetite, using a balanced meal in a nutritional education program, and counseling for recovery are considered.
Irregular meals, lack of snacks cause blood sugar changes, followed by an increase in the need for a drug addict and increases the risk of addiction. After the person is discharged from rehab centers he/she should be monitored to improve nutritional disturbances and individual weight changes. In nutritional counseling, issues such as self-esteem, sense of responsibility, ability to establish social relationships, must be discussed and close family involvement guarantees the success of the addiction treatment program.
