The Importance of Good Nutrition During COVID-19

In these times of heightened anxiety and disrupted routines, the need to eat a balanced diet can be one of the first things to fall by the wayside. Planning and preparing healthy meals is challenging even in the best of times. But now, with entire families quarantining together and many grocery stores having a more limited selection due to coronavirus, it can be tempting to reach for readily available comfort foods that offer little in the way of fulfilling your body’s nutritional needs. Here’s how to practice good nutrition during COVID-19.

Some Foods Can Improve Your Mood and Lower Stress

Many of the foods you probably already enjoy, such as dark chocolate, coffee, nuts and bananas, can help put you in a happier mindset. Incorporating these into your diet can put a spring in your step and give you more motivation to complete your daily tasks.

A Healthy Diet Will Boost Your Immune System

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of catching – and spreading – this potentially lethal virus is a very real fear for most people. While there are many things doctors and medical researchers still don’t understand about this novel virus and why it affects people differently, it remains a proven fact that the foods you eat can make you healthier by strengthening your immune system.

• Citrus fruits and bell peppers are rich in vitamin C, which increases your white blood cell count to help your body fight infections.
• Broccoli is a superfood that is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E, as well as fiber and many antioxidants.
• Garlic does more than add a tasty zing to your favorite recipes – it also has compounds that can assist your immune system.
• Yogurt is a rich, indulgent treat whose live and active cultures can help prevent illness. Yogurt and other dairy products contain abundant vitamin D, which may play a role in protecting against respiratory conditions.

Plan Your Trips to the Supermarket

The need to practice social distancing and to leave the house only for essential errands has made each visit to the grocery store seem monumentally important. Rather than unnecessarily exposing yourself to possible infection by running out to pick up a few odds and ends for each meal, it’s a smarter idea to plan your menus at least a week in advance and cut down on trips. Make a list before you go, so you’ll minimize the time you spend in contact with fellow shoppers and be less likely to buy impulse items. Here are some tips for making a shopping list.

• Being self-quarantined doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have more time – or energy – to cook, so keep that in mind. Have a few quick and healthy go-to recipes in your back pocket that you can put together without spending hours in the kitchen.
• The healthiest meals involve fresh produce, whole grains and lean proteins. Make sure your list is heavy on these items and light on processed foods. If you play your cards right, you’ll often find you can skip most of the middle aisles of the store and stick to the perimeter.
• As much as possible, try to visualize the layout of your favorite supermarket and make your list in the same order of where you’d find items in the store.

A Healthier Today and Tomorrow

Coronavirus has affected nearly every aspect of our daily lives, but that doesn’t mean it has to change your commitment to eating a healthy diet and nourishing your body from the inside out. Remember, eating well is part of self-care.

If you’re looking to change your life for the better by breaking the cycle of substance abuse, contact us at Hope Academy for your confidential assessment. We offer qualified addiction programming for young adults in California.

4 Ways to Boost Your Recovery

In addition to following your treatment plan, there are several steps you can take to enhance your recovery and heal your mind, body and spirit. And, in fact, these activities can help you long after rehab as you work to succeed in school, life and sobriety. 

• Add exercise to your every day: Making exercise part of your recovery plan is a great way to relieve stress, anxiety and other negative emotions common in recovery. You’ll also boost your self-confidence and have a go-to activity to stay busy during those times when you need a healthy distraction. 
• Make positive thinking a habit. Keeping negative thoughts – like anger, resentment or guilt – at bay is a challenge for many people in recovery. But a big part of staying sober is adopting a healthy mindset – and this means making an effort to think more positively (or to not indulge in negative thought patterns) about yourself and the world around you. 
• Feed your body. Proper nutrition will give your body the key nutrients and vitamins needed to heal from the damage of substance abuse. By eating healthy, real foods, you’ll also have more energy and focus to complete recovery tasks. Remember to drink lots of water (to flush out those toxins) and aim for a well-rounded diet of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean protein. 
• Write out your feelings. Journaling is a cathartic way to begin or end your day. And there’s no rules: Use the blank page to get out your feelings, write about your recovery experiences or track your progress. 

Giving Young Adults the Skills for Lifelong Recovery

Overcoming addiction is challenging, but it’s possible. At Hope Academy, our young adult addiction program will help you or someone you love manage life and school without the crutch of drugs and/or alcohol. To learn more about our addiction recovery services or verify your insurance, call today: 866-930-4673.

What Will Motivate You to Get Healthy?

Which would compel you to make your diet more nutritious? Reading an article on the health dangers of high-sugar, high-fat diets or reading an article on the cynical practices of food companies and how they make unhealthy foods more addictive? 

If you answered the latter, you’re not alone. According to a recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doing something just because it’s the healthier choice doesn’t cut it for most teens. Instead, adolescents are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors in order to feel socially conscious or to rebel against a corrupt authority figure. 

An article in The New York Times likens these findings to a 2000 anti-smoking campaign, which “framed smoking as an act of corporate submission” to a corrupt tobacco industry. “Adolescents have this craziness that we can criticize — or we can tap into,” Ron Berger, who taught public school for 28 years, told The NY Times. “This is a time in their lives when justice matters, more than any other time.”

So what else might a teenager be compelled to do (or not do) in the name of benevolent defiance, questioned NY Times author Amanda Ripley. “Could adolescents who learn about the profit motives of the beauty industry begin to see photo shopped images as propaganda? Could they start to resent how video-game designers borrow slot-machine manufacturers’ tricks to make their products more addictive?”

Getting Motivated to Get Help
Sobriety empowers you to find your purpose—and Hope Academy can help. To learn more about our young adult addiction program, call today: 866-930-4673.