Addiction recovery and a new wellness routine may sometimes seem like two different endeavors to take on at a time. There is extensive physical and mental effort required to move forward from addiction and create new healthy habits, so why attempt both at the same time? Holistic addiction treatment for addiction recovery is based on the re-learning of new thought processes that support healthier habits than the ones leading up to an addiction. By supplementing your addiction recovery with holistic healthy habit change, you can support your new mental patterns and ensure a successful recovery. Consider these five reasons to practice new healthy habits throughout your treatment.
 




Increased Energy
 
Higher energy levels are a powerful tool to aid your addiction recovery process. Alcoholism may have caused decreases in your general energy due to withdrawals, later nights, interrupted sleep, and cravings for unhealthy food. By practicing healthy habits that include getting extra sleep and eating whole foods, people recovering from alcoholism can benefit from energy to stay motivated throughout their treatment. Withdrawal from alcohol can also be a mentally and physically draining process. Focusing on saving energy and promoting a “fresh start” for homeostasis in your body can help you endure the withdrawal process until you are better.
 
Strengthened Body Function
 
Improved muscle and organ function is another powerful reason to mold healthy habits with your foundations of recovery. Alcohol (especially long-term use) can impact your muscles and organs in weakening ways, so their physical recovery may spark new feelings and “growing pains” as you move forward. There are fitness habits you can incorporate as you begin treatment that strengthen your muscles and let your body return to the strength it should have. Daily stretching can improve your blood flow and energy levels, as well as walking or jogging on a regular basis. Strength training when you are physically able to has powerful effects on your mental and physical health, which in turn improves your confidence during recovery.
 
Mental Clarity and Focus
 
Despite the damaging effects of alcohol on the brain, you can incorporate daily activities to rebuild your thinking patterns and boost your brain activity throughout treatment. Exercise improves your cognition and thinking skills if done on a regular basis, so consider implementing a fitness routine as part of your new treatment process. Mental clarity is especially important if you are receiving treatment for your addiction recovery, since there are emotions and traumas you may need to work through with your therapist. Being in the most productive state of mind will help you discuss your feelings and strengthen new thought patterns to support your success. Heightened brain activity can also increase your productivity levels, which help bring you to your highest-functioning self possible.
 
Self-Esteem
 
Choosing to practice healthy habits can re-wire your old negative thought patterns that lead to addiction in the first place. Deep-rooted self-esteem issues can sometimes impact the damaging habits that lead us to rely on behaviors like excessive alcohol use or to struggle with depression. On the other hand, incorporating healthy habits into your recovery lifestyle can show you how it feels to take actions with the intention of treating yourself well. Eating healthy helps you feel like you deserve to feel good. Sleeping well helps you feel like you deserve to take a break. Simple habits can play a much larger role in your treatment than you think, by strengthening the idea that you are worth recovering.
 
Healthy Weight
 
The last attractive benefit of adding healthy habits into your recovery foundation is simply the idea that you can return to your healthiest physical state. On one hand, addiction can cause you to gain weight due to less exercise and energy, cravings for unhealthy food, or spending less time cooking meals at home. On the other hand, withdrawal or addiction can cause the opposite effect and you may have experienced a drop in your weight. Either way, choosing to eat whole foods and finding the eating habits that nourish you will support your body returning to its healthiest state. This may automatically happen after beginning treatment, and you can support the process by choosing to eat a balanced diet.
 
The incredible benefits of recovery can be made much stronger by actively incorporating healthy habits into your treatment. Seeing a psychologist or attending recovery groups are essential treatment steps, but be sure to practice creating the healthy habits you want to “crowd out” any old unhealthy ones with. By eating well and focusing on feeling good, your recovery can feel much more attainable and last your lifetime.


 
Please check out this additional resource highlighting many benefits of aerobic exercise, which can help in your recovery path.
https://fitnessapie.com/benefits-of-aerobic-exercise/