Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Role of the Registered Dietitian in Addiction Treatment


In the past 20 years, there has been little progress in incorporating trained registered dietitians into drug rehabilitation programs, despite the continued explosion of illicit drug abuse. The reasons for this are multifactorial and include: lack of interest, limited funding for new initiatives, non-collaboration between the public and private sector, difficulties conducting research on this population, and the associated stigmas of substance abuse.
There is now increasing evidence to suggest that nutrition can play an important role in addiction recovery. Addicts in recovery often benefit from learning new behaviors with respect to food and nutrition. Small changes in nutrition and health behavior can increase general self-efficacy with respect to abstinence from alcohol and drugs, and often contribute to increased sobriety time and increased quality of life.

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Sunday, August 18, 2013

How Does Exercise Fit Into Addiction Recovery?

Exercise is a well-supported concept in the treatment of mental health issues, having profound effects on cognitive abilities. Aerobic activity transforms both the body and the mind. Nutrition In Recovery supports the concept of regular exercise during recovery. Emphasis should also be placed on improving posture and movement patterns, and improving brain blood flow.

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Sunday, July 7, 2013

Binge Eating Disorder

The obesity problem in the United States has reached epic proportions creating a tremendous healthcare and economic burden on society. Researchers, clinicians, and policymakers are frantically scrambling to find solutions to this burgeoning problem. One aspect of the obesity epidemic is Binge Eating Disorder (BED), which is increasing in prevalence and contributes to what physicians call the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by a cluster of risk factors such as abdominal obesity, diabetes/prediabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure, all of which are strongly correlated with cardiovascular disease. In the new DSM-V, BED has been recognized as a distinct clinical entity with it's own classification. In recent years, BED has been linked to Food Addiction, which has created much debate in academic communities.