Alcoholism is a disease that causes brain chemistry imbalance and deficiency in certain nutrients. To recover from alcohol abuse, one must eat a healthy diet rich in protein, high-fiber carbohydrates, brain-healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to replenish the body and rewire the brain, reducing the craving for and dependency on alcohol to feel all right. You wouldn't need difficult cooking recipes to achieve this. Diet and nutrition plays an important part in any alcohol treatment program and there are plenty of easy ways to eat healthy meals and treat alcoholism at the same time. The most effective way to treat alcohol abuse is to build the body's immune system and nutritional integrity so that it does not crave for stimulants like alcohol. If the body and the mind feel well and good with the right food and diet, it will cease craving for alcohol. During the initial stage, a detoxification program is usually implemented to treat the person with alcoholism. This will get rid of the harmful toxins in the body and cleanse the whole system so that it can take in nutrients properly. If you are looking to revive yourself from within while increasing your energy level and your overall well-being, a body detox may be in order. Detoxification is the process of eliminating toxic substances from your body. Before beginning any detox diet, it is always good to check with your doctor, especially if there are any health concerns. Lemonade cleanse Lemon consists of ascorbic acid, assisting in the cleansing process. Known also as the staple beverage of Stanley Burroughs' Master Cleanse, this detox drink is easy to make. Mix 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup and one-tenth teaspoon of cayenne pepper in 8 ounces of purified water. Proponents of the Master Cleanse recommend you drink 6-8 glasses of this lemonade drink and eat nothing each day of your cleanse. Despite its popularity, nutritionists warn against the lack of essential nutrients in this drink. Green detox drink This vegetable detox drink is made up primarily of green vegetables, providing an effective natural body cleanse of the digestive system. In her book The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss, certified clinical nutritionist Natalia Rose discusses the importance of vegetables at length. For this detox drink, you will need:
3 carrots
3 kale leaves
2 celery stalks
2 beets
1 turnip
½ bunch of spinach
½ cabbage
½ bunch of parsley
½ onion
2 garlic cloves
Mix all ingredients with water and puree in a blender. Detox dandelion tea According to classical homeopathic practitioner Sonya McLeod, B.A., D.C.H.,dandelions are a great source of vitamin A, potassium, iron and calcium. According to McLeod, dandelion detox tea is a diuretic that will eliminate bodily toxins through your liver and kidneys. She recommends brewing 6 tablespoons of 1-year-old dried dandelion root and 12 tablespoons of fresh dandelion leaves in 4 cups of purified, boiling water. Other recipes call for simply adding 2 teaspoons of crushed dandelion leaves to a cup of boiling water and allowing it to brew for about 10 minutes. Fresh cranberry juice According to Mayo Clinic, there is some evidence to suggest that drinking cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections and ulcers in healthy individuals. Cranberry juice also contains vitamin C, manganese and antioxidants. Though not advocated by any authoritative body, cranberry juice has become a popular detox drink, and according to Mayo Clinic, two 16-oz. glasses of full-strength juice can be safely consumed on a daily basis by healthy adults. To make this detox drink, dilute one part cranberry juice in four parts water. Then, add 1 tablespoon each of apple pectin and psyllium fiber to stimulate gentle intestinal elimination. Fruit detox drink Because fruit is high in fiber and packed with essential vitamins and minerals, it is a wonderful natural detox for the body. This recipe incorporates fruit, along with flax oil and lecithin, to provide essential fatty acids while you detox. In your blender, add:
8 oz. of orange juice
4 oz. of pure water
½ cup banana strawberries or yogurt
½-inch slice of ginger
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon flax oil
1 tablespoon lecithin granules
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice if desired
1 tablespoon of protein powder or spirulina powder