With USU Extension associate professor and member of USU's HEART Initiative, Gabi Murza.
When a person struggles with substance use disorder, their body function and metabolization are negatively impacted.
Improving nutrition can be used holistically to support recovery and reduce negative outcomes of the addictive cycle.
Gabi is here to tell us more about the aid nutrition can provide for people recovering from substance use disorder.
Wynter Varner
Thank you for joining us today, Gabi.
Gabi Murza
Thank you for having me.
Wynter Varner
How is nutrition perceived during the recovery process as of now?
Gabi Murza
The last couple of years, I think I have seen more intention within recovery programs and treatment programs to have more nutrition education.
Whether it's cooking classes or just understanding how to read a food label, portion sizes, and get all of your food groups and things like that, I think it's becoming a little bit better.
There's still gaps, of course.
Not every treatment program or recovery program has things like that, but I think it's becoming better known to at least educate folks who are in recovery or the treatment process about the benefits of nutrition and healthy eating.
Wynter Varner
What are some nutritional concerns when it comes to substance use disorders?
Gabi Murza
Some of the nutritional concerns kind of happen around the way the body may not absorb nutrients as well.
Opioids can cause constipation. Heavy alcohol use can cause issues with the lining of the stomach.
Those are just some examples that can play a role in the body either not digesting food as well, or nutrients are not being taken up.
So people who use substances might not be getting the nutrients that they need.
Also, the type of food they might be craving might be more heavy on the carbohydrate side or the junk food side.
Plus, things that are cheaper or easier to get, things like that, might be the most challenging to address when it comes to getting nutrition and the proper food.
Wynter Varner
How can improving nutrition help to address these concerns?
Gabi Murza
Well, part of that is rebalancing the gut.
The body's always trying to stay in some kind of a balance, you know, and it'll do what it needs to do to be able to get the proper nutrients so that the body can function the way it's supposed to.
Getting the proper vitamins and minerals and other types of macronutrients, like proteins, carbs, and the fats, can help fuel the body in the way that it's supposed to so it can start working on the other things.
For example, our brain uses those macronutrients to help it function.
When our brain is working the way that it's supposed to, thinking through things, decision making, and physical function become easier.
It kind of helps address some of those issues.
Nutrition can also help with improving mood, depression, anxiety, those kinds of symptoms, and sleep.
These are all things that can be impacted with having poor nutrition, a poor diet.
Now, I don't want to say nutrition will reverse these symptoms, but at least you can start to see improvements in function.
Wynter Varner
How can people advocate for individuals struggling with substance use disorder, whether it's themselves or someone else, to integrate nutrition into the recovery process?
Gabi Murza
Yeah, that's a really good question.
There are a couple of things they can do.
The first thing I would say to do is, if the person is employed with a business or an organization and their employer has an EAP (Employee Assistance Program), they can actually reach out to their EAP.
A lot of EAPs have nutritional services, and some of those nutritional professionals could also work specifically with people with a substance use disorder who are in treatment or recovery.
EPAs could make nutrition integration into their plan a little bit easier, especially if they're using the EAP to get connected to a treatment service or a treatment program as well.
If their employer offers health insurance, they could check with their health insurance for any dietitians in the area that are covered by their insurance.
On a smaller scale, if those options are unavailable, then if someone is already in a treatment program or is connected with a recovery organization, they should see if that program offers nutrition education.
Even if it's not counseling per se, nutrition education classes can give them some education on what to look for in healthy foods, where to get them, and how to save money buying healthy foods.
Wynter Varner
Thank you again for joining us today, Gabi.
Gabi Murza
Yeah, thanks again for having me.
Wynter Varner
This has been Wynter Varner with the USU Extension Education Highlights. Thank you for tuning in.
For more nutrition resources, visit extension.usu.edu. Gabi recommends looking at eatright.org to learn more about dietitians in your area.
