Why do alcoholics lose their appetite? Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and affects the neurotransmitters in your body. This can lead to a wide range of effects, including reducing your appetite and blocking the absorption of nutrients and minerals. Alcohol addiction can cause sugar cravings and poor eating habits that mostly consist of candy, soda, sugary snacks, and carb-heavy foods that are unhealthy.
At Swift River, we help men and women from all walks of life who are struggling with addiction to alcohol, heroin, prescription pain medication, and other substances. We work one-on-one with each patient to develop trust and rapport to create an atmosphere of open communication and healing. Patients participate in group and private therapy, where they will develop new coping skills and learn how to stop their triggers from disrupting their day. To discover all of the benefits of our alcohol addiction treatment program, call us at 413.570.9698 or send us a message online, and we will get back to you within 24 hours.
Why Do Alcoholics Lose Their Appetite?
Alcohol affects every major organ in your body in some way, including your stomach. While alcohol is in your system, it blocks the absorption of vital minerals and nutrients, delays digestion, and fills you with empty calories. People often skip a meal before going to a party so they can drink more without feeling overly full.
This unhealthy approach to drinking can create a subconscious habit of not eating before or during drinking. They will also start craving carb-heavy foods and sugary snacks than healthy foods. A fatty diet can lead to obesity, clogged arteries, fatigue, and an increased risk of heart disease. Other effects of alcohol on your digestive system include:
- Acid reflux
- Diarrhea
- Gastritis
- Bloating
- Damage to liver, kidneys, and pancreas
At Swift River, our main goal is to develop a close, personal relationship with each patient so they feel comfortable opening up and accepting help. We cover all aspects of their treatment program and answer all of their questions about addiction, including how alcohol affects appetite and other reasons why alcohol abuse is generally unhealthy.
The Importance of Nutrition Education in Addiction Therapy
Treatment centers that offer a whole-person treatment experience will include holistic programs such as meditation, equine-assisted therapy, and nutrition education. Because addiction creates poor eating habits, many patients are malnourished. This can cause their withdrawal symptoms to be more intense and lead to serious medical conditions.
While working on new coping skills and rediscovering their confidence and self-worth, patients will learn how to shop, plan, and cook healthy meals that will benefit the recovery process and reduce the need for certain medications. Other benefits of nutrition education in addiction therapy include:
- Discover how harmful alcohol can be to your health and how eating the right foods can help reduce cravings and the risk of relapsing.
- Learn what foods can speed up the recovery process and the importance of eating at consistent times.
- Talk about portion control and the importance of a well-balanced diet.
- Discover how eating better will increase your energy levels, lower your weight, and increase your stamina.
- Healthy eating will decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety that are common with addiction.
- Cooking can be a fun experience and teaches you new ways to have fun without alcohol.
A well-rounded treatment program will answer all questions about addiction, including learning about healthy eating habits and other holistic methods that improve their chances of maintaining life-long sobriety.
Start on the Road to Alcohol Recovery at Swift River – Massachusetts
At Swift River, our addiction treatment programs include nutrition education to help patients learn the value of healthy eating and how to cook and shop for healthy meals. They learn all about the dangers of alcohol and how it affects their eating habits and can make them lose their appetites. The skills they learn during their recovery will benefit them long into the future and create several healthy habits.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, pick up the phone and call 413.570.9698 today to make an appointment to meet our compassionate team and begin your road to recovery, or fill out our online form and let us get back to you.
