Addiction

Addiction

Foods to Eat More Of:
All:

Fruits: Apples, bananas, cantaloupe, clementines, grapefruit, lemons, limes, oranges, pineapple, tangerines
Vegetables: arugula, beets, broccoli, cabbage, celery, carrots, cucumber, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, watercress
Garlic, ginger, oats, tofu

Alcoholism:

Seafood, lean pork, poultry and enriched cereals and breads. Arugula, cabbage, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, watercress, oranges and other fresh fruits. Legumes, pasta, and other starchy foods.

Smoking:

Raisins (a healthy alternative to keep your hands/mouth busy).
Snack on sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Foods to Avoid or Minimize:

Processed foods, white starches and sugars.

Essential Oils:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.

All:

For Withdrawals: Basil, birch, dill, eucalyptus, fennel, grapefruit, lavender, marjoram, nutmeg, orange, Roman chamomile, sandalwood (on temples or diffuse). Note: applying dill to the wrists can help reduce the sweating that can accompany withdrawals.

Alcoholism:

Fennel, helichrysum, juniper, rosemary (on temples or diffuse).

Smoking:

Bergamot (stomach and bottom of feet). Or apply a drop of clove oil to tongue (may reduce the desire to smoke).

Drugs:

Basil, bergamot, birch, eucalyptus, fennel, grapefruit (for withdrawals), lavender, marjoram, nutmeg, orange, Roman chamomile, sandalwood, wintergreen (bottom of feet).

Natural/Herbal:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.

All:

Acupuncture, massage
For anxiety/restlessness: Massage feet with a mixture of equal parts almond oil and garlic juice.
Mint tea
Skullcap: Add a leaf and/or flower to smoothies (or 1 teaspoon of the crushed powder), or drink the tea.
Passionflower can help with withdrawal symptoms

Alcoholism:

Kudzu vine (sometimes called "nature's Antabuse"): Popular Chinese remedy to reduce alcohol cravings. They make a tea from the vine for alcoholics to drink the morning after a binge.
Milk Thistle: crush into a fine powder and add 1 tablespoon to smoothies/drinks/etc. or drink the tea.
Passionflower: crush into a fine powder and add 1/4 teaspoon to smoothies/drinks/etc. or drink the tea.

Smoking:

Baking Soda to reduce cravings: 1 teaspoon in a glass of water twice daily (don't take if you must restrict sodium or have an ulcer).
Alka-Seltzer is said to reduce nicotine cravings.
Mix 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar with a glass of orange juice (said to make cigarettes taste badly and flushes nicotine out of the body).

Yoga / Meditation Therapy:

Supplements & Homeopathic:
All:

Vitamin C for free radical healing and to ease cravings/symptoms: 2,000 mg 3 times daily (will likely loosen stools at this dosage - use buffered powder form for reduced stomach irritation).

Kava kava for symptoms: 250 mg 3 times daily (should contain at least 30% kavalactones).

Coenzyme Q10: 100-300 mg daily.
Ginseng: 75-150 mg panax ginseng and 150-300 mg Siberian ginseng daily.
Milk Thistle: 320 mg daily (in between meals).
St. John's wort: 300 mg 3 times daily (for stress/depression).

Alcoholism:

Vitamin B Complex: 1 pill plus 100mg thiamin each morning with food (look for B-50 complex with 50 mcg vitamin B12 and biotin, 400 mcg folic acid, and 50 mg all other B vitamins).
Amino Acids: Mixed amino acid complex plus L-glutamine (500 mg twice daily), NAC (500 mg twice daily), and GABA (750 mg twice daily). Take on empty stomach.
Kudzu: 150mg 3 times daily.
Chromium: 200 mcg twice daily (take with food or full glass water).
Evening Primrose Oil: 1,000 mg 3 times daily (can substitute 1,000 mg of borage oil once daily).
Nux Vomica 6c: 3 times daily until symptoms decrease.
Carbo Vegetabilis 6c: 3-4 times daily until symptoms decrease.
Coffea Cruda 6c: 3-4 times daily for up to 10 days.

Smoking:

Grape seed extract (100 mg/twice daily) or green tea extract (250 mg/twice daily).
Vitamin B Complex for nerve healing: 1 pill twice daily with food (look for B-50 complex with 50 mcg vitamin B12 and biotin, 400 mcg folic acid, and 50 mg all other B vitamins).
Oat Extract to reduce cravings: 1/2 teaspoon tincture 4 times daily (also called avena sativa).
Niacinamide: 500 mg twice daily between meals (long-term use can cause liver damage, physician monitoring is necessary).
Pantothenic Acid for stress reduction: 500 mg twice daily (use calcium pantothenate, the least expensive form).

Mind-Body Connection:

Can represent avoidance of yourself or your feelings, not facing fears and/or not knowing how to love yourself.
Alcoholism can represent issues with personal boundaries (either emotional, psychological or physical). This could be either a violation of your personal boundaries by others; or areas where you violate others' personal boundaries.
Alcoholism can also represent guilt, hopelessness, self-rejection/inadequacy.

Recipes - Food Medicine:
*Note: Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets. Recipes naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free are marked as such (V=Vegan; GF=Gluten-Free).

Smoothies/Beverages:

Meals:

Sides & Salads: