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.
Apples and tomatoes for lung healing

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).
valerian can help with smoker's cough
Lobelia can help with cravings and lung healing

Drugs:

Basil, chamomile, eucalyptus, fennel, grapefruit, lavender, marjoram, nutmeg, orange

Yoga / Meditation Therapy:

Anti-Addiction Yoga Routine (20 minutes, Marina Grubic)
Yoga for Addictions (18 minutes, Chaz Rough)
Meditation and affirmations for addiction (9 minutes, underworldclassroom)
Addiction Guided Meditation (30 minutes, Jason Stephenson)
Beneficial Individual Poses:
- Seated Side Bend
- Cat/Cow
- Downward Facing Dog
- Ragdoll
- Savasana (5 Min - Yoga Flow with Leah)

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: