Unfortunately no!  However, recovery from alcoholism includes dietary changes, supplements, Guided Imagery/Active Meditation including Mindfulness and counselling.  I know a few people who beat their bodies up at the gym every day or run marathons just to prove to themselves and the world that they can drink copious quantities of alcohol and still be healthy.

Young people can get away with this lifestyle for a few years but eventually, it catches up with them and they can no longer pretend that they are supermen or superwomen. Alcoholism is cunning, baffling, powerful and very patient.

I start my counselling with supplements to balance the brain chemistry, particularly the Dopamine Neurotransmitter, which is the centre of satisfaction and reward. Why do we drink?

Does alcohol contribute to vitamin and mineral deficiencies?  When alcohol replaces food, there can be numerous deficiencies caused by the lack of an adequate intake of nutrients. Nutritional deficiencies are common among alcoholics, but they can also be found in people who consume alcohol on a regular basis.

There are numerous other deficiencies when alcohol replaces nutrients in a balanced diet. The damage to your liver and other organs brought on by chronic, excessive alcohol consumption will cause severe problems that can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The long-term consequences of these deficiencies far outweigh the small amount of health benefits that have been found with alcohol consumption. People keep telling me that 2 red wines in the evening will prevent heart disease!  Well, that’s fine as long as it is only 2 glasses of red wine and not 2 bottles of red wine!

The following are common deficiencies brought on by excessive alcohol consumption.

  • Folate helps produce and maintain new cells. Alcohol interferes with dietary folate intake, folate absorption, transport of folate to necessary tissues and the storage and release of folate by the liver.
  • Vitamin B12 is needed to help make DNA and to maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. Have you heard an alcoholic complain of pins and needles in their hands or feet?  Well, that could be the start of peripheral neuropathy resulting in serious complications. Studies have shown that both moderate and heavy alcohol consumption will affect vitamin B12 levels.
  • Vitamin A is needed for vision, to regulate the immune system, for bone growth, for reproduction, cell division and differentiation. Alcohol has been found to promote a deficiency of Vitamin A and also enhance its toxicity when taken in excessive amounts.
  • Vitamin C deficiency is also common in heavy drinkers.
  • Calcium is needed for blood vessel and muscle contraction and expansion for the secretion of hormones and enzymes and for transmission of messages through the nervous system. Alcohol consumption can cause a loss of calcium in the body by increasing urinary calcium excretion. Calcium deficiency can also lead to osteoporosis.  It’s interesting to note that more women than men suffer from osteoporosis later in life.  It’s also interesting to note that women are more cunning in hiding their alcoholism from the world.

After reading this, I wonder how many people, with a predisposition to alcoholism, will rush out and buy some Folate, Vitamin A, B12, Vitamin C and Calcium?

Heavy drinkers sometimes replace food with alcohol or skip meals altogether, especially when living alone with no one to monitor their nutritional health.

A nutritious diet helps reduce cravings for alcohol and improves overall health.  It is imperative, in early recovery, to eliminate sugar and junk food from the diet. Avoid soda drinks and snacks with a high salt content that may put additional stress on the body. Empty calories offer little in the way of nutrition and most alcoholics have nutritional deficiencies that may contribute to alcohol cravings.

Reduce fat intake and increase intake of protein, multigrain, vegetables and other complex carbohydrates.

Switch to decaffeinated products. Caffeine frequently causes agitation which may lead to a desire for alcohol to counteract the edgy feelings.

Eat healthy meals and nutritious snacks on a regular basis.

Drink plenty of water. Alcohol is a diuretic that flushes fluid from the body and brain. When the body is dehydrated, it may crave more alcohol to correct the imbalance.

Stay away from supermarket non-alcoholic drinks.  Why?  Because it’s like having a Claytons when you’re not having a drink and before long, there will come the day when you throw the “lolly water” out the window and pick up the real stuff.  One drink is too many and a hundred are not enough. You can take the alcohol out of the fruitcake but you still have the fruitcake!

With the assistance of supplements, counselling, exercise and good nutrition, alcoholism can be put into remission, but never cured. Total abstinence is required to start the journey of recovery followed by counselling. The brain chemistry must be functional. When it comes to feeling mentally and emotionally switched on, we have to have the correct brain chemistry – get it wrong and you will never achieve the feeling of wellbeing that you crave. The alcoholic has a predisposition to a depleted dopamine neurotransmitter – the centre of satisfaction in the brain. What can we do about it?

LivaTone Plus supports liver function and metabolism and supports phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification pathways, ensuring optimum detoxification of many toxic substances, including alcohol.

Tyrosine Mood Food is necessary for the manufacture of dopamine and noradrenaline, which are required for concentration, alertness, memory and a happy stable mood.

Magnesium Ultra Potent is the great relaxer and is assists in the reduction of stress, nervous tension, anxiety and sleeplessness.

L-Glutamine can reduce both cravings and the anxiety that accompanies alcohol withdrawal. Glutamine can be found in our Ultimate Gut Health Powder.

Dr. Cabot’s book, Help for Depression and Anxiety is an excellent read for recovering alcoholics.

 

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.