5 Tips for Detoxing from Alcohol

Detox is one of the most crucial steps of recovery. It is the process where you eliminate the toxins your body has accumulated from the substances you’ve consumed. It can be a real challenge, but it’s worth it. If you’re planning on getting clean, here are 5 ways to safely detox from drugs and alcohol that really help during the recovery process.

1. Rehydrate your body

The well-known fact is that alcohol and substances dehydrate the body. Since the body is made up of two-thirds water, it’s essential for human life. In fact, water plays a large role in normal body functions, like facilitating digestion, lubricating the joints, and eliminating toxins to keep the skin healthy. Dehydration can cause unpleasant side effects such as headaches, muscle pains, and many others. Rehydrating the body with lots of water can eliminate these effects. The faster the body rids itself of toxins, the sooner withdrawal symptoms will end. The scientists insist on drinking up to 12 glasses per day for a detox process to be more efficient.

2. Do cardiovascular exercises

Cardiovascular exercise, also known as cardio or aerobic exercise, is essential for good health. It gets your heart rate up, making your blood pump faster. This delivers more oxygen throughout your body, which keeps your heart and lungs healthy. Regular cardio exercise can also help you lose weight, get better sleep, and help eliminate drug remnants through sweat. In addition, exercise can also mitigate feelings of low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety, which many addicts have to deal with.

3. Eat healthily

Substance abuse can enable poor dieting choices, lower your appetite and prevent your body from receiving the proper nutrient intake. When you are trying to break from drug addiction, you may have a tendency to consume too much sugar as a way to trigger the brain’s reward center. It’s important to eat regularly scheduled, balanced meals containing proper caloric and nutritional values and stay hydrated during detox. A meal plan can help you structure a healthy way of living during and after detox to improve your chances of long-term recovery.

4. Get your loved one involved

Getting through detox takes a lot of strength and willpower, so telling someone you love that you are planning to go through that can mean extra support during this difficult step. Also, it can be helpful to ask them to keep you from using the substance again.

5. Keep some supplies on hand

Since withdrawal symptoms are very unpleasant, it’s helpful to keep some supplies at hand that can help mitigate some of the effects, especially on the first few days. Advil and Tylenol are good at warding off the aches and pains involved. Anti-vomiting medication is also very useful. Plenty of fluids such as Gatorade should be available, as well as soups and broths. Chamomile tea, which has calming properties, is also great to help you relax a little bit.

It’s important to note that there are many risks in detoxing at home. Detoxing without the supervision of medical professionals puts the person struggling with addiction at risk. The high cravings for drugs, pain, and discomfort can easily send someone into relapse or overdose. Without the care of medical and mental health professionals, detox will exacerbate the current health and psychological problems of the individual. More extreme symptoms of withdrawal may arise, such as depression, pain, intense drug cravings, seizures, and coma. It is safer to go through medically assisted detox.

At Hathaway Recovery, our staff specializes in treatment programs that include safe, medically assisted detox and evidence-based treatment programs, with carefully designed meal plans to complement your recovery.

Recovery is not easy, and detox is one of the hardest parts of this process. However, many people go through it successfully, and now they are happy, healthy and the best version of themselves. Ready to take that first step? Call Hathaway Recovery, and speak with a representative about supervised medical detox and if detoxing in a medical facility is the best option for you.

Hathaway Recovery is an industry leader in Addiction & Dual Diagnosis Treatment. A doctor-operated facility that offers 24/7 care, monitoring & support. Hathaway Recovery is staffed with a team of professionals who are highly trained and constantly strive to offer the most innovative and effective care and therapy.