Which foods can help your body recover faster from illness or surgery. How can certain nutrients support immune function and reduce inflammation. What dietary choices promote wound healing and overall recovery.

The Power of Leafy Greens in Recovery

Leafy green vegetables are nutritional powerhouses that play a crucial role in the body’s recovery process. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, these vegetables offer a multitude of benefits for those recuperating from illness or surgery.

What makes leafy greens so beneficial for recovery? These vegetables are packed with:

• Vitamin C
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Folate
• Provitamin A

These nutrients are essential for immune function and overall health. Additionally, leafy greens contain polyphenol antioxidants that possess powerful anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive properties.

How do polyphenols in leafy greens aid recovery? Research indicates that certain polyphenols, such as quercetin, may help suppress the production of inflammatory proteins like TNF-alpha. This anti-inflammatory effect can be particularly beneficial during the healing process.

Is vitamin C important for wound healing? Indeed, vitamin C plays a crucial role in wound healing, making leafy greens an excellent choice for those recovering from surgery. The high vitamin C content in these vegetables supports collagen production, which is essential for tissue repair and regeneration.

Eggs: A Protein-Packed Recovery Food

Eggs are an excellent source of easily absorbable protein, making them an ideal food for recovery. A single large egg (50 grams) provides 6 grams of high-quality protein, along with a range of nutrients that support immune health and wound healing.

Why is protein intake important during recovery? Following surgery or illness, the body’s protein requirements increase significantly. The American Society for Enhanced Recovery recommends 0.7–0.9 grams of protein per pound (1.5–2 grams per kg) of body weight after surgery. For a 150-pound (68-kg) person, this equates to 105–135 grams of protein daily.

What additional nutrients do eggs offer for recovery? Whole eggs are rich in:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B12
• Zinc
• Iron
• Selenium

These nutrients play vital roles in supporting immune function and promoting overall health during the recovery process.

Salmon: Omega-3 Powerhouse for Healing

Salmon is an exceptional food for recovery, offering a wealth of nutrients that support healing and immune function. This fatty fish is not only rich in high-quality protein but also provides essential omega-3 fatty acids that can significantly benefit the recovery process.

What nutrients make salmon beneficial for recovery? Salmon is packed with:

• Protein
• B vitamins
• Selenium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Omega-3 fatty acids

How do omega-3 fatty acids aid in recovery? Studies show that omega-3 fats may promote wound healing, enhance immune response, and reduce inflammation when taken in supplement form. These effects can significantly accelerate the healing process and support overall recovery.

Does salmon provide other recovery-boosting nutrients? Indeed, just 3 ounces (85 grams) of wild-caught salmon delivers over 70% of your daily selenium needs. Selenium is a mineral that plays a crucial role in regulating inflammation and immune response, further supporting the body’s healing processes.

Should fish oil supplements be taken during recovery? While eating salmon is generally safe, it’s essential to consult with your healthcare provider before taking fish oil supplements, especially before or after surgery. Recent research suggests that these supplements don’t increase bleeding risk, but some surgeons may still advise against their use as a precautionary measure.

Berries: Antioxidant-Rich Recovery Boosters

Berries are not only delicious but also packed with nutrients and plant compounds that can significantly support your body’s recovery process. These colorful fruits offer a range of benefits that make them an excellent addition to a recovery-focused diet.

What makes berries beneficial for recovery? Berries are rich in:

• Vitamin C
• Anthocyanins
• Other antioxidants

How does vitamin C in berries aid recovery? Vitamin C plays a crucial role in wound healing by stimulating the production of collagen, the most abundant protein in your body. This makes berries particularly beneficial for those recovering from surgery or injury.

What are anthocyanins, and how do they help? Anthocyanins are plant pigments that give berries their vibrant colors. These compounds offer several health benefits, including:

• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Antiviral properties
• Immune system support

By incorporating a variety of berries into your diet during recovery, you can harness these powerful compounds to support your body’s healing processes and boost your overall health.

Nuts and Seeds: Nutrient-Dense Recovery Fuel

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of nutrition that can significantly support your body during the recovery process. These nutrient-dense foods provide a combination of plant-based protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for healing and overall health.

Which nuts and seeds are particularly beneficial for recovery? Some top choices include:

• Almonds
• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Hemp seeds

What key nutrients do nuts and seeds provide for recovery? These foods are rich in:

• Zinc
• Vitamin E
• Manganese
• Magnesium

How does vitamin E support recovery? Vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant in your body, protecting against cellular damage. It’s also critical for immune health, with studies suggesting that adequate vitamin E levels may improve the function of protective immune cells, such as natural killer cells (NK cells), which help fight infection and disease.

Can nuts and seeds help with inflammation? Yes, many nuts and seeds contain anti-inflammatory compounds that can help reduce inflammation in the body, which is particularly beneficial during the recovery process.

By incorporating a variety of nuts and seeds into your diet, you can provide your body with a wide range of nutrients that support healing, boost immune function, and promote overall health during recovery.

Poultry: Essential Amino Acids for Healing

Poultry, including chicken and turkey, is an excellent source of protein and specific amino acids that play crucial roles in wound healing and immune function. These lean meats can be a valuable addition to your diet during the recovery process.

What makes poultry beneficial for recovery? Poultry is rich in two essential amino acids:

• Glutamine
• Arginine

How does glutamine support recovery? Glutamine provides cellular protection during times of stress, such as illness and injury. This amino acid helps maintain the integrity of the intestinal lining and supports immune cell function, which is particularly important during recovery.

What role does arginine play in healing? Arginine assists in collagen production and wound healing. This amino acid is rapidly depleted during times of stress, injury, and illness, making adequate intake all the more important for those in recovery.

Is poultry a good source of protein for recovery? Absolutely. Poultry provides high-quality, easily digestible protein, which is essential for tissue repair and immune function. The protein in poultry can help support muscle maintenance and growth, which is particularly important if you’ve been inactive due to illness or surgery.

How can you incorporate poultry into a recovery diet? Consider adding grilled chicken breast to salads, enjoying turkey slices in whole-grain sandwiches, or including shredded chicken in soups and stews. These versatile meats can be prepared in numerous ways to suit various tastes and dietary needs.

Organ Meats: Nutrient-Dense Powerhouses for Recovery

Organ meats, though often overlooked in modern diets, are some of the most nutritious foods you can consume, especially during recovery. These nutrient-dense meats offer a wide array of vitamins and minerals that support immune function, wound healing, and overall health.

What makes organ meats beneficial for recovery? Organ meats are rich in:

• Vitamin A
• Iron
• Zinc
• B vitamins
• Copper

How does vitamin A support recovery? Vitamin A is essential for proper immune cell response. It helps inhibit inflammatory cells and is critical for skin health and wound healing. This makes vitamin A-rich organ meats particularly beneficial for those recovering from surgery or injury.

What role does copper play in healing? Copper is needed for the production of connective tissue and collagen, both of which are crucial for wound healing and tissue repair. The high copper content in organ meats can therefore support faster and more effective recovery.

Are organ meats a good source of protein? Indeed, organ meats are an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is necessary for recovery after illness or surgery. The protein in organ meats provides the building blocks your body needs to repair tissues and support immune function.

How can you incorporate organ meats into your diet? If you’re new to organ meats, start with milder options like chicken liver pâté or beef heart. These can be added to salads, spread on whole-grain toast, or incorporated into stews and casseroles. Remember to consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, especially during recovery.

By including a variety of these nutrient-dense foods in your diet, you can provide your body with the essential nutrients it needs to support healing, boost immune function, and promote overall recovery. Remember, a balanced diet rich in whole foods is key to optimal health and healing. Always consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian for personalized dietary advice, especially when recovering from illness or surgery.

10 Foods That Help Your Body Recover

Many foods, including fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein sources, have been shown to reduce inflammation, improve immune function, promote healing, and provide the fuel necessary for you to get on the mend.

Whether you’re recovering from an illness or surgery, the foods and beverages you consume can either help or hinder your recovery.

Here are 10 healing foods that can help your body recover.

Leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, arugula, mustard greens, and Swiss chard are packed with nutrients that decrease inflammation, enhance immune function, and improve wound healing, making them the perfect choice to promote recovery.

Leafy greens are high in vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, folate, and provitamin A, all of which are essential for immune function and overall health (1, 2, 3).

They’re also rich in polyphenol antioxidants that have powerful anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive properties (3, 4).

In fact, research shows that certain polyphenols, including the antioxidant quercetin, that are concentrated in green leafy veggies, may help suppress the production of inflammatory proteins like TNF-alpha (5).

What’s more, vitamin C is essential for wound healing, making leafy greens a good choice when recuperating after surgery (6).

Following surgery, your body needs significantly more protein than the current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 0.36 grams per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight.

The American Society for Enhanced Recovery recommends 0.7–0.9 grams of protein per pound (1.5–2 grams per kg) of body weight after surgery. That equals 105–135 grams for a 150-pound (68-kg) person (7).

Eggs are not only an excellent source of highly absorbable protein, providing 6 grams per large egg (50 grams), but also nutrients that support immune health and wound healing (8).

Whole eggs contain vitamins A and B12, as well as zinc, iron, and selenium, all of which play vital immune roles (1).

Salmon is packed with protein, B vitamins, selenium, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fats (9).

What’s more, studies show that its omega-3 fats may promote wound healing, enhance immune response, and reduce inflammation when taken in supplement form (10).

Plus, just 3 ounces (85 grams) of wild-caught salmon delivers over 70% of your daily needs for selenium, a mineral that regulates inflammation and immune response (11).

Although eating salmon is likely safe, you should talk to your healthcare provider before taking fish oil supplements before or after surgery. Recent research indicates that these supplements don’t increase bleeding risk, but some surgeons advise against fish oil anyway (12).

Share on Pinterest

Berries are brimming with nutrients and plant compounds that can help support your body’s recovery.

For instance, berries provide ample vitamin C, which promotes wound healing by stimulating the production of collagen — the most abundant protein in your body (13).

They also pack antioxidants like anthocyanins, which are plant pigments that give berries their vibrant color, in addition to providing anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-supporting effects (14, 15, 16, 17).

Nuts and seeds like almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds are a great choice for fueling your body during the recovery process. These foods provide plant-based protein, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals that support healing.

For example, nuts and seeds are a good source of zinc, vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in your body, protecting against cellular damage. It’s also critical for immune health (18).

Some studies note that healthy vitamin E levels may improve the function of protective immune cells, such as natural killer cells (NK cells), which help fight infection and disease (19, 20, 21).

Specific amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, play important roles in wound healing and immune function.

Poultry, including chicken and turkey, pack glutamine and arginine, two amino acids that may aid recovery and healing (22).

Glutamine provides cellular protection during times of stress, such as illness and injury, while arginine assists collagen production and wound healing (23).

What’s more, arginine is rapidly depleted during times of stress, injury, and illness, making adequate intake of this amino acid all the more important (23).

Organ meats are some of the most nutritious foods you can eat. They boast many immune-supportive nutrients, including vitamin A, iron, zinc, B vitamins, and copper, which is needed for the production of connective tissue and collagen (24, 25).

Vitamin A, which is essential for proper immune cell response, helps inhibit inflammatory cells and is critical for skin health and wound healing (26).

Additionally, organ meats are an excellent source of protein, which is necessary for recovery after surgery and illness.

Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale are well known for their impressive health benefits. They may support recovery thanks to their wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Cruciferous veggies contain glucosinolates, which are compounds that your body converts into isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates have been shown to promote immune health by suppressing inflammation, activating immune defenses, and inducing death in infected cells (27).

Plus, these veggies pack an array of nutrients that your body craves during recovery, such as vitamin C and B vitamins (28).

Share on Pinterest

Shellfish like oysters, mussels, and clams are loaded with nutrients — especially zinc — that may promote recovery.

Zinc is crucial for healthy immune function. This mineral may also help speed recovery and promote wound healing, making shellfish great for recuperating from surgery (29, 30, 31).

Just 6 medium oysters (59 grams) provides over 300% of the Daily Value (DV) for zinc (32).

Eating healthy high carb foods, such as sweet potatoes, is important for recovery. Carbs not only provide the energy your cells require for healing but also enzymes like hexokinase and citrate synthase, which aid wound repair (33).

In fact, inadequate carb intake may impair wound healing and delay recovery (34).

Sweet potatoes are nutritious carb sources that are packed with anti-inflammatory plant compounds, vitamins, and minerals — including vitamin C, carotenoids, and manganese — that may optimize immune response and help your body recover (35).

In addition to following a healthy diet full of nutrient-dense foods, other lifestyle modifications may support healing.

Rest is essential when recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery. Plus, getting enough sleep bolsters your body’s repair process.

In fact, lack of sleep may harm immune function and delay recovery (36, 37).

Hydration is also important for every aspect of healing and recovery, especially proper wound care. Plus, illnesses that involve fever and diarrhea may increase your hydration needs (38, 39).

Additionally, you should steer clear of cigarettes and alcohol when recuperating from illness or injury. Smoking and drinking can delay recovery, impair wound healing, and suppress your immune system (40, 41, 42, 43).

Deficiencies in zinc and vitamins B12 and A may likewise hamper recovery. Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re concerned about nutrient deficiencies (23).

When recovering from illness or surgery, you should fuel your body with foods that are high in nutrients and compounds that promote healing.

Salmon, nuts, cruciferous veggies, and several other foods may help optimize recovery.

Getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, and avoiding smoking and alcohol promote optimal healing as well.

Healing Foods Diet Benefits, Foods and Meal Plan

Evidence Based

This Dr. Axe content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure factually accurate information.

With strict editorial sourcing guidelines, we only link to academic research institutions, reputable media sites and, when research is available, medically peer-reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by our trained editorial staff. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to medically peer-reviewed studies.

Our team includes licensed nutritionists and dietitians, certified health education specialists, as well as certified strength and conditioning specialists, personal trainers and corrective exercise specialists. Our team aims to be not only thorough with its research, but also objective and unbiased.

The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.

By Rachael Link, MS, RD

April 9, 2023

What you grab at the grocery store can have a huge impact on overall health. In fact, while loading your cart up with refined grains, sugary drinks and processed foods can increase inflammation and tank energy levels, filling up on healthy, healing foods can help keep you feeling your best and protect against chronic disease.

The healing foods diet is designed to heal the body and improve health by encouraging the consumption of nutritious, whole foods like fruits, veggies and healthy fats.

Plus, this simple eating pattern is a great way to ensure you supply your body with a steady stream of the nutrients you need to help prevent nutritional deficiencies in your diet.

Healing Foods Diet Principles

The healing foods diet is an eating plan that focuses on replacing refined, processed and inflammatory ingredients in your diet with nutritious, whole food alternatives to promote better health.

The diet includes a few simple steps that involve making some simple switches in your diet. Best of all, unlike other diets with extensive, complicated rules and regulations, the healing foods diet relies on three basic principles:

1.

Swap out Unhealthy Fats

Trading unhealthy fats for healthier options is one of the key components of the healing foods diet.

This is because unhealthy fats, such as hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, trans fats and refined vegetable oils, can cause chronic inflammation and may contribute to conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Healthy fats, on the other  hand, are essential for everything from hormone production to cancer prevention, brain development and weight loss.

2. Change the Meats You Eat

Selecting sustainable sources of meat not only helps support ethical farming practices and minimizes your environmental impact, but it may also be better for your health as well.

For instance, grass-fed beef is significantly higher in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed varieties and is also richer in conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fatty acid that has been associated with a multitude of health benefits.

Similarly, wild-caught fish is lower in calories, higher in important minerals and less likely to be contaminated by harmful toxins than conventional farmed fish.

3. Remove Refined Sugars and Grains

During processing, refined grains are stripped of many important vitamins and minerals, producing a final product high in calories, carbs and sugar but lacking in essential nutrients.

White rice, pasta and noodles are a few examples of refined grains that are low in the important micronutrients that your body needs. Swapping these foods out for healthy whole grain alternatives is a great way to squeeze some extra vitamins and minerals into your diet to support healing.

Related: Improve Your Diet & Health with a Clean Eating Meal Plan

Benefits

1. Decreases Inflammation

Acute inflammation is a normal part of the immune process that helps protect the body against foreign invaders. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, can contribute to conditions like heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

While some foods can increase markers of inflammation, others can help fight inflammation and aid in the prevention of chronic disease.

Plant-based foods like fruits and veggies, in particular, are linked to lower levels of inflammation in the body.

2. Improves Heart Health

As the leading cause of death around the world, heart disease accounts for around 31.5 percent of deaths globally.

Making a few simple swaps in your diet and filling up on heart-healthy foods as part of the healing foods diet is a simple way to reduce the risk of heart disease to keep your heart healthy and strong.

Healthy fats, high-fiber foods and antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies are all plentiful on the healing foods diet and can help protect against conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

3. Stabilizes Blood Sugar

Sustaining high blood sugar levels can be detrimental to overall health. Not only can it worsen diabetes symptoms and cause serious side effects like vision loss and nerve damage, but it can also lead to a condition known as insulin resistance.

Insulin is the hormone responsible for transporting sugar from the bloodstream to the cells. When you load up with lots of high-carb, sugary foods, it increases levels of both blood sugar and insulin.

Over time, maintaining high levels of insulin in the blood can impair your body’s ability to use it efficiently, spiking blood sugar levels and throwing hormones out of whack.

Not only is the healing foods diet low in unhealthy ingredients that can contribute to insulin resistance, but it’s also rich in high-fiber, nutrient-dense foods to support better blood sugar control.

4. Rich in Minimally Processed Ingredients

Shockingly, some studies estimate that nearly 58 percent of total daily calories in the average American diet come from ultra-processed foods. These foods are stripped of their nutritional value and associated with a long list of health issues, including heart disease, cancer and even death.

All foods included on the healing foods diet are minimally processed. This helps maximize their nutrient content and reduces the risk of adverse health effects associated with other processed ingredients.

5. Prevents Nutritional Deficiencies

In addition to promoting healing with whole foods, the healing foods diet also ensures you get the important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs to support overall health.

Nutritional deficiencies can cause a slew of negative symptoms, including low energy levels, fatigue, anemia, bone loss and brain fog.

Filling your plate with a variety of foods that promote healing as part of the healing foods diet helps provide important vitamins and minerals to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

What to Eat

The healing foods diet is rich in nutritious whole foods, including fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes and healthy fats. While a plant-based diet is primary, grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish and organic poultry are also permitted as part of the plan, along with an assortment of healthy condiments, herbs and spices.

Here are a few ingredients you can enjoy as part of the healing foods diet:

• Fruits: strawberries, oranges, lemons, blackberries, limes, raspberries, pears, apples, blueberries, etc.
• Vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, asparagus, garlic, cucumber, onions, ginger, etc.
• Nuts: almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts
• Seeds: hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds
• Legumes: black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, lima beans, chickpeas, lentils
• Whole grains: quinoa, barley, buckwheat, millet, brown rice
• Healthy fats: olive oil, coconut oil, MCT oil, grass-fed butter, ghee, avocado oil
• Dairy products: goat milk, kefir, goat cheese, probiotic yogurt, raw milk
• Meat: grass-fed beef, lamb, venison, wild game
• Fish: wild-caught salmon, tuna, mackerel, anchovies, sardines
• Poultry: organic chicken, turkey, goose, duck
• Cage-free eggs
• Condiments: hummus, guacamole, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salsa, balsamic vinegar, liquid aminos
• Herbs and spices: basil, oregano, rosemary, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, black pepper, etc.
• Natural sweeteners: stevia, raw honey, maple syrup, dates, monk fruit
• Beverages: water, tea, kombucha, bone broth

Foods to Avoid

Just as important as filling up on the right foods on the healing foods diet is limiting your consumption of unhealthy, pro-inflammatory ingredients.

Not only are these foods typically high in calories, sodium and added sugars, but they can also contribute to the development of chronic disease.

Here are a few foods you should restrict as part of the healing foods diet:

• Refined grains: white rice, pasta, white bread, breakfast cereals
• Added sugars: soda, juice, candies, cookies, granola bars, baked goods, ice cream
• Unhealthy fats: refined vegetable oils, shortening, hydrogenated fats, fried foods
• Conventional meat and poultry
• Farmed fish
• Processed foods: potato chips, crackers, frozen meals, microwave popcorn, processed meat, instant noodles, etc.

Recipes

Whether you’re a professional chef or kitchen novice, there are tons of options to enjoy the variety of foods included on the healing foods diet.

Here are a few nutritious and delicious recipes you can use to help get you started:

• Tropical Acai Bowl with Mango and Hemp Seeds
• Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Crustless Spinach Quiche
• Grilled Honey Glazed Salmon
• Vegan Paleo Apple Fritters

Conclusion

• The healing foods diet is a simple eating plan that involves limiting consumption of refined grains, added sugars, unhealthy fats and processed ingredients.
• Instead, the diet encourages nutritious, whole foods, including fruits, veggies, legumes, healthy fats, organic meats and healing herbs and spices.
• Filling up on these healthy ingredients can reduce inflammation, protect against heart disease, stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent nutritional deficiencies.
• These healing foods could also potentially aid in the prevention of chronic conditions, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Treatment of food addiction | Clinical Center “Psychiatry-Narcology”

Nowadays, food addiction is on a huge scale and begins to spread among people of absolutely different ages, professions and life views. A person suffering from such an addiction consumes a large amount of food not because of a feeling of hunger, but because of anxiety or excitement, and also just to get additional positive emotions, to relax. With food addiction, food serves as a kind of consolation for a person, capable of smoothing out the consequences of troubles at work, quarrels with loved ones, dissatisfaction with oneself. The pleasure that a person experiences while eating gives him an imaginary feeling of comfort and satisfaction, makes him get used to such “jamming” of problems. A person quickly remembers how good he feels during large meals, and at the next similar occasion, he again and again returns to the correct method of calming.

If you suspect that you are suffering from this disease, treatment of food addiction should begin immediately. Absorbing a large amount of carbohydrate food, a person eventually ceases to be saturated with it. The amount of necessary food is constantly increasing, nervousness becomes stronger, various diseases of internal organs appear, active weight and fat mass gain occurs, and metabolism slows down. As a result of all this, a person becomes dissatisfied with himself, falls into depression – and he begins to fight this, again, with the help of food. It turns out a terrible, vicious circle, from which it is very difficult to get out.

The specialists of our center offer you the most complete treatment for food addiction. An attentive individual approach to each patient, a sympathetic attitude, effective methods – all this will allow you to permanently get rid of a bad habit, maintain your health, youth and beauty.

Signs and symptoms of food addiction

If you begin to develop food addiction, you will definitely see the following signs of this disease:

• Constant, incessant thoughts about food. A person thinks only about food, constantly plans grocery shopping, imagines how he will go to a cafe or restaurant where he can eat. Life slowly begins to obey meals.
• Absolute loss of self-control. The patient, at the sight of his favorite food, loses self-control, begins to absorb it: not until he feels full, but until he has eaten absolutely everything or until his stomach is completely full. And even then, with a feeling of satiety, he will not be able to resist a sweet dessert or chocolate bar.
• Regular jamming troubles. Every time when any negative events occur or a person has a bad mood, he tends to eat his favorite treat and cannot calm down until he consumes a huge amount of food, most often sweet.
• Constant feeling of guilt. As a rule, after a food breakdown, a person tends to blame himself for lack of willpower, for being unable to resist temptation. He blames himself for looking bad due to constant overeating, he promises himself that all this will stop, but soon the pattern is completely repeated.

If you have one or more signs, do not despair, but set yourself up resolutely – it is worth getting rid of the disease as soon as possible. Ask for help from the doctors of our center – they will help you cure your food addiction.

How is food addiction treated (overweight)

To get rid of this disease, the help of a nutritionist will not be enough, as well as independent attempts to limit oneself in the amount of food consumed. Treatment of food addiction should be entrusted to qualified psychotherapists. It is important to understand that this addiction is a consequence of internal, psychological problems, and only their complete resolution can lead to recovery.

Methods and methods of treating this type of addiction are quite similar to getting rid of other bad habits, since the essence of the disease is the same – problematic behavior (eating), which helps the patient to relax and forget about all the hardships. The main role of the psychotherapist is to discover an internal problem that a person is trying to hide in every possible way by eating a large amount of food. Dependence does not appear from scratch, it is usually preceded by some kind of stress, life failures, constant dissatisfaction with oneself, complexes, problems in communicating with others, isolation and many other difficulties.

Only after finding the root of the problem, you can start looking for a solution. The specialist will carry out the necessary work to relieve stress in the patient, to increase his level of self-esteem. It is important that a person learns to love himself again, remembers self-esteem.

After this procedure, the treatment of food addiction will be based on finding a new source of pleasure. For this, additional psychological sessions are held, during which complete harmony and relaxation are achieved, lightness in the body, positive thoughts appear. Someone prefers to get rid of the problem in a group with other patients, while someone needs a personal appointment. The specialists of our center will take into account the characteristics of each patient and select individual training courses so that the recovery is effective and complete.

Thanks to such sessions, constant thoughts about food disappear, as well as the desire to abuse unhealthy food. The patient learns to separate his own, inner emotions from the products on store shelves. Gradually, the patient’s food culture and lifestyle begin to improve. He ceases to consider food as one of the main ways of obtaining pleasure. This process is quite difficult, and therefore can proceed quite slowly. But it certainly leads to positive results, and this is the most important thing.

Perhaps the most important, the most necessary factor, thanks to which the treatment of food addiction can be effective, is the desire of the patient to get rid of the addiction, his desire to recover, his attitude towards a positive outcome of therapy. You should really want this, strongly and firmly, and the specialists of our center will help you direct this desire in the right direction.

Together we will help you enter a new life free from food cravings – a life filled with joy and satisfaction with yourself and the world around you.

intermittent fasting, fasting days and fasting on the water. How to fast and what schemes exist?

Short-term refusal of food to cleanse the body and improve health was practiced by people in ancient times. Plato and Hippocrates mention this in their writings, and in the 16th century Paracelsus studied the effect of hunger on the body. Today, fasting is considered a fashionable biohacking practice. Therefore, we asked the expert about different types of fasting: intermittent, dry and with fasting days. They also learned who can starve and who should not.

Tags:

health

food

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Fasting, as a conscious practice, aims to give the body a break from digestion and thereby create conditions for its purification, renewal, rejuvenation and recovery. There are three main types of fasting practices: interval, fasting days and hunger on water or dry.

Contents of the article

Do not self-medicate! In our articles, we collect the latest scientific data and the opinions of authoritative health experts. But remember: only a doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Today, more and more people are trying the practice of curative fasting. Someone with the goal of losing weight, others – for rejuvenation, others with the intention of getting rid of attitudes that prevent them from living freely and happily. To find out what types of food pauses are, what are their differences and what benefits they bring to our body, we talked with naturopathic doctor Maria Lozovskaya, co-founder of the Academy of Practical Naturopathy and the International Association of Practical Naturopathy.

Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is considered the most popular practice. This is a diet in which all meals are for six to eight hours, and the remaining 16-18 hours a person does not eat anything.

According to our physiology and biorhythms, the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract start working around nine or ten in the morning and finish at five or six in the evening. This means that eating according to the intermittent fasting scheme corresponds to the physiological processes of the body. Therefore, it is not only useful, but also quite easily tolerated.

Due to the fact that intermittent fasting is physiological, its risks are minimal and arise only if a person chooses an interval for meals that does not correspond to the work of the digestive tract.

For example, if you start eating at eight in the morning and finish at four in the afternoon, then, according to the theory of intermittent fasting, this is normal, but from the point of view of biorhythms, our system is not yet ready to eat at this time. This means that you run the risk of loading the gastrointestinal tract before it starts, which will negatively affect the functioning during the day.

The same is true with the transfer of the interval to a later time. If you start eating at 12 and finish at eight in the evening, when the system is already resting, then this will negatively affect the quality of sleep and the production of necessary hormones during this period. As a result, your efficiency will decrease the next morning and you may feel worse.

Therefore, when choosing intermittent fasting, it is recommended to set the hours of nutrition within the framework of natural biorhythms.

What are the benefits of intermittent fasting?

Since during intermittent fasting we do not overload the digestive system and give it a load according to its mode of operation, a huge amount of energy is released. A person feels light, cheerful and effective throughout the day. A healthy sleep not only gives you good health and mood in the morning, but also creates ideal conditions for the production of hormones.

Fasting days

Fasting days are short-term food breaks for 24–36 hours, which a person organizes for himself once a week.

They are of different types:

• on raw plant food;
• on liquids (whole or diluted fresh juices, vegetable milk, herbal teas, fruit drinks, water with ginger, turmeric, lemon, honey).

For fasting days, it is important to prepare the psyche, gradually increasing the load. After all, no one immediately takes a barbell of 200 kg at the first visit to the gym. It’s the same here. You can start with a day on liquids, or even half a day if you feel like you’re not ready yet. It is important to be attentive to yourself and go not through violence: “I will survive”, but through care: “It is more useful for me to get by with a short time period.”

In the case of fasting days, the saying is relevant: “The slower you drive, the further you will be.” The risk is possible only with an incorrectly calculated dosage. What does it mean? If a person without preparation and sufficient awareness leaves for several days at once, his psyche will overstrain and give a signal: “Dangerous and difficult.” The body, in turn, will perceive this as an order and will experience stress.

Therefore, it is recommended to go hungry for the first time with a specialist in order to be able to ask questions and correctly adjust the load.

What are the benefits of fasting days?

Fasting days give the body the opportunity and time to independently restore the hormonal and immune systems and return thermoregulation to normal. Also, during fasting days, the processes of healing, rejuvenation, self-healing are launched and destructive information and water are getting rid of.

Fasting: dry or water

Short-term dry fasting of 24-36 hours can be practiced with or without contact with water. But the second option is suitable for more advanced users. Dry fasting completely excludes food and water. This practice can last from 24 hours to 11 days. Fasting from the third to the fifth day is best done under the supervision of a specialist, and from the fifth to the 11th – in a special center.

Prolonged dry fasting is best done in nature, in fresh air with access to an open reservoir. This is important for the body and psyche, because the body can absorb up to one and a half liters of water through the skin. And if he feels the need for liquid, he can take his own.

You can go into the practice of long-term fasting only after substantial preparation, which is nutrition with a fasting day without food and water for four to six months. The exit day should be spent on water, fresh juices (preferably vegetable, green), raw plant foods and completely exclude animals and cooked foods.

Risks of dry hunger

Different organisms react to hunger in 24-36 hours in different ways. Someone experiences weakness, someone constantly wants to sleep, and someone, on the contrary, feels a surge of strength. All this is normal. But in order to have an understanding of what “special effects” are possible, theoretical knowledge is needed. Risks are possible only with insufficient theoretical and psychological preparation. And also with prolonged fasting without the control of a specialist.

In the practice of prolonged hunger, the psychological component comes first. Without sufficient preparation, a pendulum effect is possible: a situation in which a person, at the exit from hunger, begins to eat everything he sees, and at the same time does not fill up.

What are the benefits of dry fasting?

During a dry or water fast, all processes inside start up more intensively.

Cell renewal starts. That is, the body destroys the old, sick, and synthesizes new ones in their place. At the same time, the cells that appeared on hunger are especially strong and perform their functions even better.

The central nervous system is being reset. On hunger, deep traumas are worked out much faster, and a person comes out of depressive and post-traumatic states more easily.

Attitudes, restrictions, blocks and fears go away. The fear of death is especially powerful. Even a one-day fasting practice makes a person understand that he is safe and everything is fine with him even without food. This realization entails serious changes at the level of the psyche.

With prolonged hunger, there is a deep immersion into layers of the body and psyche that are inaccessible during normal nutrition. This practice pulls out everything we’ve been hoarding for years. Therefore, the main thing here is careful preparation.

Fasting and age restrictions

Young children usually go hungry when they are sick. Loss of appetite when feeling unwell is the body’s natural way to create the conditions for recovery. And this is absolutely normal. Therefore, when a child is sick and refuses to eat, you should not force him.

Adolescents, starting from the age of 12, when their psyche has already been formed, can consciously, like adults, go through the practice of fasting.

The older generation also easily, calmly and successfully endures all types of practices and, moreover, gets results even faster than middle-aged people.

What is the best fasting practice to start with?

If this is the first time you have come across information about hunger and food breaks and want to try it, then it is better to start with a day on liquids. In this way, you will let the psyche and brain understand that when you refuse solid food, you have enough strength and energy.