Your tummy and brain are in constant conversation, a never-ending gut-brain chatter that scientists often call the gut-brain axis. These conversations impact your body’s overall function, including your moods, mental health, and recovery experience.
Research shows that your gut’s microbiome, or all the stuff that lives in your belly, influences cravings, emotions, decision-making, and even how anxious you might feel on a tough day. When substance use disorder (SUD) creates a digestive imbalance, you may struggle more to regulate your emotions, fight infections, and maintain motivation in recovery.
If you’re struggling with SUD and its harmful effects on the gut—or someone you love needs help with substance use issues, St. Gregory Recovery Center can help. We’ve designed our approach to residential substance use treatment in Bayard and Des Moines to be holistic—that means being substance-free and well-nourished. Contact us with questions about how to get started and read on to learn more about gut health.
How Substances Affect Gut Health
Different substances can drastically alter the balance of your gut’s bacteria. This imbalance can make recovery more difficult by intensifying withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Below are examples of how common substances impact gut health in one published study:
- Alcohol’s impact on the gut: Antibiotic treatment in rats that consumed large amounts of alcohol reduced their intake by 70%, suggesting that gut bacteria affects alcohol cravings.
- Cocaine and gut health: Disrupting the gut microbiome changed cocaine reward responses, showing a potential link between the gut’s environment and substance use behaviors.
- Opioid’s influence on gut bacteria: Opioid use appeared to alter gut bacteria considerably, increasing substance tolerance and the risk of developing substance dependency.
- Nicotine, neurotransmitters, and the gut’s microbiome: Depending on the sex of the rate, the exposure to nicotine affected gut bacteria and influenced important neurotransmitter levels.
- Cannabis, the gut, and inflammation: Gut issues linked to cannabis use may add to inflammation and destructive substance-use-related behaviors.
How The Gut Affects The Immune System in Recovery
As our clients work hard to succeed in recovery, gut health shouldn’t be downplayed. In the case of alcohol dependence, a study shows that drinking increases inflammatory gut bacteria, adding stress to the immune system. The gut can also influence how we generate and experience dopamine and our responses to physical and emotional stressors. Therefore in recovery, gut and immune health connect to controlling our reactions to triggers for relapse prevention.
We know our Iowa communities will benefit from services that provide nutritional counseling in both our inpatient and intensive outpatient programs (IOP). Before you or your family member receives nutritional guidance, check out foods you can incorporate into your diet that may make you feel more energetic and optimistic when seeking help.
Foods to Improve Gut Health and Enrich Recovery
Local and seasonal foods are a great way to support the gut. In Iowa, where farming communities thrive, accessing fresh produce can be fun and easy during certain seasons. Next time you’re in the produce section or walking through a farmer’s market, keep an eye out for gut-friendly foods:
- Fermented foods: Look for unflavored yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut. Kimchi can also be a delicious option if you’re feeling experimental.
- High-fiber vegetables: Be on the lookout for sources of high-fiber like dry fruits, berries, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, or sweet potatoes.
- Whole grains: The gut loves healthy whole wheats. Oats, barley, whole wheat pasta, bran muffins, and even granola can do the tummy some good.
- Leafy greens: Think spinach, kale, collard greens, or lettuce. Salads can’t hurt either—just be sure to thoroughly wash all of your produce before consumption.
- Prebiotic-rich foods: Leek, artichokes, bananas, garlic, and even seaweed are all examples of prebiotic-rich foods, or food that provides the body with fiber that invites healthy bacteria to grow.
- Lean proteins: Don’t skimp on the chicken, fish, or beans!
Eating with the seasons can also enhance nutrition, and you can check out seasonal food guides. For example, in Iowa, root vegetables like carrots and beets are often harvested in the fall, offering gut-friendly fiber when needed most.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Gut Health and Recovery
Mental, digestive, and recovery health feed off one another, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help balance each area. At St. Gregory’s Recovery Center, CBT focuses on helping individuals shift negative thought patterns and emotional responses related to SUD and poor gut health. By learning to manage stress and anxiety, clients may also improve tummy issues they might experience in detox or the initial phases of recovery.
Improve Gut Health in Recovery Today
What you eat and how your stomach breaks it down influences emotions, immunity, and cravings. At St. Gregory Recovery Center, clients receive holistic care that addresses nutrition and mental well-being equally. Whether you’re in Des Moines or Bayard, Iowa, support is available to help strengthen your belly.
