Lifestyle related chronic diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in our country. People with Substance Use Disorders are at an increased risk for complications and death from lifestyle related chronic diseases, yet lifestyle related counseling and interventions are seemingly absent from recovery programming. Nutrition plays a critical role in healing the body, mind and spirit by supporting a healthy gut-brain axis, reducing inflammation, balancing blood sugar and insulin and supporting healthy cortisol levels. This is critical for individuals in recovery to support the brain healing and neuroplasticity that is needed to learn new ways of experiencing and navigating life without substances. Additionally, learning how to nourish oneself and experiencing the benefits of healthy nutritional choices creates empowerment and improves measures related to quality of life, both critically important for healing. During this presentation we will provide an overview of the existing literature to support healing the body and brain with nutrition in recovery, the real and perceived barriers to initiating nutrition programming in treatment, and provide a conceptual framework for implementation. We will provide case examples of the benefits of nutritional interventions in recovery and discuss our experience in the recent implementation of a nutrition and lifestyle program at a Utah based treatment center. Our hope is that participants will come away with an appreciation of the importance of healthy, nourishing foods in the recovery process, and an understanding of the importance of including these discussions and interventions across the treatment continuum.

After attending this session, you will be able to:

1. Detail the role that nutrition plays in supporting empowerment, self-efficacy and quality of life for individuals in early treatment and recovery form SUD; and,

2. Explore the barriers to implementing nutrition education and recovery focused nutrition in residential programs and explore the components of a nutrition education and dietary program for recovery programming.