5 Tips to Help Reduce Alcohol Cravings
5 Tips to Help Reduce Alcohol Cravings
Recovering from alcoholism is a constant uphill battle that takes a lot of strength to overcome. Here are 5 tips you can use to help you on your road of recovery to reduce alcohol cravings in a fast and healthy way.
There are millions of people suffering from alcoholism. Of those millions, only a tiny fraction will choose to go sober and maintain their sobriety.
One of the things that make alcohol so hard to kick is the changes it makes to your brain. If you have been a heavy drinker for years, some of those changes could be permanent.
Here, we give you 5 tips to help reduce alcohol cravings so over time it can become less of a struggle to stay sober. Even better, these are all completely natural and dietary based changes you can make today to lessen your cravings and keep you on the road to recovery.
5 Tips to Help Reduce Alcohol Cravings
Overcoming alcoholism is a daily struggle. Some are comforted by attending meetings, calling their sponsor, and saying recovery quotes.
But, what if you're facing a craving and those things aren't working? Here are some ways to curb a craving at the moment.
CBD Oil
In the constant struggle of dealing with how to beat alcoholism, there are few ways as controversial as cannabinoid (or CBD) oil. Gaining in popularity due to the recent surge of legalization measures across the US many are touting its benefits.
CBD oil can be quite remarkable in curing cravings because of its calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also known to be a phenomenal treatment for anxiety and depression which could be triggering your craving to drink.
It contains no THC so it doesn't give you any sort of high like marijuana. It's legal pretty much everywhere since it's mainly derived from hemp plants.
So, sounds great, where is the controversy? Some in the AA community are against anything that resembles any sort of drug. Some say that CBD could remind users of a drug-like experience which could make it a gateway of sorts.
This one is effective but is up to the person to decide if they can handle it or not.
Milk Thistle
When thinking about how to stop alcohol cravings an herbal supplement may be a surprising notion. However, milk thistle has been used for those who overindulge in alcohol for a long time.
Milk thistle contains properties that can lower bad cholesterol levels, strengthen liver function, and manage blood sugar fluctuations.
Blood sugar fluctuation is a big reason why you may be craving alcohol, to begin with. This leads us to our next tip.
Eat Complex Carbohydrates
When your body has been dependent on alcohol and suddenly you're not drinking alcohol anymore your body freaks out. Alcohol is primarily sugar and if you have had a drinking problem that resulted in dependence your body has started to use alcohol as a fuel source.
When you take this source away, your body still wants the sweet syrupy stuff it's used to. Now, this blood sugar drop may have you wanting to reach into the candy or cookie jar.
However, a much better and longer-term solution is to reach for complex carbohydrates. The fiber and sugar punch your body gets from longer lasting complex carbs will maintain an even blood sugar level much longer.
Keep an eye out for fruit you eat with the skin on like apples, peaches, grapes, and berries to give you more fiber with your sweet treat. Beans and winter squashes will also give you a healthy carb kick.
You can also eat things like oats, barley, and quinoa to give you a filling and alcohol craving crushing snack.
Put Glutamine Rich Foods Into Your Diet
Glutamine is a natural non-essential amino acid abundant in our body. This amino acid helps regulate digestion, boost immunity and repair muscle tissue. It can also curb that craving to drink.
Foods with the most glutamine bang for your bite are:
- Leafy greens like spinach, chard, and kale
- Parsley
- Eggs
- Milk
- Seafood
- Grass Fed Meats
- Red Cabbage
- Nuts
- Beans
Incorporate these foods into your daily meals to help suppress cravings over the long term.
Tryptophan Doesn't Just Put You To Sleep
While tryptophan in turkey does help you take a great nap after your Thanksgiving feast it also has a huge effect on serotonin levels in the brain.
When you have a craving your brain is looking to up your happiness and satisfaction. These are caused by dopamine and serotonin.
The amazing essential amino acid tryptophan can give you a boost in serotonin levels that can calm your mind and get you back on track.
Some great foods to consider that are healthy and super high in tryptophan are:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Poultry
- Fish
- Yogurt
- Bananas
- Peanuts
Adding these to your daily menu will up your overall levels of tryptophan and keep you on the right track.
There Are Lots Of Ways To Reduce Cravings
When it comes to methods to reduce alcohol cravings you're probably ready to try anything. Keep in mind that quitting alcohol is incredibly difficult. Don't let yourself go down the spiral of guilt and shame just for having cravings.
We all do because it's a day to day struggle to remain sober for most in recovery.
Remember to try and stay healthy, protect your meeting, maintain a relationship with your sponsor, and get yourself involved in your community. Be honest with your friends and family about your effort to get sober.
This community of people you build around you will support you when you begin to fall. They can remind you what is important and why you decided to do this in the first place.
Share these natural and dietary changes that can help them so they can help you out as well.
Looking for even more ways to keep you on the wagon? Check out these other ways we think it will make it easier for you to maintain your sobriety.
Another great way to avoid a relapse is to keep physical reminders of your sobriety on your person. Check out our AA gift selection that can help remind you of the commitment you have made to yourself and family to stay sober.