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| Addressing Alcoholism with Diet and Nutrition | |
by Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed.©
Alcoholism is a very complex problem that is rampant in our
society and has many variables that need to be addressed
simultaneously. The success rate with mainstream treatment
options is poor at best. The nutrition and diet components
are rarely addressed and most people are unaware of their
extreme significance. It is not widely known that Bill
Wilson, one of the founders of AA was aware of the
importance of vitamins and hypoglycemia in the treatment of
alcoholism.
Before his death he was trying to educate physicians about
these issues. (Null 95, Larson 92) After losing a son who
had tried all the traditional approaches to alcoholism, Joan
Larson researched with the passion of a mother on a mission
and wrote a detailed comprehensive book ("7 Weeks to
Sobriety") that emphasizes the importance of addressing diet
and nutrition in the treatment of alcoholism.
In her treatment Center, The Health Recovery Center, they
maintain a 75% success rate with an approach that addresses
issues such as making diet changes, eliminating sugar and
refined foods, supplementing numerous vitamins, amino acids
and minerals which are most often depleted in alcoholics,
treating hypoglycemia and treating food allergies. Her book
provides very specific guidelines necessary to take
beginning with deter and continuing through recovery. She
discovered it is necessary to make biochemical repairs in
order to achieve success and prevent relapse. It is a “must
have” book for anyone involved in the treatment of
alcoholism.
Randolph (80) contends that alcoholism is not a mental
sickness, but rather it is a symptom of advanced food
allergy. In his practice he has found that it is not the
alcohol that one is addicted to it is the food source of
which the alcoholic beverage is made of. Alcoholic
beverages are made of food such as grains like barley, corn,
cane or grapes. Alcoholics have a food allergy to these.
In advanced food allergy the individual craves the allergic
food.
Randolph proposes that the alcoholic is craving the beverage
is made from not the alcohol itself. The alcohol serves as
a catalyst to help the food be absorbed more quickly,
because alcohol is absorbed rapidly throughout the
gastrointestinal tract. This is why most alcoholics
struggle to stay sober and relapse is so common. Because,
when alcoholics put the alcohol down they are continuing to
eat sugar, corn, etc., and when they eat these foods it
triggers cravings. The food itself cannot provide the quick
fix that the alcohol can provide because of its rapid
absorption.
Pfeiffer(80) has found that people with addictions have high
levels of histamine which he states results in compulsive
behavior. He has had success using calcium, methioninine
and a low protein high carbohydrate diet in treating not
only compulsive behavior, but also depression.
There is considerable data that supports the notion that
most alcoholics are hypoglycemic. (Larson 92, Airola 77)
There is a reciprocal relationship between the two. Chronic
drinking just like excessive sugar contributes to the
development of hypoglycemia just as people with hypoglycemia
are potential candidates for alcoholism. Hypoglycemia can
cause irritability, depression, aggressiveness, insomnia,
fatigue, restlessness, confusion, a desire to drink and
nervousness, many of the same symptoms of an alcoholic.
(Larson 92) When an alcoholic gets sober the symptoms
listed above continue to plaque them and if hypoglycemia is
not addressed these symptoms leave the individual at high
risk of relapsing in order to temporarily relieve these
symptoms.
In 1991 more than 60% of individuals admitted to traditional
treatment programs had been in treatment before and more
than half of those repeating were being admitted for the
third time. About half of these were drinking again within
one year. (Grinspoon 1996) Unfortunately this is a common
scenario in treatment in general. Relapse is expected,
common and usually the norm. Most people are not successful
in long -term recovery.
In a four year study of 922 men only 28% refrained from
drinking for six months after treatment. After one year 21%
remained abstinent and after four years 7% remained
abstinent. (Rand Repot 1990) It is only a small subgroup
of people who are helped by 12 step programs and traditional
treatment. Obviously traditional treatment is missing a
very large piece of the puzzle. Traditional treatment
could be more successful if it implemented a holistic
approach to addiction and address issues such as
hypoglycemia, food allergy and nutritional deficiencies.
I know from personal experience that this is true. As a
chronic alcoholic I entered traditional treatment and
although some of it was extremely helpful, it could not help
with the intense depression, anxiety, confusion,
irritability and nervousness that I continued to have that
was putting me at high risk of relapsing. After a year of
pure misery and “white knuckling” it, which had left me
hanging by a very fine thread, I discovered a book that
changed my life. ("The Missing Diagnosis" by Dr. Orion
Truss) After finding a doctor who was knowledgeable in this
area, I learned that I had numerous food allergies, chemical
allergies, hypoglycemia and vitamin and mineral
deficiencies.
It was when I addressed these issues that my life really
changed. I discovered that by eliminating sugar and wheat
from my diet that I could eliminate my disabling anxiety and
depression. By treating all my allergies, addressing my
hypoglycemia and deficiencies and changing my diet I was
able to turn my mental health completely around and I was no
longer “white knuckling” it to stay sober. I have been
sober for 16 years and don’t attend any AA meetings and
don't have cravings.
Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed. is a holistic health counselor
specializing in issues of living with chronic illness,
chronic pain and disability as well as sexual intimacy. She
is also author of the inspirational E-Book “Finding Life
Fulfillment when Living with Chronic Illness-A Spiritual
Journey”. Services, Ebooks and a FREE Newsletter can be
found at her website. http://www.holistichelp.net/ or send
any email to this address to subscribe to the FREE
Newsletter mailto:Holistichelp-subscribe@topica.com
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