Spiritual Adrenaline is a nutrition and exercise based lifestyle that is practiced along with the twelve steps of recovery.
Addiction Ketogenics
Evidence-Based Nutrition for People in Recovery
A ketogenic diet is not recommended for people new to the Spiritual Adrenaline program. Ketogenic diets can be very difficult to maintain and will not address malnutrition during periods of active addiction or in recovery. Before attempting our Addiction Ketogenics program, we highly suggest you attempt our Addiction Paleo program.
What does ketogenics mean and why should you care? Because a ketogenic diet can help reduce or eliminate cravings, mood swings and help keep you sober. Skeptical? Well, let’s take a look.
Then you crash, gobble down more sugar and caffeine and the cycle starts all over again. Sounds familiar right? Just like the high, crash, craving, high, crash, craving when we are using alcohol or drugs. Our body has come to expect this vicious cycle as the norm. Through poor nutritional choices in recovery, the alcoholic or addict stays focused on highs, lows, intake of substances to maintain energy and mood, crashing and then the repetition of this vicious cycle.
This is exactly the wrong focus for someone trying to detox his or her body and mind, and to break free of a focus on alcohol or any other substance.
It is undisputed that a disproportionate amount of people in addiction recovery are hyperglycemic or diabetic. Some studies suggest that up to 92% of people in early recovery are hyperglycemic or diabetic. These conditions are often but not always a result of lifestyle and diet. From the dietary point of view, the culprit is a high percentage of calories coming from carbs and other sugars.
When we eat large amounts of carbs and other sugars, we spike and then drop blood sugar levels, creating highs and lows in mood and energy. When the low comes, we often look for sugary soda, sugary treats or large amounts of caffeine to restore the “high.” That caffeine kick or sugar rush works until it stops working.
The Nutritional Solution:
A High Protein Ketogenic Diet, Complex Carbs and Anti-Oxidants
Addiction Ketongenics is a diet high in protein and fat, and includes all the nutrients that alcoholics and addicts tend to deplete while in active addiction. Addiction Ketogenics will help those serious about their sobriety to develop nutritional habits that enhance, rather than undercut, their sobriety.
On a ketogenic diet, your macro-nutrient intake will be 60% healthy fats, 30% protein and only 10% carbohydrates.
A 2011 study at Princeton University found that in the context of withdrawal, signs of addiction and withdrawal had a correlation with specific nutrients found in food. Science has proven that a ketogenic diet will avoid spikes in blood sugar, while providing the nourishment that our organs and body need. By eating healthy fats in higher quantities, we wean the body off sugar and caffeine as primary energy sources, replacing them with fat.
From Tom
Tom Shanahan, founder of Spiritual Adrenaline stated: "Addiction Ketogenics puts science into practice and vastly increases not only your chances of success in staying sober, but the quality of your sober life. You will reduce cravings and mood swings, increase your energy, and look and feel better. This is the future of addiction recovery and you don’t have to wait to reap the benefits. It’s here now!"
