This issue we talk to Danielle Baker, LMFT, of D. Baker Therapy to discussion nutrition in recovery.
Q: What first drew you to combine nutrition and mental health in your work? I started out in a college undergraduate program as a dietetics and nutritional science major with a heavier focus/interest initially in nutrition. I grew up as an athlete and always worked around sports and athletes during college as well. The more experience I gained, the more interested I was in the mental health aspect of sports and athletics. I ended up taking a job at a mental health assisted living facility as a nutrition provider and, in the process, began learning more about the integration of nutrition with mental health in a new setting. This sparked my interest in going to graduate school to become a therapist. I always had a broader scope systems world view, which led me to a marriage and family therapy program at St. Mary’s . I continued working full time with the assisted living facility while completing my graduate degree. I then went on to additional training at The Emily Program as an eating disorder therapist in all higher levels of care as well as outpatient services. Once fully licensed, I moved on to work for 7 years at the Melrose Center in inpatient and partial care settings as an eating disorder therapist. I now run a small private practice that includes registered dietitians to help support clients with both mental health and nutritional concerns.
Q: Why is proper nutrition especially important for individuals in recovery from substance use disorders, particularly in the early stages of sobriety? Nutrition is a necessary quality for our brain and body to thrive. Consistent and adequate nutrition can help manage emotional urges, cravings, etc. but can also be a way to share support with others as well. Our brains change when exposed over time to certain chemicals or substances and nutrition can be a way to work on combating the effects of this on our brain and body. These transition experiences can also be very stressful for people emotionally and physically; healthy and adequate nutrition can reduce some of those challenges. Nutrition can also become a way for people who have struggled to treat their body well in the past to find a new way to honor and treat their body well. Feeding our body and brain well can be a way to care for it!
Q: How does nutrition impact mood, anxiety, and emotional regulation? Nutrition can have a strong impact on how people feel and interact within themselves and with others in their world. Lack of adequate nutrition can cause difficulties with emotion regulation and mood. Have you ever been around someone who is ‘hangry’?! When our bodies are not nourished properly we can become grouchy and irritable!
Q: What are some common nutrition-related challenges you see in people who are in recovery? With my career experience working in the eating disorder field (which has also included co-occurring disorders like substance abuse as well) many of the challenges go far beyond the food. The food is just a byproduct of other issues such as control, anxiety or fear, rigid thinking, or body image, amongst many others. Other challenges people may have can be with having access to healthy nutrition or financial constraints. Organic food is typically more expensive or may require traveling to find it; this can create barriers for some people as well. People who struggle with some of these mental health challenges may also struggle with keeping a consistent schedule which can lead to issues with jobs which in turn can lead to barriers with access to consistent adequate nutrition. Another issue that may occur is that when symptoms of one challenge are treated, sometimes new challenges with something else can pop up. This can happen due to increased stress or anxiety to treat one coping mechanism. If the skills aren’t present to ride through the wave of urges while treating one problem, people may reach for another maladaptive strategy to cope.
Our brains change when exposed over time to certain chemicals or substances and nutrition can be a way to work on combating the effects of this on our brain and body.
Q: Are there specific nutrients or types of foods that can be helpful for supporting mental health and reducing cravings during recovery? People will sometimes utilize supplementation during major transition times, such as the recovery process. Each part of nutrition can help during the recovery process in different ways. Protein is useful for craving management and emotion regulation improvement. Some items also work to reduce inflammation, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to improve moods. B vitamins are also useful as they can assist in improving mood, attention, and reduce fatigue throughout the process of working towards long term recovery with mental health challenges. We also know that excessive amounts of sugar and caffeine are not beneficial for overall health. Whole food nutrition also carries benefits as it is not processed with additional chemicals and additives.
Q: For someone who feels overwhelmed by nutrition advice, what are one or two small, realistic changes they could start with that would make a meaningful difference? A consistently colorful plate at regular intervals throughout the day is the best way to support healthy nutrition habits over the lifespan. Having a plate full of a variety of whole food groups/choices, with a variety of colors, is a great way to work towards a healthy lifestyle with food.
Q: How can family members, sponsors, or recovery communities support healthier eating habits without adding pressure or shame? Support people can have such a strong and beneficial impact on loved ones around nutrition; this can be as simple as sharing a check-in over a snack together, offering to cook or prepare a meal to enjoy quality time together, support with groceries, or a hot, balanced meal! We live in a culture that focuses so heavily on talking about and scrutinizing food. Sometimes, the most helpful thing can be finding something else to talk about together and just share a meal. It is advised that support people refrain from sharing judgements or opinions around food by encouraging or offering variety instead.
Q: What are some additional resources that our readers can access for more information? There are so many resources available through social media exposure. Nutrition Matters, NAMI, The Glucose Revolution, Health at Every Size, Food Psych and The Addicted Minds Podcasts, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Intuitive Eating, and Ellyn Satter Institute just to name a few.
Q: If there’s one key message you hope readers in recovery take away about nutrition and mental health, what would it be? The best sustainable place to focus on nutrition and mental health is consistent, balanced whole nutrition. Also, aim to do this ”most of the time.” As humans, our relationships with food and nutrition can’t be perfect all of the time; we have to be realistic. To quote Ellyn Satter’s work regarding Normal Eating: ”…Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for some of your mistakes in eating. It is giving food and eating some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life …In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, schedule, proximity to food and your feelings.”
Danielle Baker is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and board-approved supervisor, with over 10 years of experience providing psychotherapy to teens, adults, couples, and families. She is the owner and operator of D. Baker Therapy. Specializing in eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and relationship issues, her therapy practice strives to help you improve your quality of life. Danielle earned her bachelor’s degree in Dietetics and Nutritional Science from The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University and her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Learn more at www.dbakertherapy.com.
