Recovery from a life threatening disease such as addiction requires a balanced approach of the mind, body and spirit. In the following series of articles, I am going to examine the physical fitness (body) component of a comprehensive recovery program.
In the following example, it should be noted that the recovering person has medical clearance from his health professionals and is prepared to embark upon his recovery journey.
Charlie is a retired 63 year old man who has spent three months in a chemical dependency centre and another two months in a half-way house. He is recovering from serious alcohol and drug abuse issues and has five months of sobriety. He is regularly attending AA and aftercare meetings and has the support of his family, friends, employer and counselors. He has suffered two heart attacks in the last two years and is 50 pounds overweight. He gets out of breath easily and finds walking exceedingly painful because of an ongoing low back condition.
Charlie’s big dream is to once again be able to play with his two adorable grandchildren. Each time he visit them, it takes him several days to recover from the ordeal.
How does Charlie overcome these physical challenges to achieve his burning desire? How does he attain an ideal body weight when he finds it difficult to walk? How can he improve his overall physical health and find relief from his debilitating low back problem?
It is rather apparent that he requires professional help to facilitate the recovery progress and to ultimately achieve his goal. With such an imposing list of physical restrictions and challenges, who does he ask for help? With the help of his sponsor, Charlie made a list of several professionals who he believed would be capable of helping him return to his desired state of health. His list included:
• Medical Doctor
• Chiropractor
• Physical Therapist
• Nutritionist
• Acupuncturist
• Personal Fitness Trainer
• Holistic Healer
This list could be easily expanded to include 20 or more health professionals. The major point Charlie has learned is that there are many health care professionals who can help. He is not limiting himself to merely what his insurance covers. Any treatment that helps him recover from a life threatening illness is well worth the out of pocket expense!
Another important factor to consider is the time element. How long will it take him to get the desired results? Or at the very least, what is the best estimate? Does he need any special equipment or facilities? Swimming may be a great idea, but not when the nearest pool is 100 miles away.
Charlie decided to consult a chiropractor for the following reason. “If I can get my low back problem cleared up then maybe I’ll be able to exercise again. The chiropractor said I should see results in 6 to 8 weeks. If he can’t help me, he’ll send me to somebody who can. When I’m ready, he’s going to send me to a personal fitness trainer. I really like it when the professionals cooperate with one another.”
In the above example, Charlie has made a great start to his recovery program by asking for help. He has found a professional to help restore the structure and function of his physical body. Once he is able to move his body through a pain free range of motion, he will be in a much better position to start an appropriate fitness program.
Addiction Recovery - Jump Start Your Fitness Program - Balancing Mind, Body and Spirit -
recovery from any life threatening disease requires a balanced approach of the mind, body and spirit. In Part 1, Charlie makes a great start to his recovery program by asking for help. He recognizes that exercise is an integral part of his recovery program and has started to work with a health professional to help restore the structure and function of his ailing body.
A consistent exercise program will impact almost every aspect of Charlie’s health.
In fact exercise can:
• Reduce the risk of premature death
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Reduce high blood pressure
• Reduce high cholesterol
• Reduce the risks of many types of cancer
• Reduce the risk of acquiring diabetes
• Reduce body fat percentage and optimize body weight
• Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
• Reduce depression and anxiety
• Enhance performance in work and in sports
How does one do this?
Recall that Charlie is 50 pounds overweight and gets out of breath easily. He finds walking exceedingly painful because of an ongoing low back condition. However, after four weeks of chiropractic treatment, Charlie is now able to walk pain free for five to ten minutes. He is excited about his progress and definitely sees light at the end of the tunnel. He finds that walking has decreased his level of stress and increased his sense of vitality and well being. He had always enjoyed walking and stretching but chronic pain and addiction to alcohol and drugs prevented him from performing these activities.
The next step for Charlie is to add four simple low back stretches to his daily walking regime. If he can become more flexible, his low back musculature will be better able to support him during weight bearing activities. Charlie’s chiropractor has given him two exercises seated and two exercise lying on his back. He has no trouble doing the exercises at the office and feels he can perform these exercises almost anywhere.
Charlie decides that he can perform his walking and low back exercises down at the nearby beautiful park. He will also be able to read his daily meditation and spend time in quiet prayer as well. In this scenario, he is exercising his physical body and also nourishing his mind and spirit. Furthermore, he enjoys his exercise in the beauty of nature.
This is a great example of a recovery program that balances the mind, body and spirit. It should be noted that many people minimize or totally ignore the exercise component of their recovery program.
Charlie has asked for help, and has taken action steps to achieve his goals. He is working his recovery program consistently each day and is beginning to reap the rewards of his efforts. Not only will exercise help him recover from his addiction problem, it will also help him reduce the risk of another heart attack and help him lose weight. Ultimately, he will once again be able to play with his two adorable grandchildren.
Remember that physical fitness is a vital component of any recovery program. Take action now and become physically fit!
To Your Health
