600 South Odessa Ave Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215
Follow Us:

Tag: Healthy Living

Bringing Meditation to Every Area of Life

Meditation is a powerful and accessible tool for someone in recovery. It transforms their state of presence and creates space to make an intentional choice in every moment.  With choice, recovery begins.

Meditation is many things. To beginners, it is commonly thought to be a period of time sitting on a meditation pillow.  Meditation is much more and can express in many other ways.  It can be explored in the following the realms: physical body, mental body and emotional body.

Physical body: the body as a moving meditation, for example, when walking down the street. You can engage the following focal points:

  • Notice when your heel is in contact with the ground and when the ball of your foot is in contact with the ground.
  • Play with making big movements with your body – exaggerate your steps or swinging of your arms, or exploring the full core length as you move.

Mental body: engage the mind to cultivate ‘the witness’ which is to create space between you and your mind.  You are not your thoughts. This awareness is the bridge to resisting cravings which can save lives.

  • Throughout the day,  write down your thoughts as you notice them.
  • In a seated-meditation, notice your thoughts, explore the space between ‘you’ and your thoughts, allowing your thoughts to be  clouds drifting by without attaching to them.

Emotional body: one challenge is the habituated avoidance of emotions. The emotions are a great playground for taking contrary actions to our habits:

  • When you notice an impulse to avoid, pause, and simply do the thing that you desire to avoid, even in the smallest measure.  For example, if you typically avoid eye contact, make eye contact intentionally, even if only for a few seconds.  Small changes lead to bigger changes, so celebrate the smallest contrary actions!
  • Remember emotions are simply energy that needs to move in order to be released.  As you feel an emotion, allow yourself to connect to the image of a wave, washing in and out.  As with waves, emotions will always change.  

With these simple focuses, you can bring more attention to many areas of your life.  You can begin to live with more intention by taking these small, tangible ways of being more fully with yourself in every moment of your precious life.  

Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a harmonious approach to holistic treatment, bringing together the best of evidence-based, alternative, and 12-step therapies. Call us today for information on our transformation programs of treatment for addiction and alcoholism: 833-801-5483.

The Mental Cost of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can express in a variety of ways: anorexia, bulimia, overeating, just to name a few of the expressions that this condition can take on.  The manifestation of eating disorders will typically involve obsessions about food, about the body and being able to become free from these obsessions.

Culturally, it can be easy to minimize eating disorders as less serious addictions than those struggling with substance abuse addictions.  However, the deeper truth is that individuals struggling with eating disorders are living with the same loss of authentic self as those struggling with other addictions.  The vacillation between obsession and compulsion is a loss of choice which can lead to profound health consequences, even including the loss of the physical life.  At its heart, the loss of the spirit is present in this loss of choice, regardless of what substance or behavior the choice is related to.  

The natural rhythm of providing our bodies with food is an opportunity to discern at each interval what nutrients will provide us with the stamina needed to live our life purpose.  When these intervals become cycles of feeding an obsession, we have lost our authentic selves to an eating disorder.  Whether it is focused on consuming specific foods, performing ritual practices around foods, or a focus on how to mitigate the harmful choices through exercise or purging, the intervals have become about checking out rather than checking in.  

Commonly, individuals struggling with eating disorders are aware that these behaviors are considered ‘not normal’ and hide these patterns.  The result is that they become isolated from their social communities to conceal their behaviors. Becoming a divided person, they , show only parts of themselves to the people who love them while hiding the most vulnerable parts of themselves, the parts that most need to be seen and accepted.  

We can all look at our relationship to food to discover where it is serving the life that we were born to live and where it has taken over our life to block our spiritual purpose. The more that we can become transparent about our journey, moving our relationship to one of positivity and contribution, the more we can support others in doing the same.  

Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a harmonious approach to holistic treatment, bringing together the best of evidence-based, alternative, and 12-step therapies. Call us today for information on our transformation programs of treatment for addiction and alcoholism: 833-801-5483.

Self Care Checklist

Self care is important to recovery. You’re learning how to manage new stressors and new triggers in life as well as the new emotions that come up in response. When needing to practice self care, ask yourself:

 

Have You..

…Taken A Look At What Needs To Be Done And Made A Plan? Sometimes we get caught up in the future and the past when we stop paying attention to the present. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you might be looking too much at the whole picture. Taking the bigger picture into account isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, it can cause trouble when it prevents you from focusing on what needs to be done right now. Take a few minutes to make some lists and organize all that information swimming around in your head You’ll be feeling better in no time.

…Been Setting Healthy Boundaries and Taking Time For Yourself? Now that we are able to be present for others and have a deeper understanding of what it means to be of service, we might feel like we have to give all the time. Healthy boundaries are important for learning to say “No” when it is necessary. Make sure you are still receiving support in all the right places while taking time for yourself. It’s okay to say no every once in awhile.

…Noticed Your Breath Lately? It might seem odd, but quite often we forget to breathe. At least, that is, we don’t take mindful time to notice our breath. You might need to pause and take a deep breath in followed by a deep breath out. Focusing on your breath will help you to get grounded and anchored in the present moment

…Drank A Glass Of Water Today? Being dehydrated can lead to feelings of panic and anxiety. Staying hydrated is good for your brain, your metabolism, and your energy. Practice self care by purchasing an inspiring water bottle and drinking at least eight glasses of water per day.

…Reached Out To A Friend? Getting caught in your head is best remedied by getting out of your head. Reaching out to a friend for a helpful reminder of where you are, how far you have come, and what great things lie ahead is always good for self care.

 

Enlightened Solutions has the answer to the problem of abusive relationships with drugs and alcohol. Our treatment program is open to men and women wanting to heal. For more information, call 833-801-5483.

Are You Having Nightmares? ​These Could Be The Reasons Why

Dreams are the brain’s way of making sense of the day. Our brains are like supercomputers, computing, analyzing, and storing thousands of pieces of information each day. Sometimes, there are bits that fall under the radar. Dreams help the brain process what is left over. Interpreting dreams is an ancient practice. Some people read very heavily into their dreams as if each night’s internal cinema were a prophecy coming from the subconscious. Others can hardly connect to their dreams and give them little attention when they occur. Everybody dreams, whether they can remember them, or care about them, or not.

 

Nightmares are the horrific kinds of dreams. Violent dreams can wake us up in the middle of the night, hearts pounding, minds full of anxiety. In early recovery, during treatment, withdrawing from drugs and alcohol can cause nightmares. We might experience episodes of PTSD in our sleep as our brain tries to process events from the past. Almost everyone in recovery experiences “using dreams” throughout their sobriety, especially in the first year. A using dream is when one knowingly, or unknowingly, uses a substance, comprising their sobriety. Being in treatment especially triggers these dreams as the mind has an ongoing subconscious narrative focusing on staying sober. 

Sometimes these dreams can be violent. If you’re using used to take place in violent environments or were associated with violent environments, dreams about using can turn violent. However, our past is not the only thing which dictates violence in nightmares. New research revealed that what you think about and what kind of media you consume within 90 minutes of bedtime has a great effect on what kind of dreams you have.

Media consumption can affect how often you dream as well as what you are dreaming about. If you are laying in bed scrolling through old pictures of partying, drinking, and using, it wouldn’t be unlikely for you to have a using dream. According to Bustle, people who consume media of the violent kind within 90 minutes of going to bed were 13 times more likely to have violent dreams.

Cut off your media consumption at least one hour before bedtime. Making a gratitude list, praying, and meditating before bed can help set your mind in a positive place. Drinking a calming tea and journaling will help your mind be at ease as well.

Enlightened Solutions has the answer to the question of how to treat drug and alcohol addiction. By using tested 12 step philosophy with modern holistic treatments, we provide an integrative approach to healing. We want you to start your new life with us. Call us today at 833-801-5483.

Going Sugar Free is Easy

Going sugar free is easy, though sometimes easier said than done. Sugar is a major part of the American diet, popping up in the most unsuspecting places. With various names as disguises, sugar can appear in almost any food. In fact, read the nutrition label on most grocery store bought processed foods and find sugar or a similar ingredient. Sugar, Cane Juice, Fructose, Dextrose, High Fructose Corn Syrup…it is all the same thing. For years American culture has largely ignored the blanketed presence of sugar. Recent documentaries like  Fed Up, That Sugar Film, and Sugar Coated reveal the “dark” side of sugar.

Sugar is addicting.

Scientific research has proven that sugar is not only highly addicting but acts identically to cocaine once it enters the bloodstream. Sugar changes the way our bodies and brains act on their own, as well as interact with each other. Too much sugar is known to lead to poor dental health. Sugar can cause a wide array of health problems, largely because sugar damages the immune system.

Choosing to go sugar free is no easy choice.

The experience of taking sugar out of the diet is similar to detoxing from drugs like cocaine. There are mood swings, irritability, changes in appetite, and even obsessive cravings for sugar. Overtime, the symptoms of sugar withdrawal lessen and, like sobriety, the benefits take over. Getting there takes time.

Here are some tips for starting the journey toward going sugar free:

  • Clean: Do a sweep of your refrigerator, cabinets, and pantry. Help you help yourself by getting rid of all the sugary foods in the house, as well as things with added sugar.

  • Read: While cleaning out your house and grocery shopping read the labels. Looking at the ingredients and nutrition facts will show you just how much sugar is in your ketchup.

  • DIY: Instead of buying pre-sweetened food sources, opt to make food and food additions yourself. If you don’t have time to prepare everything at home, look for sugar-free or unsweetened varieties.

  • Snacks: Eating multiple small “meals” throughout the way staves off hunger which can cause craving for sugar. People tend to snack on candy and sugary items during the day. Reach for any whole, real food instead. Fruits and vegetables are great snacks.

  • Spices: While you’re learning to eat without added sweetness, you might find yourself lacking in flavor. Spice everything up using herbs and spices.

  • Soda: A great tool for reducing sugar is cutting out soda. If you’re desperate for a fizzy drink try natural sodas sweetened with agave or sparkling flavored water.

Enlightened Solutions is proud to offer comprehensive education in food, cooking, and nutrition as part of our holistic program of healing from addiction. Call us today for more information on our programs of treatment for men and women seeking recovery 833-801-5483.

Contact Us

We are here to help. Contact us today and get the answers you need to start your journey to recovery!

  • Discuss treatment options

  • Get help for a loved one

  • Verify insurance coverage

  • Start the admissions process

Get In Touch

Fill out this form and we’ll respond to your message

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    You Have Any Questions?

    • Don't hesitate to contact us or visit our clinic.


    Copyright © 2023 Enlightened Solutions | All Rights Reserved