One of the most important things we can do to take back control of our moods, energy, cravings, and focus when recovering from addiction is to keep our blood sugar stable. You can read more about the importance of blood sugar balance here: https://rootsrecoveryclinic.com/nutrition-is-the-best-medicine-for-addiction-recovery/. Eating a balance of fat/fiber/protein at regular intervals is the way to keep blood sugar stable, which makes this easy recipe for energy balls the perfect go-to snack as part of your daily recovery routine.

H.A.L.T. is an acronym that’s used to help people recovering from addiction check in on the most urgent points of discomfort that are the top reasons people tend to relapse, and it stands for:

• Hungry
• Angry
• Lonely
• Tired

The way snacks and meals that contain fat, fiber, and protein can be a powerful tool to avoid H.A.L.T is because if we don’t get hungry, we don’t get ‘hangry’ due to low blood sugar. If we don’t get hangry, then we are less likely to get lonely since we didn’t piss people off or isolate ourselves because we weren’t feeling good. If we didn’t throw a tantrum (internally or externally) because our blood sugar was too low, resulting in a flood of adrenaline into our body, then we won’t be as tired. It’s really that simple, but also that effective. It’s not to say that life can’t get us stressed out, or that there aren’t other reasons we may encounter these obstacles on our recovery journey, such as lack of sleep, but using food in this way can actually eliminate the majority of these issues so that when things that are out of our control arise, we actually have the resiliency to meet them with grace, clear-mindedness and stamina.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are the star ingredient in this recipe for energy balls. They provide all three elements of the recovery diet; fat, fiber, and protein. They also have a high vitamin and mineral content which includes vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, vitamins, B1, B5, and B6, as well as phosphorus, copper, iron, and folate, all of which are stripped during addiction, and the stress of recovery when paired with a poor diet and other unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Coconut

Coconut is a recovery superfood. It contains a special kind of fat that is easily used as fuel by the brain and body. Additionally, it has powerful antimicrobial properties that can support the body when battling infections such as candida, viruses, or parasites.

Blueberries

Blueberries are packed with antioxidants which repair the damage that chronic stress and exposure to toxins cause at the cellular level. Blueberries are a favorite fruit on the recovery diet because they are delicious and low in sugars.

Dates

Kicking the sugar habit in recovery can be a challenge. Dates are a healthier way to satisfy our sweet tooth because they’re packed with minerals and fiber. This can be a very powerful food to use to get off of the white-sugar-fix for good.

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