Hancock County Cooperative Extension Nutritional Assistant (NEP) joined a substance abuse rehabilitation home to teach the Healthy Choices for the Recovering Body program. The group had only completed their first few weeks at the home, therefor they were still trying to learn how good nutritional habits could make such a difference in recovery.

At the beginning of the program the group knew some of the basic good nutritional habits that could help their bodies to start to feel better. Eating more fruits, more vegetables, less sodas…all the norm we are taught.  But what they didn’t realize was the why.  How eating a well-balanced meal, such as the MyPlate, would have all those vitamins and materials to help their body to get back to a healthier place. How too much soda has showed a higher chance of relapse.  This is information that not only tells someone how to eat a healthier meal, but why it’s so important.

At the end of the program the group had a much better understanding on how to improve their meals, and why their diet quality is so important. On the exit paper 100% of the class showed improvement in diet quality.