According to the US National Library of Medicine, substance abuse hurts the body in multiple ways, including physically and mentally, having a particularly negative impact on lifestyle and nutrition. Drugs and alcohol not only affect a person’s outer appearance, but also their internal systems like metabolism, organ function, and mental well-being. Implementing proper nutrition can help someone recovering from addiction heal faster and more effectively. When the body is out of balance, it throws everything off and nutrition can help bring the body back into balance to regain normal functions. 

The Carlisle County Drug Court program collaborated with the Carlisle County Extension Nutrition Education Program Assistant to help education recovering addicts to learn better nutrition, resource management, and physical activity to nineteen participants utilizing the Healthy Choices curriculum, using ice breaker games, power points, and hands on cooking.  

100% of the graduated families consumed a diet of higher quality because they planned meals using My Plate, considered healthy choices, increased knowledge of food labels, and increased their food security by having enough to eat or the ability to obtain food from sources such as a food bank, or the USDA food commodity program.  61% of families increased the number of days for physical activity, strength training and making changes in their daily routine. 62% of families also demonstrated an improvement in safe food handling practices and hand washing behavior. 56% of families learned to plan meals ahead of time, check the food on hand, and use a grocery list to guide their purchases. 

One client stated “I have never been much of a cook, but now seeing how the recipes are made I can make them at home.”