Healing the Whole System
Addiction ravages the body and mind. Holistic recovery aims to repair this damage using natural methods. In the Inland Empire, we are blessed with a climate and geography that supports this lifestyle.
Nutrition for Neurotransmitters
Drugs hijack the brain's reward system. Good nutrition helps rebuild it.
- Amino Acids: The building blocks of dopamine and serotonin. High-protein diets are essential.
- Sugar Regulation: Alcoholics often crave sugar because it hits the same pathways. Reducing sugar stabilizes mood swings.
- Hydration: Simple dehydration causes fatigue and brain fog.
Adventure Therapy
Southern California is the birthplace of modern fitness culture, and recovery has adopted it.
- Hiking: Mt. Baldy, the Claremont Loop, and the Sycamore Canyon trails in Riverside offer varying levels of difficulty. The physical exertion releases endorphins—the body's natural painkillers.
- Rock Climbing: Hangar 18 in Upland is a popular spot for sober groups. Climbing requires intense focus, inducing a "flow state" that quiets the anxious mind.
Mindfulness and Yoga
Trauma lives in the body. Yoga helps release it. The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains how physical movement is key to trauma recovery. Many studios in Redlands and Corona offer donation-based classes for the community. Meditation apps like Headspace or Calm are also great tools for learning to "sit with" uncomfortable feelings without reacting to them.