neurons send messages between the brain and parts of our body. When you want to stand up or sit down, for example, a message is sent from your brain to parts of your body (legs) to make this happen. ​

Nutrition is how food affects the health of the body.

emotion, mental, physical

Self-advocacy is the ability to speak-up for yourself and the things that are important to you. Self-advocacy means you are able to ask for what you need and want and tell people about your thoughts and feelings.

Sexual health is fundamental to the overall health and well-being of individuals, couples and families, and to the social and economic development of communities and countries.

The reward center gets hijacked so that the brain no longer feels pleasure, also create irritability and inability to regulate the same as a typical brain.

Carb examples- Foods such as corn, beans, plantains, rice, tortilla, potatoes and other root vegetables such as yams, beets, carrots yucca, bread and fruit deliver sugars or starches that provide carbohydrates for energy.​

Protein examples- Found in beef, pork, chicken, game and wild meats, fish and seafood, eggs, soybeans.​

Fats examples- Dietary fat, which is found in oils, coconut, nuts, milk, cheese, meat, poultry and fish.

PAWS can be uncomfortable if not addressed with a health care provider PAWS can make people use again to avoid discomfort

Health history is important because you and your family members share genes. You may also have behaviors in common, such as exercise habits and what you like to eat. You may live in the same area and come into contact with similar things in the environment. Family history includes all of these factors, any of which can affect your health.​

These are known as the ‘social determinants of health’ and include how health is affected by income, education, employment, childhood development, food, housing, health services, gender, race, disability, Indigenous status, social marginalization, and social services.​

The symptoms you face after decreasing substances

decreased food intake and nutrient absorption, altered metabolism. Sometimes substance use can cause dysregulation of hormones which alters the mechanism of “satiety and food intake” meaning if we feel full and how much we eat.

Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

When you are sick.​

When you have a symptom that could mean illness.​

To manage chronic or ongoing conditions.​

To check on the effects of a new medicine.​

To help with risk factors like smoking or obesity.​

For prenatal care, if you are pregnant.​

For lifestyle issues like family planning.​

For other reasons that are based on your individual needs.​

Sexuality includes how someone thinks about and expresses themselves as a sexual being, including thoughts, actions, fantasies and sensuality.​

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Gender Identity is how you feel and identify yourself: as a woman, man, both, in between, neither, as two-spirit, transgender or anywhere along the gender spectrum).

medications
eating
sleeping
Exercise

Complex carbohydrates (50% to 55% of the calories you consume), which means plenty of grains, fruits and vegetable​

Dairy products or other foods rich in calcium (calcium-fortified beverages, tofu, kale), two to three cups per day​

Moderate protein (15% to 20% of calories): two to four ounces twice a day of meat or fish (or another high-protein food such as tofu)​

Fat choices (30% of calories), preferably good oils such as olive, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, flaxseed and those found in fish

When you think about using, the fantasy is that you'll be able to control your use this time. “I'll just have one drink.” But play the tape through. One drink usually leads to more drinks. What will happen to your recovery, self-esteem, budget, relationships? When you play that tape through to its logical conclusion, using doesn't seem so appealing.

blood pressure​

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cholesterol​
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kidney function​
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type 2 diabetes​
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skin cancer​
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hearing and vision​
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weight​
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mental health and substance use

Consent is the ability to say yes or no

Refrain from using substances or use less substances​

Connect with family, friends, supports​

Exercise​

Eat healthy​

Get good night’s rest/sleep​

Have fun!​

Incorporate relaxation in to my daily routine​

Take medications​

Journaling​

music​

Positive affirmations/positive self-talk​

‘feed’ my reward pathways in positive ways​

Be patient. Give yourself and your brain time to heal.​

PLN
Smithers Salvation Army
Food Bank
Friendship Centre

Seek Support- day treatment/counsellor/family member/group therapy​

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Avoid Triggers- understand what triggers you and try to not have this in your life.​

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Build A Social Network- start engaging with people and communities outside of your substance use. ​

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Stay Connected To Yourself- you are the most important person in your recovery. Listening to your needs, how your body, mind and spirit are doing and support yourself appropriately

when you take steps to take care of yourself before you even get sick!

Be patient. Getting to truly know someone or yourself is a serious time commitment. The trust-building process is often a slow one. Intimacy is not a race.​

Start with the easy stuff. If you find it easier to talk about the future than the past, then start by sharing your dreams and goals. As trust builds, you may find it less frightening to talk about the more difficult topics.​

Talk openly about your needs. Are you someone who needs a lot of time alone to recharge? How often do you like to have sex? You can prevent a lot of misunderstandings if you tell your partner plainly what you want instead of assuming your desires are “obvious”.​

Respect each other’s differences. Even the most intimate partners still have their own identities. You and your partner do not need to agree on everything in order to love each other.