“You are what you eat.” It’s an old saying, but a true one. What’s taking place inside our bodies can be seen in our appearances and our dispositions. The things we eat, drink, smoke and ingest through other methods alters our body chemistry and affects our lives. This applies to the way substances affect our appearances as well. The foods we eat, the beverages we drink and the drugs we experiment with can all be detected in our appearances, and the more imbalanced our use of substances are, the more pronounced they are in how we look.

If a person ingests unhealthy substances, they can expect to have an unhealthy appearance. Eating food that is high in fat, sodium, sugar, oil, carbohydrates, starches and filler ingredients results in weight gain, tooth decay, structural deterioration and bad skin. Consuming unhealthy beverages, such as soda or alcohol, causes a dehydrated looking appearance with unhealthy blood vessels that do not properly circulate blood or oxygen, as well as unsightly weight gain and tooth decay. And abusing substances like drugs negatively effects the appearance in a number of ways, such as skin damage, weight fluctuation, tooth decay and dark circles under the eyes.

If a person ingests healthy substances, on the other hand, their appearance will be healthy. Consuming healthy, natural fats and proteins aids the body’s metabolism and gives a person radiant skin with good circulation and healthy muscle mass. Eating fruits and vegetables gives a person vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants, which flushes toxins from the system and gives a person healthy, glowing skin and the ability to lose weight. Ingesting herbs has medicinal affects and can reverse certain genetic problems that negatively impact the appearance. And staying hydrated with healthy beverages also provides many nutrients to the body, as well as carrying toxins out through urination and sweat, which improves the appearance in numerous ways.

Detoxing from substance abuse is necessary in order to rid its harmful effects from your body and restore your physical appearance. If you or the person in question has been heavily abusing a substance, the detox may call for medical supervision. In detoxification centers and some rehabilitation facilities, detox services are offered, complete with 24-hour-a-day supervision, prescription drugs to ease withdrawal symptoms and many comforts of home. Severe withdrawal symptoms can be detrimental to your health, causing illness or seizures, so it is highly recommended you seek the opinion of a professional physician before detoxing.

While there are specific detoxes for specific substances, there are general principles and common methods of detoxing for any substance abuse recovery that can be implemented and followed to replenish the health of the body and the appearance. Locating alcohol rehab detox centers can combat this, whether it is an alcohol or drug facility These methods include:

• Hydration. Making sure to get enough fluids into your system, water especially, can make a huge difference in the success of your detoxification. Taking in fluids that have nutritional benefits, such as fruit and vegetable juice, tea and coconut water, is an excellent way of replenishing your body with vitamins and nutrients.
• Taking in amino acids, omega 3’s and fatty acids. This group of foods carries nutrients that substance abuse has a particularly devastating effect on within the body. Alcohol and drugs alike deplete the body’s reserves of good cholesterol’s and fats, so restoring them is vital during a detox.
• Antioxidants. Taking in antioxidants is essential to pushing toxicity out of the body. Antioxidants can be found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, such as berries, jalapenos and bell peppers.
• A generally balanced diet of vitamins and nutrients. Making sure that your diet is balanced between protein, fiber, grains, antioxidants and other vitamins is essential.
• Rest. The body does most of its healing while you are asleep, so be sure not to skimp on rest while you are recovering from substance abuse.
• Gentle exercise: Many people are physically taxed while they are detoxing and can’t handle major exercise, but light exercise in order to boost circulation is very good for a detoxing person.

Alcohol and certain party drugs are not uncommon to Canadian society, which values a good time over many things. Prescription medications and fattening foods are also a little too readily available in our culture. The truth of the matter is, substance abuse runs rampant in an individualistic culture, where the wants of the self are championed over the good of the group. This facet of our culture works heavily against our physical health and appearance. Substance abuse eventually catches up with a person’s appearance in the form of damaged skin, stained teeth, bloodshot eyes and more. Because substance abuse damages the appearance, it is essential to avoid substance abuse and ingest healthy substances instead. Any Canadians who are desperately struggling with this initiative should make use of the services of a substance abuse rehab Canada.

Alcohol can be incredibly damaging to the appearance, even if it is being used only slightly excessively. Alcohol is dehydrating to the body and hard on the internal organs, and can result in a number of unpleasant aesthetic qualities. Alcohol is full of calories and causes weight gain in people who do not ingest it in moderation. It can also make a person too ill and unfit for any kind of physical exertion, making them out of shape. The dehydrating affects of alcohol can take a toll on the skin by tightening blood vessels and restraining the flow of oxygen to the skin, causing inflammation, acne, rosacea and premature aging. Alcohol is also very acidic and wears down the enamel of the teeth, leaving them stained and thin in appearance.

Street drugs and prescription drugs have a similar affect on the appearance when they are abused. Repeated use results in a haggard appearance of damaged skin, red or glassy eyes, unhealthy weight fluctuation and stained teeth. The same can be said for foods that are abused or become an addiction. Coffee and sugar are both horrible for the teeth, and overeating is the obvious cause of unhealthy weight gain. The skin is also greatly affected by diet and can produce breakouts or wrinkles when a person’s intake is not monitored carefully.

To restore your appearance to its original health, stop using unhealthy substances inappropriately and give your body what it wants to function: water, plant matter, low-fat proteins, healthy grains and herbs. This, balanced with a regular workout routine and sleep schedule, will rejuvenate your appearance and bring it back to a healthy state.