5 May 2010 - London - Nutrition and addiction: Promoting recovery through nutritional and lifestyle interventions

About the conference

Drug and alcohol-related deaths have tripled in the last three decades, while substance misuse in the workplace remains a significant cause of accidents, lowered productivity and absenteeism. Addiction treatment centres in the UK combine medication, counselling and behaviour modification to tackle cravings and aid recovery. Relapse rates, however, remain alarmingly high. Many addiction centres lack a nutritional component in their treatment approaches. This conference examines the importance of nutrition in prevention, and the potential underlying nutritional and biochemical factors involved in addictive behaviour. Nutritional and lifestyle interventions, in combination with counselling and other support programmes, offer positive additional approaches for successful, cost effective treatment and sustainable recovery.

Aims of the conference

• Explore ways of introducing nutritional approaches to treatment programmes
• Restore nutritional and biochemical imbalances affecting neurotransmitters and reward pathways in the brain
• Support liver detoxification and repair digestive function
• Improve blood sugar regulation and reduce excessive cravings
• Encourage discussion between participants and presenters and develop networking opportunities

Who should attend?

• Addiction psychiatrists and psychologists
• Staff from drug and rehabilitation centres
• Health and social care professionals
• Nutritionists and dieticians
• Teachers and educators
• Complementary therapists
• Specialists working in primary care trusts, local authorities and the criminal justice system
• Providers of voluntary sector services to mental health service users
• Local and national health and social policy makers
• Catering managers and staff
• Health writers and researchers
• People who use services, parents and carers