HEALING FROM THE INSIDE OUT – HOW GOOD FOOD BECAME CHIKA’S ’s SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE 

HEALING FROM THE INSIDE OUT – HOW GOOD FOOD BECAME CHIKA’S ’s SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE 

When Chika checked into the rehabilitation centre, she was barely recognisable, thin, pale, and withdrawn.

Years of drug use had drained the life out of her eyes and left her body fragile.

She could hardly eat, and when she did, it was usually junk, a leftover habit from the streets where her next high mattered more than her next meal.

“I thought I just needed to stop the drugs,” she said quietly, “but no one told me I also had to feed my body again, like a baby learning to live.”

At first, food was the least of her concerns. She was battling withdrawal symptoms, sleepless nights, and the guilt of what she had lost, her family’s trust, her job, her confidence.

But then, a nutritionist on the recovery team introduced a simple truth that changed everything: your body can’t heal if it’s starving from the inside.

The Hidden Connection Between Food and Recovery

Drug addiction doesn’t just affect the mind; it breaks the body.

Substance abuse strips away essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and proteins that keep the brain balanced and the body strong. Without them, recovery becomes even harder.

“When I started eating well again, fruits, vegetables, eggs, water, my mind started clearing,” Chika recalled. “It was like fog lifting.”

Her journey mirrors what experts have long known: nutrition plays a critical role in rebuilding lives after addiction.

The brain’s chemistry, often disrupted by drug use, relies on nutrients to restore balance.

Proteins help rebuild damaged tissues. Omega-3 fats aid brain function. B vitamins support mood stability.

Even hydration, something as simple as drinking enough water, helps the body flush out toxins and improves focus.

At Balm for the Bruised Foundation, we’ve seen countless cases like Chika’s. Many people come into recovery believing that quitting drugs alone is enough.

But real healing requires rebuilding from the inside out, body, mind, and soul.

Rediscovering the Joy of Eating

For Chika, mealtimes slowly became more than a necessity, they became therapy.

At first, the centre staff encouraged her to eat small portions: pap with milk, boiled plantain with eggs, or a bowl of vegetable soup.

Gradually, she began to crave the feeling of nourishment. “I’d forgotten what it felt like to eat and actually feel full,” she said, smiling.

The act of cooking, too, became part of her healing. “One day, they asked me to help in the kitchen,” she laughed. “I made jollof rice, and everyone said it tasted good. That day, I felt human again.”

A Call to Rebuild, One Meal at a Time

Nutrition may not sound as dramatic as detox or therapy, but it’s one of the most powerful tools for lasting recovery.

A balanced diet restores not only physical strength but also mental stability, helping reduce cravings and preventing relapse.

And yet, for many recovering from drug challenges, access to healthy food remains a challenge, especially when family support or financial stability is missing.

That’s where you come in.

Through the Balm for the Bruised Foundation, we provide nutrition education, counselling, and meal support for individuals in recovery. Each contribution helps someone like Chika rediscover the strength to live, and love again.

As Chika puts it, “I used to feed my pain. Now, I feed my hope.”

At Balm for the Bruised Foundation, we believe healing begins with nourishment, of the body, the mind, and the soul.

Join us in giving hope, one healthy meal at a time.

Visit Balm for the Bruised Foundation @www.balmforthebruised.org to learn more, donate, or share your story.