SAFAIDS- HIV/AIDS and Nutrition
From SAFAIDS Septmber 2005 newsletter. To read this article on HIV and nutrition go to: http://www.safaids.org.zw/publications/Sahaa%20issue%2057%20September.pdf
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Food cannot cure AIDS, nor doest treat the virus, But it can certainly improve fitness and quality of life for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PWHAs). Eating well plays a central role in your overall health and well-being.
It is very important to eat foods that will help your immune system to grow stronger. A healthy and balanced diet provides foods in the right amounts and combinations that are safe and free from disease and harmful substances. This applies to everyone-whether they are HIV positive or not.
Good nutrition is essential for achieving and preserving health. Nutrition is the process by which your body provides materials for its structural and functional needs (Romeyn 1995: Nutrition and HIV pg385)).
To prevent malnutrition, the body has to have enough nutrients. These are mainly found in food. Infection with HIV damages the immune system (the immune system is your body's natural protection), which leads to other infections such as fever and diarrhea. These infections can lower food intake because they both reduce appetite and interfere with the body's ability to absorb food. As a result the person becomes malnourished, loses weight and is weakened.
Nutrition education gives a person a chance to build up healthy eating habits and to take action to improve food security in the home, particularly with regards the cultivation, storage and the cooking of foods
Why is nutrition important for people living with HIV/AIDS?
Preventing weight loss: one of the signs of the on set of clinical AIDS is a weight loss of about 6-7kg for an average adult. A healthy balanced diet, early treatment of infection and proper nutritional recovery after infection can reduce weight loss And lessen the impact of future infection.
Reinforcing treatment: a person may be receiving treatment for opportunistic infections or combination therapy for HIV. These treatments and medicines may influence eating and nutrition. Good nutrition will reinforce the effects of any medication, herbal intake or use of supplementary pills.
Maintaining good health: when nutritional needs are not met recovery from illness will take longer. During this period the family will have the burden of caring for the person, paying for health care and absorbing the loss of earnings while the person is unable to work. Good nutrition can help to extend the period when the person with HIV/AIDS is well and working.
Source: pronut-hiv eForum
**
Food cannot cure AIDS, nor doest treat the virus, But it can certainly improve fitness and quality of life for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PWHAs). Eating well plays a central role in your overall health and well-being.
It is very important to eat foods that will help your immune system to grow stronger. A healthy and balanced diet provides foods in the right amounts and combinations that are safe and free from disease and harmful substances. This applies to everyone-whether they are HIV positive or not.
Good nutrition is essential for achieving and preserving health. Nutrition is the process by which your body provides materials for its structural and functional needs (Romeyn 1995: Nutrition and HIV pg385)).
To prevent malnutrition, the body has to have enough nutrients. These are mainly found in food. Infection with HIV damages the immune system (the immune system is your body's natural protection), which leads to other infections such as fever and diarrhea. These infections can lower food intake because they both reduce appetite and interfere with the body's ability to absorb food. As a result the person becomes malnourished, loses weight and is weakened.
Nutrition education gives a person a chance to build up healthy eating habits and to take action to improve food security in the home, particularly with regards the cultivation, storage and the cooking of foods
Why is nutrition important for people living with HIV/AIDS?
Preventing weight loss: one of the signs of the on set of clinical AIDS is a weight loss of about 6-7kg for an average adult. A healthy balanced diet, early treatment of infection and proper nutritional recovery after infection can reduce weight loss And lessen the impact of future infection.
Reinforcing treatment: a person may be receiving treatment for opportunistic infections or combination therapy for HIV. These treatments and medicines may influence eating and nutrition. Good nutrition will reinforce the effects of any medication, herbal intake or use of supplementary pills.
Maintaining good health: when nutritional needs are not met recovery from illness will take longer. During this period the family will have the burden of caring for the person, paying for health care and absorbing the loss of earnings while the person is unable to work. Good nutrition can help to extend the period when the person with HIV/AIDS is well and working.
Source: pronut-hiv eForum
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 2:56 am
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