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Healthy Diet That People Living With HIV Should Follow

Here is a list of healthy foods that people living with HIV should have.

By Chandreyee Sen

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is one of the prevalent medical conditions that many people across the globe suffer from.

A study by WHO suggested that in the year 2011, 34.2 million people had HIV, including children.

Although it is not a contagious disease yet, people stay away from an infected person, as there is a myth that this disease is contagious.

diet for hiv patient

A person suffering from such a deadly disease often reduces his/her food consumption due to loss of appetite, sore mouth, nausea, vomiting and even at times due to tiredness, isolation and depression.

Signs & Symptoms Of HIV

However, it is advisable for an infected person to stay healthy and have a balanced diet to combat the disease, as his/her immune system gets disrupted and malfunctions.

It is necessary to have a good meal thrice a day with healthy snacks in between. Read more to find out about a healthy diet that one should follow if one is infected with HIV.

1. Include Plenty Of Fruits:

1. Include Plenty Of Fruits:

Wash your fruits before consuming. In your entire dietary chart include atleast one or more fruits every day or fruit juice (if you like so). This will not only quench your hunger but will serve as a good appetizer in between your meals.

Try not to consume preserved fruit juices. Have healthy fruits fresh from the market. Fruits are rich in vitamin and nutrients which will boost up your immune system and keep you away from feeling sick or dizzy.

2. Include Foods Containing Carbohydrates:

2. Include Foods Containing Carbohydrates:

HIV can often lead to malnutrition and make a person underweight or weak. In such a case, it is difficult to fight against the disease. So you should take lots of carbohydrate-enriched foods that help to keep up the energy level. So plan your diet in such a way that carb-containing foods form ¾th of your daily diet.

You can include bread, cassava, cereals, green banana, millet, maize, potatoes, pasta, couscous, rice and yam in your diet. Potatoes with skin will also increase your fibre intake.

3. Include Plenty Of Vegetables:

3. Include Plenty Of Vegetables:

Vegetables have rich fibre content and healthy antioxidants to defend one's immune system. As the body of an HIV positive person often fails to resist against diseases and has a tendency to fall sick quite often, you should have plenty of vegetables in a day.

Have leafy green vegetables like broccoli, dried fruits, nuts, beans, soy, tofu and bread as these are all excellent sources of calcium and also iron. Intake of fish like sardines, pilchards and white baits are a good source of calcium. Also, include a portion of oily fish rich in omega-3 to prevent heart diseases.

4. Include Dairy Products:

4. Include Dairy Products:

Only having a glass of milk at breakfast is not sufficient when you are attacked by HIV. You must include all types and varieties of dairy products in your regular diet, especially the ones that help you live a healthy life with their vitamin, minerals and calcium content. Have milk, cheese, yogurt or alternatives such as soya, nuts, rice, oat and coconut.

5. Include Protein-rich Foods Like Eggs & Lean Meat:

5. Include Protein-rich Foods Like Eggs & Lean Meat:

It is essential for a person suffering from HIV to stay healthy. And for that adequate and proper amount of food is required. Have protein-rich foods like egg and lean meat. To get more protein, add cheese to your soup, boiled vegetables or preserved tuna fish to salads.

An HIV-infected man requires 100-150 gm of protein every day while a woman requires 80-100 gm. Have skinless chicken breast or pork. You can have that as soup or just boiled. Remember to reduce the amount of salt for cooking. Instead, you can add seasoning using herbs, lemon, spices or garlic.

6. Include Sugar & Fats In Limited Amount:

6. Include Sugar & Fats In Limited Amount:

Fats are a good source of regaining energy. So it is recommended for HIV patients to have fat-containing food, but in a limited manner. Cooking oil, spreads and margarine are rich in fatty acid and omega-3 and are an excellent source of vitamin A, D, E and K.

You can have fat found in nuts and seeds, avocados, olive oils and vegetable oils and oily fish. The fat from meat, cheese and butter can increase the cholesterol level. So have them but not in plenty. Apart from these, have breakfast cereals that are rich in sugar content to keep up your energy level.

Besides all these, maintain good hygiene. Wash your hands before and after eating to prevent any germ from getting inside. Drink plenty of water and keep your body hydrated all day. Water is a good source to remove toxins from your body and protect your immune system.

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