To regain health and keep ourselves healthy, it’s vital for people living with HIV to improve their nutrition. Anti-retrovirals can control HIV infection, but without nutritional support, our immune systems cannot effectively rebuild themselves.
This is because it’s common for HIV-positive people to have multiple nutrient deficiencies, even early on in the course of infection. Even before our immune systems become damaged, deficiencies of vitamins and minerals are common in HIV-positive people. In people with AIDS, nearly every specific nutrient is deficient!
Fortunately, we can help ourselves by eating a wide variety of whole foods, taking appropriate nutritional supplements and drinking at least 2 litres of good fresh water every day.
Whole (unprocessed) foods provide the nutrients - or building blocks - that our bodies need to make new cells, tissues and organs. Nutrients also make it possible for our bodies’ immune response to fight viral and bacterial infections.
By improving our diets, we can help our bodies fight HIV and boost our CD4 (T4 cell) counts, while at the same time improving our quality of life, whether it's improving our energy levels, increasing our overall feelings of well-being - or even eliminating some symptoms.
Having HIV and AIDS, we need to increase our daily intake of food, maybe by eating wholesome, high calorie, low-GI snacks between meals. This is because our immune systems demand extra energy to fight our chronic viral loads. Besides this, any other infections we get will further increase our need for extra calories even further!
Remember, eating enough good (unprocessed) food and drinking enough water, every day, is essential for us to regain and maintain our health.
Antioxidants are nutrients that block some of the damage caused by free radicals, which are by-products that result when our bodies transform food into energy. Antioxidants also help reduce the damage to the body caused by toxic chemicals and pollutants such as cigarette smoke.
Vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene (vitamin A) are well-known antioxidants.
Carbohydrate nutrients are the preferred energy source for the body. They provide quick energy for the muscles as well as make it possible for each cell to do its job.
Breads, cereals and pastas made from wholemeal grains are good sources of carbohydrates, as are brown rice and vegetables such as potatoes, beans and peas. Fruit and sugar also supply the body with carbohydrates.
Fats are important nutrients because they fill us up longer and improve the taste of many dishes. Fats provide ‘slow’ energy for general body activity.
Fat is also the way our bodies store excess energy (calories) whether they come from eating too many fats or too many carbohydrates. During periods between meals, when our body needs energy for its constant functions, our fat stores break back down to provide it with that energy.
Eating too many fats regularly can suppress the immune system in anyone. In some HIV-positive people, eating too many fats can also cause diarrhoea; in others it can cause heart and blood pressure (cardiovascular) problems. In those HIV-positive people also living with chronic Hepatitis-C infection, excess fats can speed progression to cirrhosis.
Given that we all need to eat fat, it’s good to know that some types of fat are healthier for us than others:
Essential fatty acids are the fats absolutely all of us need to eat regularly to remain healthy. These essential fats are contained in fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel and in oils such as flaxseed oil and hemp oil.
When oils contain a high proportion of essential fatty acids, they are best used uncooked and stored in the fridge. (Olive oil contains plenty of essential fatty acids, but it doesn’t need refrigeration.)
Supplements such as ‘EPA’ and cod liver oil capsules are also a good source of these essential nutrients.
Polyunsaturated fats are found mainly in vegetable oils made from seeds and nuts such as soya beans, corn kernels, rapeseeds and sunflower seeds. Because the polyunsaturated fats in oils go off more quickly than those in solid saturated fats (such as butter or in meat) or in mono-unsaturated fats (such as olive oil), we should never use polyunsaturated oils beyond their expiration date.
Many experts don't recommend polyunsaturated oils for cooking because they are so easily damaged by heat. If cooking is necessary, use low temperatures.
Saturated fats are found in animal products such as meat, especially red meat, and dairy products like cheese and cream. Other kinds of saturated fat include butter, lard, coconut oil, palm oil and palm oil. All are solid at room temp.
Ghee, though semi-solid, is also a saturated fat (being made from butter) that has been heated so it can be kept longer at room temperature without going off as quickly as butter.
Diets that are high in saturated fats are associated with a higher risk of heart disease. This is because saturated fats can raise levels of ‘bad’ LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol in our blood.
Trans fats are found naturally in very small quantities (about 1%) in meat, butter and dairy products. This is because trans fats prevent us from absorbing some nutrients that we need to be healthy. Moreover, we also have problems getting rid of trans fats, so we tend to store them as fatty deposits. (Remember the old saying ’a moment on your lips, a lifetime on your hips’!)
What’s very bad is that some large food manufacturers turn perfectly natural healthy vegetable oils into unhealthy ‘hard margarines’ and into ‘partially hydrogenated oils’. These two manufactured products last ages at room temperature (so they are cheap). They can also be heated to very high temperatures, for a very long time, in fryers before they need to be replaced. Both products contain large quantities of trans fats!
According to NHS Direct, trans fats and hydrogenated fats cause heart disease and strokes. We don’t need them in our food and they add no nutritional value.
The best way of reducing trans fats in our diets is by cutting down on hard margarines and on ‘partially hydrogenated fat’. This means avoiding high trans-fat foods such as commercially baked (or fried) foods like biscuits, cakes, chips & crisps. Just read the ingredient list on any packaging to be sure.
(Soft margarines and foods that we home-bake, or fry, contain few trans fats.)
Fibre is an essential part of your diet. Insoluble fibre, such as bran, is an indigestible component of many natural-state carbohydrate foods such as whole grains. Soluble fibre, also indigestible, is found in all fresh fruits and vegetables, especially firm ones like apples and pears, as well as in beans and in psyllium husks.
Both insoluble and soluble fibre help to move food through your digestive system. But soluble fibre also lowers cholesterol levels and helps control blood sugar levels (see Glycaemic Index)
Both types of fibre keep you regular - helping and preventing both constipation and diarrhoea - and they help you feel full after eating. However, fibre can be very filling, so it can make us feel full and therefore limit calorie intake. Because of this, people who have trouble meeting their daily food or energy intake, should limit the amount of fibre they eat.
Free Radicals are by-products that result when our bodies transform food into energy as well as when we fight disease. The build-up of free radicals over time is largely responsible for the aging process and it contributes to the development of various health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and a host of inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
Glycaemic Index (GI) is the measure of how quickly a food you eat raises the amount of sugar in your blood. Low-GI foods (such as an apple or a banana) digest slowly, so their sugars are released into the blood gradually.
At the other extreme, high-GI foods (such as baked potato, chips, white rice and most sweets) release their sugars into the blood in a single large hit. Without enough exercise, so much sugar in the blood (on a regular basis) can cause many problems. These include Type-2 diabetes and becoming overweight, because the body stores unused energy (i.e. sugar) as fat!
It’s better for the body that we generally eat low-GI and medium-GI foods. When we do eat High-GI foods, it’s a good idea to enjoy them with foods that slow their digestion like meat, fish, tofu and hummus.
Junk foods are foods that contain few nutrients that our bodies need to maintain our health. Junk foods are made by manufacturers who process raw ingredients to get rid of their natural moisture, their enzymes, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats because they make foods go off.
These healthy elements are replaced by cheap sugars, salt and fats (often trans fats) during manufacturing, so that these junk foods can then be transported easily and stored for long periods on supermarket shelves at great profit. Just consider how long you can keep a fresh potato, compared to how long you can keep a packet of crisps!
The healthiest foods we can eat are fresh ones!
Metabolism is a term for millions of chemical processes that constantly occur in the body. These include transforming nutrients in our food into things we need to fight HIV and other illness, regain our health and to stay healthy.
Processed foods, such as cakes, biscuits, crisps and ice cream, often contain a high proportion of trans fats (see Fats), as well as too much sugar and salt, so they aren’t good for us when we eat them in large amounts.
Protein nutrients are essential for a healthy body and a stronger immune system. All muscles and tissues and most hormones are made from protein - and adequate protein is necessary for growth, body maintenance and an efficient immune system.
Concentrated protein sources include meats, fish, poultry and eggs as well as tofu. Other foods that contain protein in lesser amounts are nuts, peas, beans, and dairy products.
Eating lean protein every day supplies nutrients that build and replace our muscle tissue, especially when exercising, and support our immune systems.
Minerals are nutrients in our food that are really the same elements as the ones we find in the earth – but the minerals (and vitamins) that are in ‘whole’ (i.e. not processed) foods are ones that we can absorb most easily.
Minerals are essential for our bones, for muscle contraction and relaxation, for blood formation.
Without enough of the right minerals, found in very tiny amounts in our food, some of the millions of chemical reactions necessary for our health, and life, will not occur. And because our diets often don’t contain enough whole foods, mineral and vitamin supplements can be very useful additional sources of these essential nutrients.
Calcium is the main mineral needed for strong and healthy bones. Calcium is also necessary for our nerves to communicate with each other, for our hearts to beat and for our muscles to contract.
Calcium is found in almost every cell of the body. This is why when we don’t get enough ‘useful’ calcium in our diets (i.e. calcium that our bodies can absorb) we rob from the calcium in our bones (causing osteoporosis) in order to keep our hearts, muscles and nerves functioning.
Milk products do contain a fair amount of calcium, particularly hard cheese, but we don’t absorb calcium from dairy sources so well. As well as inhibiting our body's ability to absorb magnesium, eating dairy foods in excess can cause the body to produce too much mucous. (This can cause nasal congestion and many other problems.)
Other, more absorbable sources of calcium are sardines and salmon (with their small, soft bones), nuts (especially almonds, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts) and sunflower seeds. Kale, parsley and watercress also supply fair amounts of calcium, but the highest source of absorbable calcium is found in seaweeds, especially hijiki, wakame and kelp. Sprinkling chopped dried seaweeds, along with sunflower seeds, into soups and stews will help increase the calcium in our diets easily.
Please note that some things we eat slow, or inhibit, our absorption of calcium. Perhaps the worst of these are carbonated soft drinks like some fruit juices and colas. Coffee and other diuretics strip calcium from our bodies just as refined sugar does or too much of any concentrated sweetener or sweet food. Excess salt and excess alcohol also cause us to loose calcium.
Iodine is an essential mineral that is needed for us to produce thyroid hormones. A healthy thyroid is particularly important when we are fighting disease, because thyroid regulates our metabolism (the speed at which our bodies function).
We can get iodine from eating fish and even seaweed, but most of the iodine in our diets is added to table salt.
Iron is the mineral that is essential for us to have healthy blood so we can deliver oxygen to all our cells and remove carbon dioxide. Without enough iron in our diets, we can get ‘anaemia’, a lack of iron that makes us tired and apathetic. (Only doctors can determine whether a person has anaemia.)
We get iron especially from dark green leafy vegetables such as fresh or frozen spinach and kale and from red meats such beef, lamb, pork and dark turkey meat and from liver. Other sources of iron are shellfish, tofu and eating baked potatoes with their skins on.
Magnesium is a mineral that makes possible more than 300 chemical reactions in the body. For instance, it makes possible normal nerve and muscle function. It also causes our muscles to relax and, working with sodium and calcium, keeps our hearts beating. Magnesium also promotes normal blood pressure, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong.
The green colour in plants comes from magnesium, because the centre of the chlorophyll molecule is magnesium! Eating green vegetables every day means you’re eating magnesium.
Other foods that contain good sources of magnesium include some peas and beans (including soya bean products), nuts and seeds (such as almonds and cashews), and unrefined grains (such as whole wheat, oats and brown rice).
Nutrients include Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals, Water and Fibre. We all need these nutrients every day to live a healthy life and we get them by eating a well-balanced diet and drinking enough fresh water.
Potassium is another mineral that aids nerve and muscle function. Potassium also helps remove excess sodium from our bodies, helping to reduce the threat of high blood pressure and maintain our bodies’ essential fluid balance.
Potassium is found especially in fresh and frozen summer fruits and summer vegetables. Other foods rich in potassium include baked potatoes (plus their skins), especially sweet potatoes, canned beans, tomato puree, fish such as tuna, halibut and cod, as well as in yoghurt and milk (full or low fat).
Potassium is easily lost in cooking foods such as fruits and vegetables. If you can’t enjoy them raw (or freshly thawed), then cook fruits and vegetables quickly in the least amount of water, for the least amount of time. Steaming them is best!
Selenium is a mineral that has been associated with slower progression of HIV to AIDS. This is because selenium is essential for the efficient working of our immune systems. Just as important for us is that selenium is an antioxidant and it’s an essential part of several essential enzymes. We also need selenium for proper thyroid function which regulates our metabolism (our ‘get up and go’).
Foods high in selenium include cereals (such as corn, wheat, and rice), nuts (e.g. walnuts), legumes (e.g. soya beans), animal products (e.g. beef, chicken, eggs and cheese) and seafood (e.g. tuna).
Brazil nuts are generally the very richest source of selenium we can eat. In fact, they contain so much selenium that we shouldn’t eat too many, because our selenium intake could reach toxic level.
Sodium is an essential nutrient, making it possible for our heart to beat and for our muscles to contract. In fact, sodium is part of the ebb and flow of all cell life.
However, eating too much sodium - usually in the form of sodium chloride (table salt) - causes us enormous problems such as contributing to cholesterol build-up, narrowing of the arteries and hypertension (high blood pressure). This increases our risk of heart disease and strokes.
Because so much sodium (in the form of table salt) is added to so many of the take-away meals and processed foods that we eat, including most breads, special low-salt diets can also be vital for people with conditions such as reduced kidney function or liver disease.
Vitamins are nutrients found in plants and animals that we require in tiny amounts, so that all the chemical reactions necessary for us to continue to live and be healthy can occur. We can get vitamins by taking vitamin supplements, but our bodies absorb vitamins (and minerals) best when we eat a varied diet of colourful whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin A is an antioxidant, so it fights free radicals and protects us. Vitamin A is needed for normal growth and vision in dim light. It also helps our skin and the many inner linings of our body.
Foods containing vitamin A include liver, eggs, butter, margarine, whole milk and specific cheeses. Carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, is available in some vegetables and fruits, particularly dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and some deep-yellow fruits.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) helps the body cells convert carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for the functioning of the heart, muscles, and nervous system.
Vitamin B1 is often added to ‘fortified’ foods such as some breads, cereals and pasta. It is naturally found in whole grains (especially wheat germ), in lean meats (especially pork), in fish, dried beans, peas, and in soya beans.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and red blood cell production. It works with vitamin B1 to help release energy from carbohydrates.
Lean meats, eggs, legumes, nuts, green leafy vegetables, dairy products and milk provide vitamin B2 in the diet. Breads and cereals are often ‘fortified’ with riboflavin.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) helps the digestive system, the skin, and nerves. It is also important for the conversion of food we eat into energy.
Vitamin B3 is found in dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, nuts, and eggs. Beans and ‘fortified’ breads and cereals also supply some niacin.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and biotin are essential to growth. Both help the body break down and use food so it becomes ‘us’ and gives us energy to live.
Vitamin B5 and biotin are found in foods such as eggs, fish, milk and milk products , whole-grain cereals, beans, yeast, broccoli and other vegetables in the cabbage family, white and sweet potatoes and in lean beef.
Vitamin B6 helps the immune system produce antibodies. Antibodies are needed to fight many diseases. Vitamin B6 also helps maintain normal nerve function and form red blood cells.
Vitamin B6 is found in beans, nuts, legumes, eggs, meats, fish, whole grains, and fortified breads and cereals.
Vitamin B12, like other B vitamins, is important for many of the chemical processes that constantly occur within our bodies. For instance, vitamin B12 helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of our brains and nervous system.
Vitamin B12 is found in eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish, milk, and milk products. Because vitamin B12 comes primarily from animal products, people who follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet and do not consume eggs or dairy products may require vitamin B12 supplements.
Vitamin C is required for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. It is necessary to form collagen, an important protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C is essential for wound healing and for the repair and maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth. Vitamin C is also an excellent antioxidant.
All fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C. Foods that tend to be the highest sources of vitamin C include green peppers, citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, kale and other leafy greens, white and sweet potatoes (especially when cooked in their skins), and cantaloupe melon.
Other excellent sources include papaya, mango, watermelon, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, winter squash, red peppers, berries and pineapples.
The body does not manufacture vitamin C, nor does it store it. So it’s really important to include plenty of vitamin C-containing foods in your daily diet!
Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin," since during warm, sunny weather, the skin can make vitamin D directly from sunlight – provided we don’t live in a cloudy area or we don’t get outside much.
When it’s cold, and we’re covered up outside, our kidneys should activate our body to make lots of vitamin D. This is essential, because vitamin D regulates the amounts of (very essential) calcium and phosphorus we absorb from our diet.
But the only way our kidneys know it’s not summer is if we eat a seasonal diet that includes things like root vegetables and Brussels sprouts and cabbage cooked in stews, soups and casseroles, plus extra fat and protein. (Eating things like salads and tropical fruits make the kidneys think its still summer!)
The foods that contain vitamin D are mostly fatty ones such as cheese, butter and cream - as well as milk that is ‘fortified’ with vitamin D. Other sources are fatty fish, oysters and some breakfast cereals that are ‘fortified’ with vitamin D.
Vitamin E Is an antioxidant that is particularly important for people living with HIV. This is because vitamin E helps prevent cell damage from free radicals. Vitamin E also plays a role in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K.
Vitamin E is found in foods such as wheat germ, sweetcorn, nuts, seeds, olives, spinach and other green leafy vegetables and in vegetable oils (such as corn, sunflower, soya and olive oil).
Folate is a B vitamin that works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is necessary for the production of DNA which controls tissue growth and cell function.
Any woman who is pregnant should be sure to get enough folate: low levels of folate are linked to birth defects. Many foods are now fortified with folic acid.
Vitamin K is important because without it blood would not coagulate (clot). Some studies suggest that vitamin K also helps promote strong bones in the elderly, because vitamin K also makes it possible for calcium to be absorbed in bones.
Green leafy vegetables such as raw kale, spinach, parsley and lettuce as well as cooked broccoli and some vegetable oils (soy, rapeseed, and olive) are major contributors of vitamin K in our diets.
Water is a nutrient essential to all our bodily functions and processes. Our bodies are made up of cells and our cells are both mostly filled with water and bathed in water. This is the reason that without enough water we steadily dehydrate and eventually die.
Zinc is another mineral that plays an important role in cell function, wound healing and in our immune systems, which is important for HIV infection.
Meat, dairy products and shellfish are excellent sources of zinc.