How to Live With HIV Infection? Know the Right Diet and Exercise
Have you been diagnosed with HIV? This may seem to shatter your life, but it acutally does not. Thanks to advancement in medical sciences, having HIV is, no longer, the end of the world. Timely commencement of antiretroviral treatment can help you live a better quality life.
Timely treatment is possible only when you undergo a timely test. Free HIV testing in DC is easily available at the urgent care clinic nearby. The clinic offers discreet testing, so you need not feel embarrassed.
Taking antiretroviral treatment properly
Antiretroviral treatment does not cure HIV infection. It helps to keep the viral load in control so that you are not in the infectious mode and cannot spread the infection. You can mingle with others and even have sex without the fear of transmitting the infection to your partner.
You might get a few side effects initially. Your doctor will tell you about them when he or she starts your antiretroviral treatment. Please follow your doctor’s instructons carefully.
You must take the prescribed medications at the same time every day. Skipping the medication or taking it at a different time every day will not work.
In case you are finding it difficult to take your medications, please talk to your doctor. He or she will help you undergo the treatment properly.
The right diet for HIV patients
There is no special diet for HIV patients. It’s just that you must eat a nutritious and balanced diet with less sugar, salt, and processed foods. You may talk to a dietician who will chart out a diet plan as per your body weight, age, and present health status. A nutritious diet helps in better absorption of the medicines and to keep you away from everyday infections, not mentioning helping to strengthen your immunity.
Please talk to the doctor if:
- You are underweight
- You are overweight
- You feel no appetite for food or the side effects are making it difficult for you to eat well
Importance of exercise for HIV patients
Many HIV patients are found to lose muscle strength and mass with time. Regular exercise can prevent this. It can help you keep your muscles, bones, and heart strong and healthy, besides burning fat, keeping you active, and in a better mood.
Just because you have HIV, doesn’t mean you confine yourselves to the house. Go out, enjoy nature, take a walk, cycle, swim, jog, and live each moment of your life to the fullest. That’s how you combat HIV in the best manner.
“Can I take alcohol when HIV positive and on antiretroviral treatment?”
This is a common question that doctors encounter. Alcohol in excessive amounts is hazardous even to a healthy person. So, it makes sense that, when you are on antiretroviral treatment, you must take alcohol sparingly. Your immunity is already compromised and alcohol intake further weakens the immunity. Please talk to the doctor for the recommended amount of alcohol that you may take without harming your body and hindering the treatment. Also, HIV testing in Arlington, VA, is easily available at the nearest urgent care clinic. You need not reveal your identity while undergoing test and billing.
