Patients with Aids Can Live a Full Life

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helps the person’s immune system function at a higher level, and also by suppressing these symptoms helps slow down the progression to the AIDS virus. Therefore the medication is effective way for patients to improve their quality of life.

Although taking medication improves the quality of life, a nutrient dense and healthy diet is quite important. A healthy diet can help prevent cancer, since up to 60 percent of cancer cases are diet-related. Healthy foods can also help you maintain a healthy weight. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, close to 100 million Americans are overweight or obese. Being obese or overweight substantially increases the risk of morbidity from several conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and several types of cancer. Although a healthy diet helps prevent other illness’ and cancers it also helps with the effects of HIV. Diet is important for the HIV patient since the body will undergo drastic changes from the medication and from the virus. For example the individual may suffer from extreme weight loss, diarrhea and infections. Another common side effect associated with HIV is lipodystrophy (also known as fat distribution syndrome) which causes the body to irregularly distribute fat cause body deformation, it also raises the individual’s cholesterol levels. So incorporating a proper diet will supply the body with the adequate amount of nutrients needed for proper function. Since the body needs carbohydrates for energy, fats for fat soluble vitamins and protection, and protein for rebuilding and repairing. Also having the proper nutrients helps process the medication normally and reduce their side effects. An example type of nutrition plan for an HIV patient:

Calories:

A patient maintaining their weight would consume 17 calories per pound of body weight

A patient with an infection would consume 20 calories per pound of body weight

A patient losing weight would consume 25 calories per pound of body weight

Protein:

100g-150g would be suitable for an HIV positive man

80g-100g would be suitable for an HIV positive woman

Carbohydrates:

3-5 cups of fruits and vegetables

Whole grains over white

Limit sugars

Fats:

30% of your calories from fats

10% from polyunsaturated fats

Although a healthy diet is important a regular exercise program is also important. A regular exercise program help the patient stimulate their sense of appetite. While a patient is infected with HIV their appetite is suppressed and their weight will go down, so by exercising the individual will increase their appetite and consume enough calories to halt the body wasting symptoms of HIV.

In addition to improving the quality life of HIV patients, avoiding alcohol and drugs play a big role. Since the effects of alcohol and drugs on the body would be drastic since the body is under tons of stress already. The alcohol could elevate the liver enzymes which affects the health of your liver. Also consuming alcohol while taking medication can become toxic in one’s body. There was a study that was published by the US National Library of Medicine titled “Alcohol Use Accelerates HIV Disease Progression” which was set out to study the effects of alcohol and drug consumption and CD4 cell loss and also to determine the increase of HIV viral load They studied the effects of frequent alcohol consumption and drug use on the rate of decline of CD4 cell count less than ≤200 cells/μl. This was done over a 30 month span which involved 130 participants with a baseline CD4 count of >200 cells/μl. They also studied alcohol use linked with antiretroviral drugs (ART). Their findings supported the hypothesis that frequent alcohol consumption, as well as a combination of alcohol and crack-cocaine, accelerates HIV disease progression. The moderate drinkers who had maybe one drink a day did not show any links to CD4 cell count loss or HIV viral load increase. The effect of alcohol on CD4 cells is independent to ART. The action of alcohol abuse on viral load, however, seems to be through reduced adherence to ART. So by avoiding alcohol and drug consumption the patient would be improving their life.

As a result, living a full life to its full quality is achievable by HIV patients. Patients can extend their life by intaking an assortment of medications that control the expansion and symptoms of the virus. Along with the medication, the patients incorporating a well balanced diet and exercise regimen will help slow down the progression and the aggression of the infection. Avoiding drugs and alcohol is just as important as a well balanced diet. Alcohol and drugs can affect the amount of CD4 cells in the body thus accelerating the progression to AIDS virus. Although HIV and AIDS is a life threatening virus that is with the individual for life, patients are fully capable of living a normal and full length life