Nutrition, health and wellbeing of the HIV infected individual

Written by

Kwasi Emmanuel

Nutritionist, Ghana

Tel: +233 0247823111/ 0202949699

Email: kwasiemma@gmail.com

Human Nutrition is the process of nourishing or been nourished for the body to utilize nutrients in the food for it structural and functional integrity. The overriding theme of human nutrition is to understand the actions of nutrients as they affect different cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.

There is strong evidence that malnourished people are less likely to benefit from antiretroviral treatment. This is because the body is already deficient in micronutrients such as vitamin A, E, K, vitamin B complex and other essential micro nutrients which help in blood formation and the strengthening of the immune system.

More importantly, nutrition therapeutic care for HIV positive people is very necessary for their earnest wellbeing. Nutrition therapeutic care for HIV positive individual will help maintain good nutritional status, correct deficiencies, regulate weight fluctuations, delay the progression of diseases, good response to medication, and greater comfort and productive life.

It is scientifically evidenced that, one major factor behind HIV-related weight loss is the increased in energy expenditure because of increment in metabolism. People living with HIV can be cared nutritionally by encouraging them to eat their favorite foods, eating energy dense foods such as cereals, sugars, fats and oils, meat and dairy products. Eat food that has fibers, antioxidants and phytochemicals such as dark green leafy and cruciferous vegetables, banana and drinking plenty of fluids more than usual thus beyond thirst to avoid dehydration.

HIV positive postpartum mothers’ breastfeeding can practice exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Complementary feeding can also be an alternative way on the condition that the food is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe.

Furthermore, personal hygiene is very crucial in the lifetime of humans most especially HIV infected humans. If personal hygiene is overlooked, more room will be created for opportunistic infections to set in. For example severe acute diarrhea can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and malnutrition results.

It is obvious that food insecurity, loss of appetite, diseased condition and psychological repercussions such as post traumatic disorder may affect the nutritional status of the HIV infected person since the person be deficient in nutrients due to inadequate nutrient stores in the body.

The role of media and the food processing industry influences the HIV infected person choice of food. Sometimes they choose what to eat base on what they hear from these people because of the trust they have for them. They promote junk, salty, sugary and foods stored with different types of colours which is detrimental to their health. Our restaurants are been stocked with Chinese foods, spicy and oily foods which is bad for human consumption.

In conclusion, nutritionists/dieticians should be included at the ART centers to help improve the nutritional status of PLWHIV and pure natural foods should be publicized at media stations instead of synthetic foods. If individuals who are HIV infected stop the thinking, take the drugs serious, observe personal and environment hygiene and most importantly eat energy dense but very nutritious diet, they can live as long as HIV negative individual can live without fear of death or developing any opportunistic infections leading to AIDS.