Recommended Best Foods for HIV Patients

It is quite imperative to dwell on the best foods for HIV patients because AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) brings about a reduction in immune response to cancer and various infections.

This disease is caused by retrovirus HIV. It attacks and   renders to nothing, the body’s defensive cells. A poor diet or artificial diet that is poor in vegetables, grains, fruits and nuts seems to be lacking or deficient in antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, C and E.

This same poor diet facilitates the growth of the disease. The need to dwell on the best foods for HIV patients is because AIDS patients seem to be malnourished and this in reaction tends to aggravate weaknesses in the immune system.

Another thing here is that loos of weight in case of this aliment (HIV/AIDS) is sign of a poor prognosis. It is quite imperative to dwell on the best foods for HIV patients in order to stay healthy and manage the condition.

Factors that lead to malnourishment

There are various factors responsible for malnourishment. They are:

1. Anti AIDS medication: The negative effect of anti AIDS medication is that they usually bring about digestive side effects such as vomiting, nausea and this promotes malnourishment.
2. Problem of assimilating fats: They are eliminated through the feces. The nature of the feces appears greasy (steatorrhea) and foamy. This disorder is present in one-fourth of HIV patients. Furthermore, there’s also problem of assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E).
3. Infection on-the-go: There’s always a state of frequent infection as a result of reduced resistance.

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The essence of the best foods for HIV patients is to help improve resistance and diminish the progress of HIV/AIDS.

In this article, we will take a look at the foods or nutrients which will help improve the condition and at the same time prevent the progress of the disease. The sole aim of the best foods for HIV patients is to increase resistance. It is important to do away with or avoid anything that weakens the immune system.

These foods include:

1. Shellfish
2. Alcoholic beverages
3. Coffee
4. Total Fat
5. White sugar

List of Best Foods for HIV patients

The following are the list of foods recommended for consumption in order to help the immune system resist viral, bacterial and other related diseases effects. They are:

1. Fruits
2. Nuts
3. Yogurts
4. Whole grain
5. Legumes
6. Vegetables
7. Antioxidants
8. Vitamin A
9. Vitamin C
10. B group vitamins
11. Selenium
12. Kiwi
13. Alfalfa
14. Tomato

Fruits

Fruits provide antioxidants vitamins and phytochemicals needed for resistance and also to fight against infections.

They also facilitate the elimination of waste materials from the bloodstream which rises in case of AIDS. It is important to consider fruits as part of the best foods for HIV patients.

Nuts

We get or acquire essential fatty acids from nuts. Nuts are a good source of proteins, vitamin E and trace elements, such as zinc and selenium. These nutrients mentioned are quite essential in promoting the resistance function of the immune system. It also helps to slow the progress of the disease.

Yogurts

Not all yogurts are recommended to be consumed in order to help the immune system. It is only yogurts that contain live bacterial cultures are recommended because they help improve the state of the bacterial flora of the colon.

One of their functions is to stimulate the body’s natural resistance in the intestine, in particular. They also provide calcium and proteins.

Whole grain

They supply complex carbohydrates and calories needed to prevent or halt malnutrition. Whole grains are also part of the best foods for HIV patients because they counter weight loss which may be triggered by HIV/AIDS as the disease keeps on developing.

Legumes

They provide minerals, proteins and trace elements which help to avoid malnutrition and halt the progress of the ailment.

Vegetables

Vegetables are considered as part of the best foods for HIV patients because they provide antioxidants, carotenoids and beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A in the body.

In essence, they help avoid the lack of vitamin A in the body that is brought by HIV/AIDS. They help in alkalizing the blood and promote the elimination of waste materials, that is, they help cleans the blood. Vegetables here are;

1. Chard
2. Peppers
3. Carrots
4. Spinach
5. And yellow, red, orange and dark green vegetables.

Antioxidants

In cases of HIV/AIDS, antioxidants are imperatively important because they help increase resistance and halt the progress of the disease. Therefore, foods especially plant-based which supply enormous antioxidants are seen as part of the best foods for HIV patients.

Provitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and also flavonoids are the highly needed and most important antioxidants.

They are mostly found in plant-based foods. However, in some cases, we can opt for supplements. According to researches, lack of antioxidants heightens or accelerates the progress of the disease.

Vitamin A

This nutrients deficiency is quite common in HIV/AIDS patients. Fast tracks immunodeficiency. To obtain vitamin A, dwell more on fruits and vegetables because they are good sources of provitamin A (beta-carotene) which transforms to vitamin A in the body.

It is said that beta-carotene supplements are much more preferable to vitamin A supplements because the vitamin’s absorption by the body is quite poor as a result of steatorrhea which accompanies this ailment.

Vitamin C

This nutrient is very essential to the immune system. HIV/AIDS patients diet tends to be poor in vegetables and fruits, and consequently, in vitamin C. To obtain vitamin C, consider the following as part of the best foods for HIV patients. They are:

1. Guava
2. Kiwi
3. Acerolas
4. Currants
5. Citrus fruits

They are the good sources of vitamin C and also help promote resistance.

B group vitamins

The immune dysfunction in HIV/AIDS patients always get exacerbated by vitamin B₆ and B₁₂ deficiency, as well as vitamin A and vitamin C. it is noteworthy that low levels of vitamin B₁₂ in the blood are linked with diminished number of defensive cells (lymphocytes) and this worsens the condition.

It may be necessary to administer supplement such as vitamin B₁₂.

Selenium

The body’s antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide-dismutase requires this trace element because it positively affects state of HIV/AIDS. It also helps in strengthening resistance.

Some of the dietary sources include;

1. Brewer’s yeast
2. Molasses
3. Brazil nuts
4. Wheat germ

Selenium and beta-carotene supplements are recommended since they provide positive result in case of HIV/AIDS. In essence, these foods mentioned under this section are also part of the best foods for HIV patients.

Kiwi

This food is one of the best food for HIV patients because it is highly enriched with vitamin C and trace elements. They help in stimulating body’s disease-resistance mechanisms.

Alfalfa

I made a detailed post on alfalfa, follow the link to know the benefits of alfalfa sprouts. In essence, alfalfa sprouts are highly enriched with trace elements and minerals which help stimulate the antibodies synthesis.

Tomato

They supply antioxidant carotenoids (provitamin A) and minerals as well. As one of the best foods for HIV patients, they help build the body’s defense mechanisms.

It is important to avoid or eliminate the foods that slow down the body defense system.

Foods such as coffee, shellfish, alcoholic beverages etc. are not good for individuals who are suffering from this disease.

Foods like shellfish contain bacteria, viruses and toxins that threaten the resistance function of the body system.

Coffee may reduce the immune response in cases of infection, according to encyclopedia of foods and their healing powers.

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Fidel Perez

A graduate of Computer Science and Information Management Technology. Diploma – Caregiving, Certificates – Dementia and Diabetes Awareness and Management. A researcher, blogger, songwriter, singer and acoustic guitarist. Born in an environment where natural talents such as healing are imparted at our natural birth. This natural talents of healing is the result of our genetic inheritance and the training from family environment.