The importance of good nutrition if HIV positive

If you are living with HIV, pay attention to your diet so you can strengthen your immune system and stay healthy. This can be done by ensuring that your diet provides you with enough:

• Vitamins (found in fruits and vegetables).
• Minerals (found in foods such as pumpkin seeds, fish, nuts, spinach, fruits and others).
• Carbohydrates (found in grain and cereals).
• Proteins (found in meat/fish and other foods).

Remember to cut down your intake of fatty foods, such as high-fat cuts of meat (beef, lamb, and pork), sugar and alcohol.

In circumstances where you have tuberculosis, diarrhoea, hepatitis or lipodystrophy (also called fat redistribution), your diet will need to adapt. This will also be the case during pregnancy.

If you have any enquiries regarding your nutrition or your HIV status, speak to your doctor or contact the GEMS treatment support line on 0860 436 736.