When you have HIV, it is important for you to eat well. It helps your body stay strong and helps fight the virus. It may not be easy, but try your best to follow these tips for healthy eating:
- Eat foods high in carbohydrates with every meal—These foods give you energy. Some foods that are high in carbohydrates are flour, rice, cornmeal, and potatoes
- Eat animal and milk products every day—These foods have a lot of protein to help build muscles and keep them strong. Try to eat these foods as often as you can: fish, all meats, chicken, turkey, eggs, and low-fat varieties of dairy products, such as milk, sour cream, yogurt, and cheese
- Eat fruits and vegetables every day—These foods help fight infection and provide vitamins. Yellow, dark red, green, and orange fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamin A. Good choices are green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, lettuce, and collard greens), green peppers, squash, carrots, yellow peaches, apricots, mangoes, and papaya. Cabbage, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and pineapples are high in vitamin C
- Eat some fat and oils—Having some fat in your diet gives you extra energy. It can also help you keep weight on and gain back any weight you may have lost. Healthy fats are found in fish, nuts, seeds, canola oil, and olive oil
- Drink plenty of water—You should try to drink about 8 cups of water each day. You must keep fluids in your body. This is even more important if you are vomiting, have diarrhea, or have a fever. If you have any of these problems for 3 days or longer, talk with your healthcare provider
Next >> Guide to gaining weight
