Background
Living Positively with HIV
Story
Ideas
Contacts
Websites
Publications
Acknowledgements
This factsheet has
been developed by David Patient, who has been living
with HIV/AIDS for the past twenty years. Contact: drp@mweb.co.za
The contents are based
primarily on the book written by Neil Orr, Research
Psychologist and author of Positive Health. Contact:
neil_orr@yebo.co.za
Background
» HIV
is a manageable disease and through adopting a positive
lifestyle the onset of AIDS can be delayed for many years,
in some instances by 20 years and more.
» A
positive lifestyle is aimed at maintaining a strong immune
system. Research conducted by Neil Orr, a research psychologist
has defined three components in maintaining a positive lifestyle
thesea are: Physical
(nutrition, vitamins and mineral supplements, physical exercise),
Emotional, and
Spiritual well
being.
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Living
Positively with HIV
Maintain
body weight
» A
healthy diet keeps the body strong and illnesses away. For
people living with HIV/AIDS this is even more important
as it slows down the rate of at which HIV grows in the body.
» When
living with HIV/AIDS it is important for the person to eat
more than a healthy person would.
» With
HIV the body loses weight as it uses food differently as
it breaks down protein (muscle) for energy. This is a slow
process resulting in the muscles going down.
» Maintaining
the body mass acts as a buffer to the effects of opportunistic
infections (Ois)
Nutrition
» Food
can be divided into three groups. It is important for people
living with HIV/AIDS to eat from each of the groups every
day:
o Building
Foods – Contain proteins and help build muscles. Such as:
meat, beans, lentils and eggs.
o
Energy foods – contain carbohydrates that
the body converts into energy such as: brown bread, stamp,
mielies, maize meal, brown rice.
o Protector
foods contain vitamins which defend the body against any
infections. These include: fruit and vegetables, garlic
and ginger.
» Anti-oxidants
like Vitamin
C, Selenium, Vitamin A/Beta-carotene are essential
in HIV management due to their effect on viral activity.
» Selenium
(Trace Mineral) dramatically slows down disease progression
and should be taken with Vitamin E. The recommended daily
dosage of Selenium is 75 – 200 micrograms. Selenium and
Vitamin E are obtainable in capsules. Foods that include
Selenium are: Brazil Nuts, sea fish, pronutro cereal, sunflower
seeds or coconut.
» Zinc
(Mineral) strengthens the immune system. The recommended
minimum intake
of zinc is 15mg and the maximum intake is 45mg per day.
Zinc is obtainable in capsular forms from a local pharmacy.
Zinc is also contained in the following foods: pumpkin and
squash seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts. For maximum results
Zinc should be used in combination with Vitamin A/Beta-carotene.
» African
Potato (Hypoxis, Inkomfe)
balances immune system when taken in the correct
dosage. The manufactured products Moducare® and ImmunoChoice®
are available from local pharmacies or chemist. The African
Potato is effective in boosting the immune system as it
contains Sterols and Sterolins.
» Garlic
and pumpkin seeds destroy the entire spectrum of non-viral
gastrointestinal infections, if taken in moderate amounts.
Joghurt helps to prevent diarrhoea and thrush.
» The
use of sugar should be restricted or completely avoided.
Sugar stimulates fungal infections such as candida or thrush.
It has a direct effect on many of the medications causing
elevated levels of blood glucose.
» Alcohol
is bad for nutrition and the immune system as it reduces
T-cell activity and cuts down antibody production by 50
percent.
Hygiene
»
Basic
hygiene measures
such as ensuring that water is clean & cleaning
food properly – significantly reduces gastrointestinal infections.
Maintain
core body temperature
» A
warm body fights HIV better than a cold body. HIV
and other pathogens are weakened by heat. E.g., HIV activity
is reduced by 40 percent at 41 degrees Celsius of core body
temperature.
Regular
Exercise
»
Regular physical exercise assists in maintaining
body temperature
»
A quick walk or slow jog for 20 minutes and daily
stretching exercises stimulate lymph drainage and release
the fighter cells needed in keeping HIV suppressed.
»
Strenuous exercise should be avoided, unless the
infected person is already a serious athlete.
Psychological
Wellbeing
»
Creating a compelling future is essential for the
emotional and psychological well-being of a PLWH/A (Person
Living With HIV/AIDS.)
»
Confronting the fear of illness, stigma, rejection
and death are essential.
»
A person who is in a supportive environment or in
a therapy support group will survive longer than those dealing
with their infection in isolation.
»
Active involvement in ones health has a positive
effect on immune function.
»
The key is to take control over their own well being
and need not feel powerless over their infection.
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Story
Ideas
o
Living with
HIV/AIDS: Interview individuals living with HIV/AIDS and
find out what they are doing to remain healthy?
o
Vitamins and
supplements are important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle
look at what are the various options available to people
living with HIV/AIDS and what would the cost involved be
for a PLWHA?
o
Has the Department
of Agriculture instituted programmes aimed at providing
support to people living with HIV/AIDS, what are those programmes
and what are the basis upon which they have been developed?
o
Sustainable
“kitchen gardening”, how can a family live off the land
by maintaining and managing the soil? What support are home
and community based care programmes providing to support
the development of home and community gardens?
o
The current
food shortages being experienced in Southern
Africa is described as a famine with a difference
owing to HIV/AIDS. People living with HIV/AIDS have greater
nutritional and food needs so as to maintain a healthy immune
system. How are emergency relief agencies such as the World
Food Programme, the Food and Agricultural Organisations,
Oxfam and others addressing the nutritional needs of those
living with HIV/AIDS?
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Contacts
Networks
and Support Groups
National
Association of People living with HIV/AIDS
Thandoxolo Doro
Tel: 011 872 0975
Fax: 011 872 1343
Email: napnet@apc.sn.org
Website: www.napwa.org.za
Treatment Action Campaign
Zachie Achmat/Nathan Geffen
Tel: (27) (21) 788 3507
Fax: (27) (21) 788 3726
E-mail: info@tac.org.za
Website: www.tac.org
AIDS Consortium
Nkagare Makhudu
Tel: 011 403 0265
Fax: 011 339 4450
Email: tehc@aidsconsortium.org.za
Website: www.aidsconsortium.co.za
NACOSA Western Cape
Lu-anne Hatange
Tel: 021 425 4308
Fax: 021 421 8754
Email: nacosawc@new.co.za
Website: www.wc-nacosa.co.za
Positive Women's Newtwork
Prudence Mabele
E-mail: pmabele@mweb.co.za
Tsa-Botsogo
Masi Makhalemele
Tel: 011 989 1521
Mobile:
073 265 8986
Email: mwmakhal@mweb.co.za
Hope
Worldwide
David Jason Wessenaar
Tel: 011 984 44 22
Email: 0362dwessenaar@hotmail.com
Siyakhana
Rick Stephens
Tel: 021 426 4770
Mobile:
083 3112534
Email: aids@global.co.za
Positive
Role Models
David
Patient
Empowerment Concept
drp@mweb.co.za
Ricky
Treurnicht
Tel: 072 206 4311/023 626 1961
Antoinette Fouche
Tel: 083 225 9248
Brett
Anderson
Consultant: 083 628 4206
match@iafrica.com
Busi
Chamane
Dept of Minerals & EnergyHIV/AIDS Co-ordinator: 082
495 5792
busi@mepta.pwv.gov.za
Elizabeth
Dudd
UN HIV in the workplace
Consultant 082 829 3094
egordon@un.org.za
Maria
Ndlovu
EAP Manager - Transnet: 011 308 2295 MariaNd@transnet.co.za
Musa
Njoko: Own consultancy in assoc with Blue Moon Agency: 083
432 9479 or 083 459 5535 musa@bluemoon.co.za
Kim
Nyathi: Centre for the Study of AIDS, University
of Pretoria, 012
420 5190 knyathi@postino.up.ac.za
Ernest
Saila
Dept of Health: 072 125 1232
Sailea@health.gov.za
Jim
Tabane
SAPS HIV/AIDS Co-ordinator:
983 503 4524
Martin
Vosloo
Eskom Generations: 083 236 0552 Martin.Vosloo@eskom.co.za
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Websites
Nutrition
and HIV/AIDS
Positivepeople.com,
www.positivepeople.com
Provides valuable information to those living with HIV/AIDS
or those looking for information that could assist a friend.
The body, www.thebody.com
A comprehensive site on HIV/AIDS including information prevention,
treatment, care and support.
Nutrition links and resources,
http://www.hivresources.com/Nutrition.htm
Provides links to other sites dealing with all aspects of
HIV/AIDS and nutrition.
Tufts University, School
of Medicine, Nutrition/Infection Unit, http://www.tufts.edu/med/nutrition_HIV
Web site includes information on current research studies,
related HIV health issues, newsletter on nutrition and HIV.
Networks
and Support Groups
Global
Network of people living with HIV/AIDS, http://www.gnpplus.net
GNP+ aims to
improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS.
This is achieved by helping to build the capacity of people
with HIV/AIDS on the global, regional and national level.
The
National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS,
www.napwa.org.za
NAPWA is a national representative organization co-originating
the needs, aspirations and resources for people living with
HIV/AIDS.
Treatment
Action Campaign, www.tac.org.za
The countries leading advocacy group for expanding access
to treatment, educating South Africans about living with
HIV/AIDS and ultimately improving the health and lives of
those living with HIV/AIDS.
The
AIDS Consortium, http://www.aidsconsortium.org.za
provides access to information on any aspect of HIV/AIDS
and lobbies for a human rights-based response to the epidemic.
The
AIDS Law Project (ALP), www.alp.org.za
Is an organisation that specialises in assisting people
living with HIV/AIDS to get access to proper medical treatment,
school for children and even work. This website provides
valuable information on the human rights of people living
with HIV/AIDS.
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Publications
»
Positive Health, by Neil Orr, Research Psychologist
in HIV/AIDS, This publication defines the nutritional requirements
to maintain a healthy immune system. It provides practical
and concrete suggestions of regional foods containing these
‘supplements’.
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