POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Nutrition & HIV => Topic started by: J.R.E. on May 31, 2006, 08:15:53 pm
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The following info was posted by Steven a while back. And I hope he doesn't mind, but I copied and pasted it to this nutritional forum, as it has a lot of excellant information in it.
From Steven :
WHY IS NUTRITION IMPORTANT?
Good nutrition means getting enough macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients contain calories (energy): proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. They help you maintain your body weight. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals. They keep your cells working properly, but will not prevent weight loss.
Good nutrition can be a problem for many people with HIV. When your body fights any infection, it uses more energy and you need to eat more than normal. But when you feel sick, you eat less than normal.
Some medications can upset your stomach, and some opportunistic infections can affect the mouth or throat. This makes it difficult to eat. Also, some medications and infections cause diarrhea. If you have diarrhea, your body actually uses less of what you eat.
When you lose weight, you might be losing fat, or you might be losing lean body weight like muscle. If you lose too much lean weight, your body chemistry changes. This condition is called wasting syndrome or cachexia. Wasting can kill you. If you lose more than 5% of your body weight, it could be a sign of wasting. Discuss it with your doctor.
NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV
First, eat more. Extra muscle weight will help you fight HIV. This is very important. Many people want to lose weight, but for people with HIV, it can be dangerous.
Make sure you eat plenty of protein and starches, with moderate amounts of fat.
Protein helps build and maintain your muscles. Meats, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds are good sources.
Carbohydrates give you energy. Complex carbohydrates come from grains, cereals, vegetables, and fruits. They are a "time release" energy source and are a good source of fiber and nutrients. Simple carbohydrates, or sugars give you quick energy. You can get sugars in fresh or dried fruit, honey, jam, or syrups.
Fat gives you extra energy. You need some - but not too much. The "monounsaturated" fats in nuts, seeds, canola and olive oils, and fish are considered "good" fats. The "saturated" fats in butter and animal products are "bad" fats.
A moderate exercise program will help your body turn your food into muscle. Take it easy, and work exercise into your daily activities.
Drinking enough liquids is very important when you have HIV. Extra water can reduce the side effects of medications. It can help you avoid a dry mouth and constipation. Remember that drinking tea, coffee, colas, chocolate, or alcohol can actually make you lose body liquid.
PRACTICE FOOD SAFETY
It's very important to protect yourself against infections that can be carried by food or water.
Be sure to wash your hands before preparing food, and keep all of your kitchen tools and work areas clean. Wash all fruits and vegetables carefully. Don't eat raw or undercooked eggs or meat, and clean up juices from raw meat quickly. Keep leftovers refrigerated and eat them within three days. Check the expiration date on foods. Don't buy them or eat them if they're outdated.
Some germs are spread through tap water. If your public water supply isn't totally pure, drink bottled water.
WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?
Some people find it difficult to go shopping and prepare meals all the time. Supplements can help you maintain your body weight and get the vitamins and minerals you need. Don't use a product designed to help you lose weight, even if it says it contains everything needed for good nutrition! Your health care provider can help you choose a supplement that's right for you.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Good nutrition is very important for people with HIV. When you are HIV-positive, you will need to increase the amount of food you eat and maintain your lean body weight.
Be sure to eat a balanced diet, including plenty of protein and whole grain foods, with some sugar and fat. An exercise program will help build and maintain muscle.
Drink plenty of liquids to help your body deal with any medications you are taking.
Practice food safety. Keep your kitchen clean, wash foods, and be careful about food preparation and storage. If your tap water isn't pure, drink bottled water.
If you feel you need to use nutritional supplements, be sure to get some expert advice from your health care provider.
WHY ARE VITAMINS AND MINERALS IMPORTANT?
Vitamins and minerals are sometimes called micronutrients. Our bodies need them, in small amounts, to support the chemical reactions our cells need to live. Different nutrients affect digestion, the nervous system, thinking, and other body processes.
Micronutrients can be found in many foods. Healthy people might be able to get enough vitamins and minerals from their food. People with HIV or another illness need more micronutrients to help repair and heal cells. Also, many medications can create shortages of different nutrients.
WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANTS?
Some molecules in the body are in a form called oxidized. These molecules are also called free radicals. They react very easily with other molecules, and can damage cells. High levels of free radicals seem to cause a lot of the damage associated with aging.
Free radicals are produced as part of normal body chemistry. Antioxidants are molecules that can stop free radicals from reacting with other molecules. This limits the damage they do. Several nutrients are antioxidants.
Antioxidants are important for people with HIV, because HIV infection leads to higher levels of free radicals. Also, free radicals can increase the activity of HIV. Higher levels of antioxidants can slow down the virus and help repair some of the damage it does.
HOW MUCH DO I NEED?
You might think that all you have to do to get enough vitamins and minerals is to take a "one-a-day" multivitamin pill. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. The amounts of micronutrients in many of these pills are based on the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) set by the US government. The problem with the RDAs is that they are not the amounts of micronutrients that are needed by people with HIV. Instead, they are the minimum amounts needed to prevent shortages in healthy people. HIV disease and many AIDS medications can use up some nutrients. One study of people with HIV showed that they needed between 6 and 25 times the RDA of some nutrients! Still, a high potency multivitamin is a good way to get basic micronutrients.
WHICH NUTRIENTS ARE IMPORTANT?
There has not been a lot of research on specific nutrients and HIV disease. Also, many nutrients interact with each other. Most nutritionists believe in designing an overall program of supplements.
People with HIV may benefit from taking supplements of the following vitamins and minerals:
B Vitamins: Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin), and Folate (Folic Acid).
Antioxidants, including beta-carotene (the body breaks down beta-carotene to make Vitamin A), selenium, Vitamin E (Tocopherol), and Vitamin C.
Magnesium and Zinc
WHAT ABOUT OTHER SUPPLEMENTS?
In addition to vitamins and minerals, some nutritionists suggest that people with HIV take supplements of other nutrients:
Acidophilus, a bacterium that grows naturally in the intestines, helps with digestion.
Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that may help with neuropathy and mental problems.
Coenzyme Q10 may help with immune function.
Essential fatty acids found in evening primrose oil or flaxseed oil can help with dry skin and scalp.
N-Acetyl-Cysteine, an antioxidant, can help maintain body levels of glutathione. Glutathione is one of the body's main antioxidants.
CAN NUTRIENTS BE HARMFUL?
Most vitamins and nutrients appear to be safe as supplements, even at levels higher than the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). However, some can cause problems at higher doses, including Vitamin A, Vitamin D, copper, iron, niacin, selenium, and zinc.
A basic program of vitamin and mineral supplementation should be safe. This would include the following, all taken according to directions on the bottle:
A multiple vitamin/mineral (without extra iron),
An antioxidant supplement with several different ingredients, and
A trace element supplement. There are seven essential trace elements: chromium, copper, cobalt, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc. Some multivitamins also include trace elements.
Any other program of supplements should be based on discussion with a doctor or nutritionist. Remember that higher price may not mean better quality.
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Steven
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THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!
That's very thoughtful, J.R.E.
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Ray, a belated thanks to both you and Steven for your insights into nutrition (which I believe is still an underutilized weapon against this battle).
I have incorporated several of the tips from the old message boards successfully into my diet and am doing well.
With great appreciation,
John
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Great Idea JRE, this is an excellent start for the Nutrition Forum. I've always appreciated Steven's information on nutrition and I hope he continues to post here... Nutrition is becoming my main focus lately and I really value the unique opportunity to be a part of an HIV related nutrition forum.
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Such sound advice. I would like to mention something a bit controversial. Organic foods. A number of years ago a company that produced organic juices managed to kill a number of people mainly in California. It seems, at the time, they didn't bother to pasteurize their juices. Some of their apples were contaminated with horse feces. The result was a massive outbreak of e-coli. Other instances come to mind. In Japan a large number of students became ill from eating organic sprouts that were grown in contaminated water. In Milwaukee there was an outbreak of crypto from tap water. I lost a friend with HIV to this outbreak. Be very careful about organics. Some imported organic teas have been found to be contaminated with lead and mercury. I'd rather have a cup of Lipton any day. One of three chickens sold is contaminated with harmful bacteria. Make sure you cook them very well, and as mentioned above use sanitary practices. Don't make homemade salad dressing or milkshakes that use raw eggs. You're just asking for trouble. You don't really need to buy bottled water. If you are concerned with your tap water containing organic contaminates boiling for 1 minute will kill most of those nasty bugs.
There is risk in almost all the food we eat, but we can minimize it by being thoughtful and cautious.
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I would like to mention something a bit controversial. Organic foods. A number of years ago a company that produced organic juices managed to kill a number of people mainly in California. It seems, at the time, they didn't bother to pasturize their juices. Some of their apples were contaminated with horse feces. The result was a massive outbreak of e-coli. Other instances come to mind. In Japan a large number of students became ill from eating organic sprouts that were grown in contaminated water.
Thank you. This is definitely good "food for thought". So many people out there automatically think organic = creme de la creme
Ray, a belated thanks to both you and Steven for your insights into nutrition (which I believe is still an underutilized weapon against this battle).
Underutilized and underestimated!!
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Wow, What a surprise!
I go away for a few months and things have changed yet I find my post from 2004 sitting here in the new forums.
Thanks Ray for reposting it here. I know there are many people who come in here without knowing which way to go after finding out they have this virus in their body.
The website I put up a few years ago with a more detailed listing of several vitamins and supplements that can be helpful to many of us is still there at this web site. http://qbmtz180.tripod.com/ (http://qbmtz180.tripod.com/) It has been awhile since I have done anything with it. Life has me busy with traveling lately.
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Steven:
It's so good to see you back. I also was going to post your old thread on nutrition but Ray beat me to the punch. No problem. I'm just glad you haven't left us.
robert
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I'm still around Robert, I usually can check in here when I am at work but have been fairly busy with traveling lately.
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Yea, thanks Ray.
I'm clueless on what I personally need to take, so I do take a one-a-day multi and now fish oil pill. I know a guy that takes some 17 pills/suppliments. He also has a cd4 of 900 now and was at 85 cd4 back in 95. He's been undetectable too since on meds but has a wasting look to him, even though he has the energy of a horse. His doc recently changed his meds to the newer ones since it was probably those eariler meds that caused the wasting look. But I think poping some 17 pills a day, besides the meds, would make me sick...?
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He's been undetectable too since on meds but has a wasting look to him, even though he has the energy of a horse.
that's unfortunate. 17 supplements!!! :o :o Goodness gracious.
i understand the clueless feeling because let's face it, the choices seem endless. but every single man, woman and child has got gut microflora, thus my personal stance is this: probiotics are universally beneficial - and IMHO they're very important if you've ever taken antibiotics, which the majority of adults have. i'm no doctor so i must say my words are based on personal laymans experience. seems like for a lot of people, when they take probiotics, diarrhea improves significantly if not enormously (maybe probiotics and diarrhea are archenemies or something)
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But I think poping some 17 pills a day, besides the meds, would make me sick...?
Depending on what the body needed, the 17 vitamins/supplements he took added what the body needed and expelled the rest that was not necessary.
It certainly did not cause the wasting look.
I have friends who find it difficult to swallow one pill and others like myself who can put everything in one glass and swallow it all at once.
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Time to bring this girl back to the top. It's one of the best Nutritional Threads we have.
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Nutrition has become an issue with me and has left me with the question of what to do. I have read the post that someone reposted from Steven. Here lies my dilemma, I am diabetic. I have to watch the amount of starches I take in. I love green tea and mentioned it to my doc, he said to me that it would not be good for me because of the caffeine. I have been drinking pepsi for the longest and thought that the tea would be good for me. I have also started drinking Tropicana orange juice for immune defense but also wonders how that affects my diabetes. I take 3 pills for my diabetes, glucophage, glypizide, and advandia. Suggestions or advice would be great. Thanks....
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I'm bumping this topic back to the top of the page. As Ray pointed out, Steven first posted this about 4 or 5 years ago on the old forums.It's as relevant now as it was then.
Steven also has a website called A PLACE TO START (http://qbmtz180.tripod.com/) which has some important information about different supplements/vitamins that help people with HIV in various ways.
robert