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Why is good nutrition important in HIV?
1. Good nutrition helps keep your immune system strong, enabling you to better fight disease. A healthy diet improves quality of life.
2. Weight loss, wasting, and malnutrition continue to be common problems in HIV, despite more effective antiretroviral medications, and can contribute to HIV disease progression.
3. Good nutrition helps the body process the many medications taken by people with HIV.
4. Diet (and exercise) may help with symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue, and with fat redistribution and metabolic abnormalities such as high blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
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Building a High Quality Diet
USDA
What is a high quality diet?
A high quality diet is a diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, with lean, low-fat protein sources. These foods are nutrient-dense, and will contribute much more to your health and well-being than empty calories from sugar and fat.
Tips for a building a high quality diet:
1. Eat 5–6 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, or approximately 3 cups. Eat a variety of colors for a full range of nutrients.
2. Aim to have 50% of your carbohydrates come from whole grains.
3. Choose lean protein sources such as skinless chicken breast, fish, extra-lean cuts of pork and beef, and low-fat dairy products.
4. Limit added sugar, sweets, and soft drinks; they are low in nutrient density and cause spikes in glucose levels.
5. Have a serving or more of nuts, seeds, or legumes per day.
6. Whether eating a full meal or snacking, include all 3 macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and a little fat.
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Food is Medicine
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Water! Water! Water! Be sure to drink a minimum of eight glasses a day. Its essential to hydrate your body, to release nutrients & med through your systems and to minimize toxicities! Drink Water. Crystal clear water – essential to all life.
The Pride Center at Euality Park & Diplomat Pharmacy sponsored a dinner on Nutrition with Jon D. Kaiser, M.D.
From Jon D. Kaiser,M.D., Integrative Health Consulting recommends an Immune Enhancement Diet thats High in Protein, High in Whole Grains, Fruits, and Vegetables, Low in Processed Carbohydrates (sugar & flour), and Low in Fats and Cholesterol.
Immunity Broth With Added Vegetables
He recommends his “Immunity Broth”:
4 cups of Organic Vegetable Broth
4 ounces of organic cooking greens ( chard, Kale, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, etc.)
2 Shallots and/or garlic cloves, chopped
2 Carrots, sliced
Optional: Add Mushrooms, chicken, tofu or shrimp
Bring the shallots, carrots, garlic & broth to a low boil for 5 minutes, Stir in the organic cooking greens. Stir for two minutes, cover & remove from heat. After 10 minutes, drink a cup of the warm, nurturing broth then serve the vegetables over rice or noodles. (Prep time: just 20 minutes!)
To enhance the flavors and for further nutrition, we suggests adding peas, cauliflower, broccoli, red onions, and Flax Seed. I know this sounds terrible.. I thought so when I first heard John Kaiser’s Lecture, but it is really quite good. Try it.
Dr. Kaiser strongly suggest that you purchase organic vegetables. he says that they have more than twice the nutrients!
Mixed Berries: High in Anti-Oxidants
Healthy Foods to Eat:
1. Brown Rice
2. Sweet Potatos
3. Fruits and Vegetables (smaller vs. larger ones)
4. Quinoa – a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a grass.
5. V-8 Juice (Some Disagreement here. Be sure to purchase the lower sodium version!)
6. Oatmeal
7. Walnuts
8. Avocadoes
9. Blueberries
10. Salmon (wild)
11. Tumeric and Ginger (spices)
12. Capsaicin – chemical in chili peppers that makes them taste hot – resides in ribs vs. seeds.
Things to Avoid:
1. Grapefruit and Grapefruit Juice – can increase the absorption rate of your HIV meds.
2. St. Johns Wort – can decrease the absorption rate of your HIV meds.
Locations for to Purchase Fresh Foods:
1. Ft. Lauderdale – Las Olas Outdoor Gourmet Market – Sundays 9–2pm – 1201 E. Las Olas Boulevard at S.E. 12th Ave
2. Pompano Beach – October–May – Saturday 8am – 1pm, – 100 N.E. First Street, (Atlantic Blvd at Dixie)
3. Ft. Lauderdale – Swap Shop – M-F 9-5, Sat-Sun
4. Whole Foods Market: 200 N. Federal Hwy, Ft Lauderdale, FL. 954-565-5655
5. Whole Foods Market: 1400 Glades Rd, ste 110, Boca Raton, FL 33431. 561-447-0000
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