HIV and AIDS Support
The right diet is the key to managing many diseases and to improving general quality of life. For this condition, scientific research has found benefit in the following healthy eating tips.
Gluten-Free
Choose from a wide array of gluten substitutes and forego foods made with wheat, rye, barley, or oats to reduce symptoms of diarrhea.Gluten-FreeAIDS-related weight loss and chronic diarrhea are sometimes the result of abnormal intestinal function in the absence of an infectious organism. This condition, called “HIV enteropathy” (pronounced “en-ter-OP-a-thee”), may respond to a gluten-free diet. In a preliminary trial,108 men with HIV enteropathy were given a gluten-free diet for one week. During that week, the number of episodes of diarrhea decreased by nearly 40%. When gluten-containing foods were re-introduced for a week, the diarrhea returned. When they were eliminated a second time, again for one week, the episodes of diarrhea were again reduced. Participants in the study also experienced significant weight gain during the gluten-free periods.
High-Protein, High-Calorie
People with AIDS often lose significant amounts of weight or suffer from diarrhea. A diet high in protein and total calories, preferably from whole, nonrefined foods, may help maintain body weight.High-Protein, High-CaloriePeople with AIDS often lose significant amounts of weight or suffer from recurrent diarrhea. A diet high in protein and total calories may help a person maintain his or her body weight. In addition, whole foods are preferable to refined and processed foods. Whole foods contain larger amounts of many vitamins and minerals, and people with HIV infection tend to suffer from multiple nutritional deficiencies.
Nonetheless, no evidence currently suggests that dietary changes are curative for people with AIDS, or even that they significantly influence the course of the disease. In fact, a controlled trial comparing the efficacy of three nutritional regimens in the prevention of weight loss in HIV-positive people found no benefit from increasing caloric intake.109 A 500-calorie per day caloric supplement with fatty acids plus a multivitamin and minerals did not promote increases in body weight beyond that offered by a multivitamin-mineral supplement alone.