HIV: HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. The virus spreads from person to person through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. HIV works by attacking the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infections. People who are infected with HIV may remain healthy and symptom-free for many years, while others may develop symptoms of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

AIDS: In order to make an AIDS diagnosis, doctors use a combination of laboratory tests and medical examinations, including white blood cell counts and tissue samples. Certain illnesses or cancers that usually only affect people with weakened immune systems may also help a doctor make an AIDS diagnosis. These are called opportunistic infections. When someone dies from AIDS, they are not dying from the virus itself, but from the infections that move in once the virus has weakened and damaged the immune system.

Nutrition and AIDS – With the immune system under attack by HIV, the body needs as much help as it can get to resist opportunistic infections, strengthen its immune system, and promote healing. A solid nutritional base gives the body energy and strength to keep the virus in check and to ward off more serious illnesses.

Here are some common challenges that face HIV/AIDS patients:

Wasting syndrome – A particularly threatening complication of HIV/AIDS is wasting, an unintentional and unexplained weight loss, often accompanied by weakness, fever, diarrhea, and nutritional deficiencies. It is much harder to arrest wasting once it begins, so prevention must begin early on in HIV-disease.

Malnutrition – Because this weight loss comes primarily from muscle tissue and not fat, a few lost pounds can seriously weaken the body. In fact, malnutrition is an often fatal consequence of the disease, caused by the body's inability to absorb nutrients properly, muscle wasting, a skewed metabolism, or the loss of appetite that accompanies many infections and anti-HIV drugs.

Managing Side Effects – Many anti-HIV drugs must be taken with food in order to be effective and properly absorbed into the bloodstream or to reduce their painful side effects. With the advent of Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy (HAART) in the mid 90’s proper nutrition has become increasingly important to manage the often complicated side effects, such as those involving gastrointestinal tract, lipodystrophy and the development of more chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Our clients often spread their meals out over the day in order to take food with their medications.