What do you think is important for people with HIV to know about nutrition?
First, it is important to eat healthy foods because they provide the best combination of nutrients for our bodies. Second, there is a lot of nutrition information out there. Some of it is very good and some of it is based on unproven ideas. Figuring out what is good nutrition information and what is not can be hard. A basic guideline is to compare the nutrition information you find on TV, radio, newspapers, magazines or advertising and see if it promotes a balanced diet. How does the info compare to the Food Pyramid? A typical balanced diet includes lots of starches, lots of fruits and vegetables, proteins from meats, chicken fish, beans, eggs, dairy foods and not much fat. Lots of nutrition ideas are presented in advertising as if they are facts. For example, an ad for nutritional drinks may make it sound like that the drink is vital an HIV positive person's health. Remember while reading these ads that they are trying to sell you something. The fact is no nutritional supplement, such as a vitamin or drinks, is a replacement for whole, healthy foods. We cannot measure the complete benefit we receive from eating a variety of healthy foods, nor can we guarantee the benefit from expensive supplements. A lot of nutrition information in ads and elsewhere is not proven. Some nutrition recommendations that are not proven may not be harmful, but they may not do any good and cost you a lot of money. On the other hand, a lot nutrition information is good. So how are you supposed to know? You can ask your Registered Dietitian. Bring the information in and we can help you evaluate it.

When someone with HIV feels well, how should he or she eat?
What you eat becomes the building blocks for your body. If you build a house with cheap or poor materials, the house may not have problems right away, but eventually, it will cost a lot more for repairs. In the same way, a poorly balanced diet won't make you sick right away, but in the long run, your body is missing out. The immune system requires nutrients, like vitamins and minerals from a healthy, balanced diet. The immune system has to do without when it gets a steady diet of junk food. There is no sure way to make up for a poor diet-only try and improve it.

What should a person with HIV who has a poor appetite do?
First, the most important thing is to work with your medical provider to find out why your appetite is poor. In HIV disease, many times the appetite is poor because the HIV viral load is high or due to an opportunistic infection like thrush. When the viral load is lowered, the appetite often comes back. If you are not feeling well and don't feel like eating for a few days, while you are trying to find out the cause, it is still important to try to eat nutritious food. Try not to skip meals. Liquid nutritional supplements can helpful if you don't feel like eating. Soup, eggs or possibly bland food, like sandwiches, toast, boiled potatoes, cold cuts might be good to eat at these times. If you feel nausea, again while trying to find out the cause, try small and frequent snacks of bland foods, cold foods and foods without strong odors. Always be sure to drink plenty of fluids, especially m water.

How can a person on a limited budget eat healthy foods?
Dry bulk items such as beans and rice provide excellent nutrition. There are many varieties of beans and lentils that can be prepared in delicious ways. Milk products, such as yogurt, cheese or milk, eggs and canned fish are all good source of protein and minerals vitamins. Try to buy large bags of apples and oranges to provide some fresh products. Depending on one's food preferences, there are ways to buy and prepare nutritious food on a budget.

How can you get good nutrition if you have lactose intolerance?
Many people who have trouble digesting milk are able to eat cheese or yogurt with little or no problems. Also, many people can drink a half of a cup of milk together with other foods, for example milk with cereal. Lactose free or lactose-reduced milk has less milk sugar and therefore is easier for people with lactose intolerance to digest. There is also soymilk, which is made from soybeans. It tastes quite a bit different from cow's milk but is just as nutritious and relatively inexpensive. It also tastes good, once you find a brand of soy milk that you like. It is sold at many grocery stores in the dairy case.

How can a person with HIV eat healthy food if you don't like to cook?
Focus on eating high nutrition cereal, fresh fruits and vegetables, sandwiches. If you can afford it, lower fat frozen dinners and add variety. Look for sales on frozen meals.

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