Eating right is always a prerequisite for a healthy lifestyle. The human body is designed to consume healthy organic freshly cooked nutritious food to function optimally. When the immune system is weakened by HIV, it is all the more important to have a mindful balanced diet every day. A nutritious diet keeps you healthy despite the HIV infection. A well-balanced meal will also potentially slow down the increase of HIV infection and boosts your mood, thus increasing your immunity to control HIV.

It is necessary to follow certain simple tips for a healthy and positive lifestyle with HIV, such as:

1. Always be hydrated
Be it a glass of water or fresh fruit juice or even a hot cup of green tea, keep drinking every 30 minutes. Fluids help distribute nutrients throughout the body and cleanse the medicines and chemicals out of the body. Drinking 30 minutes before every meal promotes digestion and prepares your stomach for the food that you intake. However, alcohol and sugary drinks dehydrate your body and can affect organs such as the liver, kidneys and the digestive system. Staying away from sugary drinks and alcohol will keep your immunity and strength in optimum condition.

2. Never forget the natural fruits and veggies
Fruits and vegetables are nature’s gifts filled with multiple nutrients and minerals. They boost your immunity and are usually easy on the stomach. They give the body all the natural sugars and oils the body needs. A variety of fruits and vegetables is recommended to be consumed for a wholesome meal:

• Fruits such as bananas, oranges, blueberries, guava, grapes, papaya, cherries, pineapples, avocados, cranberries, apples, and pomegranate.
• Vegetables that are high in nutrients are Brussels sprouts, red peppers, garlic, ginger, radishes, wild cabbages, carrots, broccoli, pumpkin, watercress, green turnips, lemon, grapefruit, asparagus, endive, and Romaine lettuce.
• Healthy greens include spinach, kale, leeks, celery, parsley, basil, collard greens, and dandelion greens.

3. Whole-grain carbs and lean protein
They constitute two of the most prominent parts of the food that we eat. The whole-grain carbohydrates and lean proteins are the healthiest. Carbs with a lot of fiber promote digestion and decrease the chances of fat depositing in the body. The whole-grain carbs include multi-grain whole wheat bread, whole barley, quinoa, oats, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, millet, corn, and brown rice.

Lean proteins contain less fat and more protein. They are packed in foods such as fish, shrimp, lean beef, pork loin, avocado, eggs, plain greek yogurt, chickpeas, broccoli, black beans, lima beans, and nuts such as almonds, and pistachios.

4. Watch your salt and sugar intake
By consuming regular medications to keep HIV under control, organs such as the liver, kidney, heart and digestive system tend to get edgy sometimes. To counteract such moments, watching your sugar and salt intake is very important. Salt and sugar come with almost all the factory manufactured foods. Avoiding them completely would prove beneficial in the long run. Also, limiting the overall salt and sugar intake in all the food helps slow down the progression of HIV to AIDS.

Following the above-mentioned food tips will help you manage your lifestyle with HIV. It will help to get accustomed to this lifestyle with the help of these tips.