EAting POSITIVE EAting POSITIVE Reference points About this booklet This booklet is designed for long-term easy referral. You can use this page as a convenient place to record essential contacts and other information. My health professional Name Contact number My dietitian Name This booklet has been designed for PLWHAs (People Living With HIV /AIDS) and their health professionals as a handy reference guide to some of the more common dietary and nutritional aspects of managing HIV /AIDS. It is intended to complement professional advice from your doctor, nurse or dietitian. Dietitians are the experts in food and nutrition advice, and can work with you to help meet your individual health and lifestyle needs. Your health professional will tick the next to the sections that are particularly relevant to you and your current health needs. You will also find plenty of helpful tips throughout this booklet. If you have not seen a dietitian ~ and especially if your nutrition needs are complex ~ then your doctor or nurse may recommend the advice of an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). Finding a dietitian Contact number My weight log To note some key dates and body weight measurements, use the space here. DATE WEIGHT NOTES (Medication changes, illnesses, etc) APDs are members of the Dietitians Association of Australia, and are committed to keeping up-to-date and providing quality service to their clients. Some dietitians are also members of the Queensland Branch Interest Group on HIV /AIDS. Members of this group receive ongoing education in this special field, so their information is always up-to-date and accurate for you. You can contact the Dietitians Association of Australia ~ • on the internet, visit: www.daa.asn.au • telephone 1 800 812 942 (the APD Hotline) ~ or check the Yellow Pages under “Dietitians” ~ or contact St Luke’s Nursing Service ~ • telephone (07) 3421 2800 to link up with your local dietitian who is a member of the Queensland Branch Interest Group on HIV /AIDS. A balanced diet Nutrition matters! Good nutrition is essential for people with HIV or AIDS . Eating well is an important co-therapy that will assist in optimising your health. Healthy eating guidelines To achieve a balanced diet to promote good health, it is recommended that you consume the following quantities of food each day. These amounts represent the minimum that will meet all of your vitamin and mineral requirements for the day. Food group Eat more vegetables Vegetables provide a host of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and other vitamins and minerals, that are Friendly fibre Wholegrain breads and cereals essential for fighting HIV disease Snack on fruit (as well as fruit and vegetables) Another great source of provide the fibre necessary to vitamins and minerals that will keep your bowels regular ~ assist in optimising your health a high-fibre diet can also lower and keeping your immune your blood cholesterol levels system fighting Number of serves each day BREADS & CEREALS 6 1 slice of bread or ½ breadroll or ½ cup of cooked pasta/rice/noodles or ½ cup of cereal, or 1½ Weet -Bix or 2 or 3 plain or savoury biscuits FRUIT 2 1 piece of fresh fruit (150g) or 1 cup of tinned fruit or 2 tablespoons of dried fruit or ½ glass of 100% fruit juice VEGETABLES 5 ½ cup of cooked vegetables (tinned, frozen or fresh) or 1 cup of salad vegetables or 1 small potato or ½ cup of cooked legumes 5 serves a day DAIRY 2 MEAT or alternatives 2 Fruit 2 serves a day 6 or more serves a day 1 cup of milk (250ml) or 2 slices of cheese (40g) or 1 cup of custard or 1 small carton of yoghurt (200g) 65g–100g of lean beaf, pork, veal, lamb or chicken (eg the size of the palm of your hand) Meat, fish & legumes Dairy Eat more (tick, and add amount) (eg baked beans, chickpeas, red kidney beans, etc) Vegetables Breads & cereals What is a serve? or 90g fish or 40g oysters or 75g prawns or 1 large egg or 2 small eggs or ½ cup of cooked legumes 2 serves a day (eg baked beans, soy beans, kidney beans, or 3-bean mix) 2 serves a day or 1 cup of soy -based products or 1/3 of a cup of nuts or ¼ cup of seeds Water 6–8 glasses a day Powerful protein Protein is involved in nearly every biological process in the human body: it builds muscle tissue and helps your immune system fight off infections. Studies have shown that HIV weight loss tends to reduce protein stores very quickly, so a major nutritional goal should be to build or maintain your muscle mass by eating the recommended amounts of dairy foods, meat, fish and legumes FATS 4 1 teaspoon of margarine or polyunsaturated or mono-saturated oil (eg a thin scrape on a slice of bread) or or or or 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise 2 tablespoons of avocado, or peanut butter 1 tablespoon of fat-reduced (18%) cream 1 dessertspoon of any nuts “Meds” and food HIV As with many medications, HIV drugs have recommendations regarding their consumption in respect of food. Many of these recommendations are designed to enhance the absorption of the drugs and/or to prevent side-effects such as nausea and vomiting. Always check with your health-care staff if you are unsure about food restrictions with your current HIV medication. In the tables on these pages, the more familiar registered brand names of the drugs listed are shown in bold. HIV drugs without food restrictions Medication Drug class Food recommendations 3TC (Lamivudine) NRTI No food restrictions Abacavir (Ziagen) NRTI No food restrictions AZT (Zidovudine, Retrovir) NRTI No food restrictions* (*although taking with food may reduce nausea) Combivir (AZT+3TC) NRTI No food restrictions Trizivir (AZT+3TC+Abacavir) NRTI No food restrictions D4T (Stavudine, Zerit) NRTI No food restrictions DdC (Zalcitabine, Hivid) NRTI No food restrictions Delavirdine (Rescriptor) NNRTI No food restrictions Nevirapine (Viramune ) NNRTI No food restrictions T20 (Fuzeon) FI No food restrictions Notes drugs with food restrictions Medication Drug class Food recommendations Current “meds”? (tick) ddI–EC* (Didanosine, Videx–EC*) NRTI Take one hour before, or two hours after, food* (*if taking ddI with Tenofovir, may take both together without regard for food) Efavirenz (Stocrin) NNRTI May be taken with or without food, although high-fat meals should be limited, due to increased absorption and increased side-effects Tenofovir (Viread) NtRTI Preferably taken with a meal ~ a high-fat meal may improve absorption Current “meds”? (tick) Note: when PIs (below) are taken in conjunction with Ritonavir, the food restrictions usually do not apply ~ they can be taken with or without food Amprenavir (Agenerase ) PI Can be taken with or without food, although high-fat meals should be avoided Atazanavir PI Should be taken with meals Indinavir (Crixivan) PI Should be taken one hour before, or two hours after, a main meal, however a light (without fat) snack can be taken at the same time (eg popped corn, pretzels, or a medium-sized piece of fruit). Should not be taken with grapefruit juice. Drink at least 1.5 litres of fluids a day to reduce risk of kidney stones Lopinavir / Ritonavir (Kaletra ) PI Should be taken with meals, as this improves absorption Nelfinavir (Viracept) PI Should be taken with a meal or a snack, to improve absorption Ritonavir (Norvir) PI Should be taken with meals, to minimise the risk of nausea and gastro-intestinal upset Saquinavir (Fortovase / Invirase ) PI Should be taken with, or immediately after, a meal ~ meals containing fat improve absorption Body shape changes ~ With the introduction of HAART (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy) for the treatment of HIV, new dietary problems are emerging. Nevertheless, a few simple changes which you can make can give you back some control over any drug sideeffects which you may be experiencing. Some changes may mimic the problems seen in heart disease ~ such as high blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) ~ and in those people at risk of developing diabetes ~ such as glucose intolerance. Dietary changes can help reduce these problems. Exercise also plays an important part in helping you control these side-effects. It is important to weigh up the importance or risk of these problems with any other issues you may be having ~ such as weight loss or diarrhoea. A dietitian can help you with a meal plan or with more specific dietary requirements and advice. Fats and cholesterol Elevated levels of blood fats (also known as cholesterol and triglycerides) can be a sideeffect of HAART. High blood fats can lead to the build-up of fatty deposits on the inside walls of your blood vessels (arteries), making the space for the blood to move through very narrow ~ this is called atherosclerosis. Your arteries can become blocked if a blood clot gets stuck in a narrowed vessel, stopping the blood and oxygen supply to an area of your body. If the blocked blood vessel supplies your heart, it results in a heart attack; if it supplies your brain, it results in a stroke. The types of fats Cholesterol is a normal and essential part of your body. It is an important part of some hormones and vitamins, and is needed to help with digestion; it also makes up part of cell walls. Your body is able to make all the cholesterol it needs, so it is not needed from the diet. Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your bloodstream that originate from your food. There are three main types of fatty acids ~ • saturated fats ~ eg butter, cream, meat fat, coconut milk & coconut cream • mono-unsaturated fats ~ eg olive, canola and avocado oils • poly-unsaturated fats ~ eg seed and nut oils nutrition complications Fibre in food A high-fibre diet can have many health benefits ~ and there are even some suggestions that a high-fibre diet may help prevent body shape changes. Foods that contain fibre are only plant foods, including: wheat, oats, rice, grains and bread; fruit and vegetables; nuts, seeds, lentils and legumes. There are two types of fibre: insoluble and soluble. Soluble fibre eaten in large amounts can help to lower blood cholesterol levels (when part of a modified-fat diet). Good sources of soluble fibre are: legumes (chickpeas, red kidney beans, canellini beans, and so on) and oat and barley bran. Around 25g–30g of fibre should be consumed each day. Lipodystrophy This is a term used to describe a number of body shape changes (“fat atrophy” or “fat deposition”) which can occur with the use of some HAART prescriptions. While there is no ‘cure’, some exercise (and dietary) strategies have been shown to help. Exercise ~ do you get some every day? Some studies have shown that weight training can help ~ • increase strength • build muscle tissue • reduce serum triglycerides. Aerobic exercise (walking, running, cycling, dancing) has been shown to improve ~ • fatigue levels • abdominal fat levels • blood glucose levels • blood fat profile. As well as these physical improvements, regular exercise can help you feel better about yourself and your body shape. Excessive cardiovascular exercise may not be beneficial if you are already losing weight ~ see a dietitian or exercise physiologist for more information. Exercise ~ do you like to do it in the morning or afternoon or …? High intakes of saturated fats and cholesterol increase blood cholesterol levels. However, mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated fats can lower blood cholesterol levels if they replace saturated fats in the diet. Triglycerides levels can be lowered by reducing intake of saturated fats, alcohol and sugar. A good tip to getting active is to follow the National Physical Activity Guidelines: these recommend that you ~ • think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience • be active in as many ways as you can • put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most ~ and preferably all ~ days. The “Heart Smart” guide on page 9 offers good food choices for heart health. If you can, try to also enjoy some regular vigorous exercise for added health and fitness. Bodyshape changes ~ nutrition complications Impaired glucose tolerance As well as disrupting the way your body makes and uses fats, HAART may also interfere with the way your body uses carbohydrates from your diet. This is called “impaired glucose tolerance”. There are some simple, yet effective, changes you can make to your diet to help your body cope with the glucose that comes from the carbohydrate you eat. Your body needs carbohydrates to work ~ this is the fuel that we all need. It is digested and absorbed as glucose (sugar). A large amount of carbohydrate food at once can be too much for your body to cope with, and your blood glucose levels can rise. Something else to bear in mind is that some carbohydrate foods control blood glucose levels better than others. “heart smart” food choice guide Food group GOOD choices BREAD & CEREALS Bread (all types), breakfast cereals, flours, rice, spaghetti, crispbreads and cracker bread, home-made cakes and biscuits (using small amounts of polyor mono-unsaturated fats and low-fat milk) FRUITS & VEGETABLES All fruit and vegetables, including avocados MILK & DAIRY PRODUCTS and substitutes Low-fat and reduced-fat milk, soy milk, low-fat yoghurt, low-fat & soy cheese, soy custard & yoghurt, soy ice-cream Full-cream milk, cream & sour cream, cream cheese and hard cheese, icecream, coconut milk & coconut cream EGGS Yolk-free egg mix, egg white Maximum of two egg yolks a week More than two eggs a week Carbohydrates are found in • • • • • • breads and cereals starchy vegetables (eg potato, corn, sweet potato) fruits milk and yoghurt sweet foods and drinks legumes and pulses FISH & SHELLFISH All types of fish and seafood (tinned or fresh) NUTS Walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, pecans, Coconut and coconut cream / milk brazil nuts, macadamias, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts (unsalted) FATS & OILS Poly-unsaturated or mono-unsaturated Butter, ordinary margarine, lard, copha, margarine, oils (olive, canola, safflower suet, ghee, coconut oil & palm oil seed, sunflower, etc), mayonnaise or salad dressings (use in moderation) The simplest way to help control your blood glucose levels is to ~ eat regular meals that are similar in size to each other include even amounts of carbohydrate at each meal choose unprocessed carbohydrate foods that are high in fibre ~ like grainy breads and cereals, and fresh fruits ~ instead of highly-refined carbohydrate foods (white bread, sugary cereals, soft drinks and lollies). If you are overweight, losing weight will also help ~ refer to the “Healthy eating guidelines” on pages 2–3 for more advice on how to achieve a balanced diet. Please see an Accredited Practising Dietitian for more specialised dietary guidance and meal planning advice if this is a concern to you. Croissants, commercial cakes & pastry, sweet or chocolate biscuits, toasted muesli MEAT, POULTRY Lean red meat, pork, veal, chicken and Fatty meat, sausages, bacon, liver, pate, & MEAT PRODUCTS turkey without skin kidney, brains, duck, Devon salami Some helpful hints • • • LIMIT SAUCES & SPREADS Tomato paste, herbs, spices, pepper, honey, jam Squid & prawns maximum twice a week Salt, soy sauce, Vegemite, tomato sauce (in moderation) TAKEAWAY FOODS Sandwiches, BBQ chicken (no skin), Fried chicken, hot chips, fried fish, pizza, steakburgers (no mayonnaise/cheese), potato scallops, meat pies, sausage rolls, low-fat yoghurt, fresh fruit or fruit salad, spring rolls, dim sims, hamburgers, etc baked potatoes, kebab with tahini SNACKS & LOLLIES Boiled sweets*, jellied sweets*, Chocolate, fudge, caramels, corn chips liquorice*, unbuttered popcorn, pretzels and potato crisps BEVERAGES Water, mineral water, tea, coffee, fruit juices, low-joule cordial, soft drinks*, fruit drinks*, alcohol* (in moderation) Milkshakes, coffee whiteners *Limit these if triglycerides are high, along with the other foods in the LIMIT column Managing the more Managing HIV and HAART drug-related side-effects can help to enhance your nutrition status and promote immune function, improve your ability to stick to your medication plan, decrease the number of pills you need to take, and ~ most importantly ~ improve your quality of life. Food group Weight loss Spread margarine thickly on bread and toast. Add energy -rich toppings (eg peanut butter, avocado, lean meats and eggs). CEREALS, Add margarine or oil to rice PASTA & RICE and pasta, or spread onto sweet or savoury biscuits. Add sugar to cereals. Use milk or milk-based sauces on pasta and rice. FRUIT Add sugar, ice-cream, or custards and yoghurts. BREAD VEGETABLES DAIRY MEAT or alternatives FATS BEVERAGES Nausea or poor appetite Taste changes Choose all types of bread and bread products; sweet or savoury toppings may be added depending on taste preferences (eg honey). Choose “bland” products Choose all cereal, pasta and (eg noodles, pasta & rice, or rice products. Adding gravy and Rice Bubbles, Cornflakes or sauces to pasta and rice may Weet-Bix) make them more palatable. Salty crackers & biscuits may Honey and sugar may be assist with nausea. added to cereals. Tinned or fresh fruit is Choose all fruit ~ tinned, fresh usually well-tolerated. or dried. Try adding ice-cream, yoghurt or honey if needed. Melt margarine over, or brush Limit those vegetables with Choose all vegetables. with oil. Stir-fry in oil, and use strong odours (eg cabbage, Try serving with a sauce or with oil-based salad dressings or brussels sprouts & onions). gravy. satay sauce. Most others can be tolerated. Emphasise full-cream milk, Dairy products may be Choose all dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurts, and tolerated ~ some more so cheese, yoghurts and desserts). desserts like mousses, than others (eg cheese may custards and ice-cream. be better than yoghurt). Pan-fry in liberal amounts of Choose lean cuts (eg ham, Marinade (eg wine, soy sauce), oil; use oil to baste. Add lean chicken, beef, fish). or add herbs and spices to meats to sandwiches and Cold deli meats & tinned fish cooking to make meat more salads. Snack on boiled eggs with salads or on sandwiches palatable. Other protein & nuts (eg almonds, peanuts). are a good meal or snack. (eg soy products, cheese, eggs) may be consumed instead. Be liberal with the use of the Limit high-fat foods & meals Be liberal ~ fats in food tend to “good” fats (refer to the as these may worsen nausea carry the flavour. Try adding “Heart Smart” table on p9). (eg fried chips, chocolate). oils, nuts or peanut butter to cooking (use plenty of spreads & oils on bread, pasta, rice). Make every mouthful count ~ ensure that drinks are tasty Drink at least 8 glasses of and nutritious: choose milk, juice or cordial in preference water a day. If you experience to tea, coffee or water. Supplements may be needed an unusual taste in mouth, try Add extra milk powder to milk if you are losing weight or bitter flavoured drinks (eg (2 tbsp / 200ml) for drinks & your diet is inadequate ~ lemon, lime & bitters, lemon in cooking. speak to your dietitian. juice, tonic water, tea, coffee). Select white or wholemeal bread ~ fresh or toasted. Sandwiches & savoury crackers can also help. common side-effects The tips in the tables on these pages have often been found to be useful in the management of the more common side-effects. For further information, please speak with your Accredited Practising Dietitian ~ especially if you experience one or more of these sideeffects simultaneously. Food group BREAD Bloating or gas Choose all kinds of breads and bread products. CEREALS, Choose all cereal, pasta and PASTA & RICE rice products. FRUIT VEGETABLES DAIRY MEAT or alternatives FATS BEVERAGES Constipation Diarrhoea Choose grainy bread over white or wholemeal. Choose white bread only. Limit grains & wholemeal. Choose low-fibre cereals (eg Rice Bubbles, Cornflakes, Special K) or rolled oats or porridge. White pasta, rice or noodles. Plain crackers and biscuits. Choose all fruit ~ tinned, Choose all fresh and dried Select tinned fruit, or bananas fresh or dried. fruit (eg prunes, apricots) or and stewed apples (but avoid tinned fruit. skins & seeds). Limit only cabbage, brussels Use unpeeled, plus legumes Use peeled (eg potato, carrot, sprouts, onions, asparagus, (eg baked beans, chickpeas, pumpkin). Cooked mushrooms legumes, lentils, cauliflower, red kidney beans), dried peas and tomatoes. broccoli & spinach. Be liberal & beans. Nuts and seeds. with all other vegetables. Try low-lactose milks (eg soy, Choose all dairy products If due to HAART, lactose Liddell’s or Zymil) or substitute (milk, cheese, yoghurts and modification is not needed; for soy products for all milk. Desserts). other strategies, refer to the Limit other foods with lactose “Management Tips” on the (eg white cheeses, custard & next page. ice-cream). Choose lean cuts (eg chicken, Choose lean cuts (eg chicken, Choose lean cuts (eg chicken, ham, beef, fish). ham, beef, fish). ham, beef, fish). All can be included, but prefer the “good” ones ~ refer to the “Heart Smart” table on p9. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Limit aerated beverages (eg softdrinks, mineral and soda waters). Choose high-fibre cereals (eg muesli, Sultana Bran, Vita-Brits, Weet-Bix) with at least 6-8g fibre per 100g of product. All can be included, but prefer the “good” ones ~ refer to the “Heart Smart” table on p9. Drink plenty of fluids ~ at least 8–10 cups a day. Include pear or prune juice as well as water, for their natural laxative effects. Limit caffeine (coffee & tea) and alcohol ~ dehydration increases constipation. Limit high-fat foods & meals, as these may worsen the diarrhoea (eg pizzas, nuts, seeds). Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, this will not make diarrhoea worse. Limit caffeine (coffee, tea & cola) and avoid alcohol ~ these dehydrate. Dilute cordial, softdrinks and full-strength juices, otherwise these may worsen diarrhoea. Some management tips Nausea or poor appetite Eat when you are feeling well. There may be a time in the day when you feel best ~ make the most of this time to eat a large nutritious meal. (Remember that an empty stomach may make you feel nauseous, so try not to skip meals.) At other times, aim to eat regular, small meals ~ try to eat 6–8 meals a day instead of 3 (equivalent to eating every 2 hours). Eat and drink slowly. If you can, stay out of the kitchen while food is being prepared, to avoid the smell of food cooking. (Cold foods ~ like salads, sandwiches, puddings and yoghurts ~ may be better tolerated.) Drink nutritious drinks when you are not eating well. EAting POSITIVE Taste changes If foods taste salty or acidic, add sugar or honey. If foods taste too sweet, add salt, soy sauce, lemon or lime juice, vinegar or coffee powder. If food tastes bland, try some flavoursome additives ~ like ham, bacon, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, soy or sweet chilli sauce, pickles, chutney, gravy or fresh herbs. If food tastes ‘metallic’ try using plastic cutlery. (You may find that foods you disliked in the past now become appealing ~ give them a go!) Bloating or gas This may be due to a diet that is too low in fibre. Try to consume at least 2–3 pieces of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables a day. Grainy breads are preferable, and trying low-lactose products may also be beneficial. Eat without speaking, and chew your food well ~ bloating may occur due to swallowing air while eating or drinking. Fluid intake and regular exercise are also important. Constipation Increase your dietary fibre intake; add psyllium or Metamucil to your diet. Avoid foods which contain pectin (a natural ‘glue’) ~ such as bananas, white bread, white rice, apple sauce or stewed apples, rolled oats, peeled potatoes or canned fruits ~ as these will only worsen constipation. Increase fluid intake and activity levels: regular exercise helps to keep things ‘moving’! Diarrhoea* Increase your intake of pectin-containing foods (those mentioned just above) to help bind the stools together. Eat smaller, regular meals, and avoid very hot or very cold foods and beverages. *For HAART-related diarrhoea ~ avoid spicy and high-fat foods, and try 2 teaspoons of psyllium husks in 200ml of water twice a day. *For OI-(Opportunistic Infection)-related diarrhoea ~ try yoghurt containing lactobacillus acidophilus, and try low-lactose milks (like soy, Liddell’s or Zymil) or substitute soy products for all milk products; limit other foods with lactose (like custard and ice-cream) and choose hard yellow cheese (such as Edam) over soft white cheeses. eating positive 1st edition Written and compiled by the Qld Branch Interest Group on HIV/ AIDS, and Jane Anderson, Dietitian, St Luke’s Nursing Service, and Kathryn Jacobson, Dietitian/Exercise Physiologist, NutritionPlus.; designed and produced by Matt Tesch & printed by Kwik-Kopy, Spring Hill, Brisbane. Information in this booklet is correct as at January 2004, but is not a substitute for health professional advice and medical supervision. A short questionnaire will have been included in the original copy of this booklet. If you don’t have one, or would like another, please telephone (07) 3421 2800. Please address all correspondence to St Luke’s Nursing Service, PO Box 167, STONES CORNER Q 4120
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