tion can affect a person's ability to survive with HIV/AIDS.

Nutrition can affect a person's ability to survive with HIV/AIDS. Staying nutritionally fit is difficult for everyone, but for HIV-positive people the task is even more challenging. Both HIV disease and HIV medications can have negative effects on nutrition. Unfortunately, keeping up with what is considered a healthy eating plan can be hard. However, there are some general nutrition guidelines for positive people to stay healthy. First, speak with a healthcare provider about what he or she recommends. Second, speak with a nutritionist that works with HIV-positive people. A nutritionist can provide tailored eating plans that include all important vitamins and minerals.

Positive people should take a multivitamin daily. This has been a recommendation for quite some time, and recent research confirms that taking a multivitamin that includes vitamins B, C and E slows the progression of HIV disease. Taking a vitamin B complex supplement has also been shown to help the body's immune system better withstand the daily assault from HIV. According to Sheila Carter, R.D., a specialist in the nutritional care of individuals with HIV at Houston's Thomas Street Clinic, it is also important to make sure selenium is included in the multivitamin chosen. Selenium is a mineral that strengthens immune cells. In addition to selenium, Carter recommends L-glutamine or glutamine, a chemical found naturally in the body (and available in supplements) that aids in reducing diarrhea and wasting, as well as slowing HIV progression. Those with advanced HIV disease or AIDS tend to have low levels of selenium and L-glutamine.