What can we do to help prevent wasting?

What can we do to help prevent wasting? Aside from visiting your doctor regularly, nutritionally you can do a number of things. First, you can eat a variety of foods. Use the food guide pyramid to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals, calories, and protein daily, which recommends the following:

• Breads and cereal group: 6 to 11 servings
• Meat, poultry, fish, egg, or alternative: 2 to 3 servings
• Fruits and vegetables: 3 to 5 servings each
• Milk/Dairy: 2 to 4 servings
• Fats, sweets, and oils: sparingly

If you need to gain weight, or to keep from losing weight, eat the higher number of servings for extra calories.

Art by Russell McGonagle

Because women are more susceptible to osteoporosis, it is essential we get enough calcium. Calcium is a mineral responsible for bone health. Lack of adequate calcium can lead to loss of bone mass and tissue. Calcium is found in dairy foods, and can also be found in calcium-enriched juices and cereals, sardine (with bones), salmon (with bones), collard greens, broccoli, and turnip greens. Women need 1000 mg daily of calcium, 1200 mg for pregnant women and the elderly (51+years). This is equal to 3 cups of milk or calcium-fortified orange juice.

When cooking, preparing, and/or handling foods, your primary goal should be to avoid food infection. It is critical that hands are washed with hot soapy water before and after handling any type of food, whether you are cooking or eating. Keep foods at a safe temperature -- cold foods should be cold, and hot foods hot. Food left at a temperature between 40-140 degrees F are in the "danger zone," where bacteria may grow. Heat leftovers to at least 140 degrees F. Check food labels -- do not use packaged food past the recommended date on the label. Finally, avoid eating raw foods, including eggs, fish, and meats. Check to be sure milk products and juices are pasteurized because not all milk and juice is. If the item has not gone through the pasteurization process it may contain harmful bacteria. Food safety is especially important in the immune compromised patient, as it can be hard to fight infection. Symptoms of food borne illness can include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and dehydration, and can lead to hospitalization.

Women must learn to make their own mental and physical health a priority. Without good health, we are putting family, job/financial security, and ourselves on the line. Kids want and need healthy moms, and co-workers need healthy colleagues. Proper nutrition is one way to help obtain and keep good health. It is a crucial part of the overall healthcare of the HIV-infected person, and should be taken seriously.