HIV and Wellness

When a person is living with HIV, health and wellness can become a top priority. For individuals who choose HIV treatment, HIV medications can be an important step in their overall health, but they are only one piece in the health puzzle. Healthy living involves looking at the many aspects of a person’s life.

Nutritional Health
Nutrition concerns are common among people living with HIV. Good nutrition improves the immune system and helps the body fight disease. The body of an HIV positive individual has to fight harder to combat the virus (creating a need for greater nutrition). HIV medications may also affect absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. A good nutritional strategy is a part of good care!

Exercise and Physical Health
Physical fitness can better equip the body to fight illness. Some people living with HIV experience either weight loss or gain. Along with nutrition, appropriate exercise can help a person maintain a healthy body weight. Fitness is also part of mental health as it can reduce stress or chance of depression.

Emotional Health
On top of coping with every day life challenges, people living with HIV can experience worry about: illness progression and its implication in their daily life, the possibility of transmitting HIV to others, or discrimination. There is a connection between the body and the mind. Emotional stress can reduce someone’s ability to take care of their physical health and can impact the body’s ability to fight disease.

Complementary Therapies
HIV treatment has greatly increased the health and wellness of people living with HIV. Due to difficulties of drug treatment, side effects or general health improvement, some people living with HIV also turn to complementary therapies. Complementary therapies are therapies that work in conjunction with traditional medical care. Massage therapy and aromatherapy are examples of complementary therapy. The benefits of complementary therapies are that they work from a holistic approach and target individuals emotional, social, physical, or spiritual sides of themselves.

Health and wellness is an important issue for everyone. Taking care of our bodies and minds is a high priority for many and people living with HIV are no exception.

AIDS Calgary provides ongoing programs to address all aspects of health and wellness. We also host a special heath and wellness day. This year’s wellness day will take place on October 14th. The goal for the day is to provide an opportunity for clients to engage in therapies and workshops to support overall wellness. There will be individual therapies of acupuncture, massage therapy, nutritional counseling and MAC Cosmetics, along with a workshop on tobacco reduction and cessation, a winter clothing give away and gift bags.