Contents:
- Medical Video: Living with HIV / AIDS - What You Need To Know
- Make a journal
- Look for support
- Live a healthy lifestyle
- Don't be afraid to change treatment
Medical Video: Living with HIV / AIDS - What You Need To Know
After being diagnosed with HIV, your life will change. Of course, your life will be more difficult. However, if you change it in the right way, your life will become more attractive and help you maintain a healthy life even if you have a disease. Here are some tips to help you have a healthy lifestyle.
Make a journal
If you have never had a journal before, try making it now. Help yourself to keep abreast of all the information provided by your doctor and health care provider by keeping a journal. Record everything that your doctor tells you, every question you have, or every thing you want to look for. If you start taking the drug, keep a record of when you drink it and if you experience any side effects. If your doctor runs a blood test to check your viral load and CD4 + cell-T level, you might also want to have a record of that information. The more information you have, the better you can prevent your disease.
Look for support
Share your illness with your relatives and friends. This helps them to more easily understand and support you through this difficult time. Loneliness can make you become depressed, so leave people beside you to help. Joining a social organization that has many people who have HIV like you is a good choice to help you get back quickly into your daily life.
Live a healthy lifestyle
Medication is not the only treatment option. If you look after your body well, this will take care of you better. In addition, a healthy lifestyle helps prevent potential health complications from HIV infection, such as obesity, heart disease, and cancer.
So, how do you have a healthy lifestyle?
You can start with a balanced and healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, wheat, and lean protein. Good food is a good medicine. It helps keep your immune system in the best condition and gives you lots of energy with lots of good nutrition, which can prevent the causes of other diseases.
Along with the diet, you must undergo an exercise program. Consult your doctor about the program that is right for you. The program can consist of light exercise in the early stages and with more difficult levels when your health is better. Walking, cycling, swimming, aerobics, and yoga are the best exercises for you in the early stages. You can try weight training at the next stage.
In addition, keeping your mind always positive is the most important thing. You cannot have good emotions if you continue to be in negative thoughts. Negative thoughts can even make you give up on other good habits such as exercising and eating a healthy diet.
Don't be afraid to change treatment
You may not undergo the same antiretroviral therapy throughout your life. You can think that you need change at several stages of your treatment process.
The reason for the need for change is drug resistance, reduced absorption of the drug, poor discipline regarding the drug schedule, or ineffective drug combinations. If you think that your medication is not as effective as it should be, or that the side effects or symptoms of untreated HIV have worsened, consult your doctor. In combating HIV, every treatment option must be explored.
You can live a very normal life, even after an HIV diagnosis. Therefore, there is nothing to fear about your illness. Having courage, being kind, and staying positive will help you live your life happily.
