5 ways to stay healthy while HIV positive

Medical science has found a way to delay the onset of the AIDS virus. Sometimes, you can even live longer than people who aren’t HIV positive.

There was a time when your world stopped dead (no pun intended) on its track when you were HIV positive. Back then, this lead to the much-dreaded AIDS.

These days, there’s the much-touted ARV or antiretroviral therapy. Likewise, there are ways of keeping yourself healthy even if you’re HIV positive. Here are five things to keep in mind:

1. Don’t be depressed over it

It’s truly a tragic thing to contract HIV– but getting depressed over it won’t make it go away. What’s worse, depression can bring your immune system further down.

“When you’re already working with a compromised immune system, pre-depression or anxiety can bring on a lack of motivation,” psychotherapist Melissa Lopez said, who works mostly with HIV positive patients.

This pre-depression can convince people to discontinue their meds. Depression will also make them more prone to strokes, heart problems, injuries, and even the common cold.

2. Watch what you eat

Here, we mean that medically. For one thing, HIV attacks the T cells, which mostly resides in our stomachs. This is why people with HIV always have gastrointestinal diseases.

For another, when you’re taking ARV, you need to have a strong stomach to help with the absorption and to minimize the side effects it brings.

Remember: eat food that are high in fiber and probiotics.

3. Maintain oral hygiene

Another common area attacked by HIV is the mouth, which is why most HIV positive people are prone to oral warts, fever blisters, canker sores, and thrush.

A dry mouth is also a common symptom, as well as cavities that can lead to cardiovascular problems.

So never ever forget to brush your teeth regularly, and as the dentist says, floss. Also, check in with your dentist every half a year.

4. Flex that body

With any sickness prevention method, exercise can do you some good. For some people, this is the thin line between being healthy and being sick.

Exercise, even in moderation, can help bring up T-cell counts. It can also drive away those blues about being HIV positive.

At least 30 minutes of physical activity is ideal, according to Mayo Clinic.

5. Keep your skin healthy

We mean this medically: one of the first signs of HIV infection are skin problems: psoriasis, hives, shingles and impetigo.

Sometimes just a bad skin can already denote a problem with your immune system.

So always make sure you have healthy skin because this is the first thing a low immune system will attack.

One last thing: orgasms can be good for you, so don’t be afraid to have protected sex even if you’re HIV positive. Just make sure you keep safe.