People with advanced HIV disease or AIDS can eat many of the same things that you eat. However, if you are caring for someone with advanced HIV disease or AIDS, there are some additional food preparation rules that you should know:
- Wash your hands before handling food and when switching between different types of food
- Wash utensils before using them and rewash them when switching between different types of food with the same utensil
- Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Wash and peel all fruits and vegetables, including organic, because they can carry germs on their skins
- Only use pasteurized milk—be sure that the milk you use says it is pasteurized on the container. This is an easy one unless you live on a farm! Almost all milk sold in a store is pasteurized
- Don't use raw eggs—raw eggs can be found in some foods, such as mayonnaise, salad dressings, hollandaise sauce, and ice cream. If something is homemade, check with the person who made it to ensure that there are no raw eggs in the recipe
- All types of meat should be cooked through with no pink in the middle
Remember, just as is the case with all of us, a good diet is important to the overall health of people with HIV. Check out Nutrition and HIV for more information on the makeup of a good, well-balanced diet.
