The food you put into your body directly affects your health. If you are dealing with a chronic disease like HIV or AIDS, nutrition is especially important. Here’s why:
- Healthy food helps keep the immune system strong
- A good diet helps the body process HIV medications
- Knowing what and how much to eat helps manage common problems like malnutrition, fat redistribution, and severe weight loss
- Eating well helps prevent “wasting,” or the loss of muscle tissue
- Nutritious food makes a healthy body, and a healthy body improves quality of life
Nutritional Assistance in Central Texas
If you have a case manager, he or she can help you get an appointment with a qualified nutritionist. Additionally, some AIDS service organizations (ASOs) offer programs to help you meet your nutritional needs so you can best manage your HIV:
- AIDS Services of Austin offers the Helping Hands Food Bank and Nutrition Services program, which includes a grocery program. Case managers determine eligibility for ASA’s Food Bank programs.
- The David Powell Clinic provides HIV-specific nutritional services.
If you are on a tight budget or have a hard time accessing healthy food, food pantries around Austin offer services for everyone in need. You can check out the Capital Area Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and More, or call 2-1-1 on the telephone to find out what local resources there are near your home.