December 1st is World AIDS Day. The day has been observed since 1988. Activities are held the world over to raise money, and awareness about the disease, as well as to fight prejudice and improve education. It’s a reminder to people everywhere that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done to reduce the spread of the disease. This year’s theme is “Getting to Zero” which focuses on the achievement of three main targets: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.
According to UNAIDS estimates “there are now 34 million people living with HIV. During 2010 some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus, including an estimated 390,000 children. Despite a significant decline in the estimated number of AIDS-related deaths over the last five years, there were still an estimated 1.8 million AIDS-related deaths in 2010.”
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by a retrovirus, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Advances in medicine has meant that contracting the disease is not necessarily a death sentence. Many people are able to live quite normal lives having contracted HIV. There is growing evidence to suggest exercise can help improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. Not only does it help improve mood as all exercise does, but it improves overall fitness, strength and endurance and helps stave off infections.
The disease takes a toll on the patient’s muscular strength as well as their aerobic capacity. This becomes more pronounced or severe with time and the progression of the disease. Engaging in a good exercise programme, can help delay this decline. It will not cure or reverse the disease, but will ensure the sufferer has a better quality of life, and feels better physically and psychologically.
Naturally, as with any form of physical activity, one would require the consent of a physician before commencing, (or increasing the intensity or frequency of a current) exercise programme. There are other medical conditions that may emerge as a result of the disease which would affect or prohibit engagement in certain activities or exercises. Similarly, the medications prescribed by your doctor may determine what exercises you can do, for how long etc. depending on their effects.
A good exercise programme will involve strength and aerobic exercises as well as flexibility training and the same rules would apply-start light (light in terms of weight and intensity), one or two days a week. and work your way up. Always warm up, stretch before exercising and cool down afterward, to avoid strain or injury.
You can work your way up to training every other day, for between twenty and thirty minutes and try to mix it as much as you can, alternating between strength training and aerobics, but do not neglect flexibility training. Try mixing even your aerobic activity e.g. jogging, cycling, tennis etc.
It’s doubly important to monitor yourself and to listen to your body. Have regular check ups which will help determine the effect of the exercise and whether or not it should be continued, adjusted, paused or stopped altogether.
Of course good nutrition is important too. Good nutrition can be a problem for HIV patients because your body uses much more energy to fight an infection and so you need to eat more than normal. The fact that you are ill makes it even more important that you eat a healthy balanced diet, to help your body fight the disease and maintain a good weight and healthy body fat to lean muscle ratio.
A healthy diet is a critical part of the treatment of HIV and should not be underestimated. If good nutrition is critical for long-term health and survival for the otherwise healthy person, it is even more so for the HIV sufferer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR; Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor & Sports Nutrition Specialist. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com. If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email us at mail@edgepersonalfitness.com
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