HIV infection and AIDS (commonly referred to as HIV/AIDS) are caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV is transmitted sexually and through exchange of body fluids, such as blood. The HIV attacks our defense system (immune system) giving opportunity to many illnesses to attack the body. These infections (called opportunistic infections) range from common cold and diarrhea to life-threatening illnesses including uncommon pneumonias and cancers. The type, range and intensity of opportunistic infections vary with the severity of the HIV infection and the extent to which our immunity is compromised. 

AIDS is the last stage disorder of the HIV infection. Though there is no complete cure for the HIV-infection till date - despite thousands of scientists across the world working on it, spending countless hours of research involving billions of dollars - there has been tremendous progress in medicare improving the quality of life of the HIV-infected, in extending their life-span to almost normal levels and in preventing mother-child transmission. 

The key factors in extending the life-span, and in keeping good immunity and good health are 

balanced and nutritious diet

regular physical exercise

correct, consistent and lifelong use of the prescribed medicines

periodic medical checkups

staying psychologically positive and strong

good family support and

good lifestyle habits.

The last one involves maintaining good personal hygiene, avoiding smoking (active as well as passive), alcohol, recreational drugs, unhygienic and disease-prone environments and sedentary life style. Those who follow these will guidelines certainly have better prognoses. 

Diet:

A nutritious diet is of utmost importance to the HIV-infected, as adequate nutrition contributes to the development of the immune system, prevents malnutrition and wasting, achieves and maintains optimal body weight and strength, enhances the body s ability to fight opportunistic infections, helps delay the progression of HIV, improves the effectiveness of drug treatments, and improves the quality of life. 

Ensure that the food contains adequate macronutrients, that is, carbohydrates, proteins and fat, otherwise the patient may end up with - protein-energy malnutrition, manifesting itself in the weight loss and wasting that is typical of AIDS patients.

As per WHO, an HIV-infected person has additional nutrient requirements: 10-15 percent additional energy intake and 50 to 100 percent increase in protein intake as compared to a non HIV-infected person.

Consuming micronutrients (especially Vitamins A, B6 and B12, iron and zinc) is important for building a strong immune system and fighting infections.

Try and maintain a daily diet containing rice/roti, vegetables, legumes, and fruits which provide you energy and micronutrients. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.

Eat at least two servings of fish each week. Oily fish, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, are best. If you cannot eat fish, you can also get omega-3 fats from omega-3 eggs, walnuts, flax seeds.

Better avoid fast foods.

Living with HIV/AIDS: Diet, Nutrition, and Food Safety

There is a contrast between intimacy satisfaction and intimacy happiness. Happiness tends to be a byproduct of the relationship. Therefore, while it just takes one partner to be sexually satisfied, it takes two to make the conditions for sexual happiness. A key indication of sexual bliss in a relationship is a couple's capacity to endlessly rejuvenate the sexual energy between them. Consequently, the term sexual happiness depicts couples who can revive, reestablish and extend their sexual desire with each other for a very long time or even forever. Here are a few ways through which one can integrate happiness and sexuality:

Since sexual happiness is a result of the relationship, both the partners need to be happy with each other in general to achieve happiness rather than satisfaction.
Staying in shape can be very beneficial. Being sound and fit promotes better sex. Not just are fit individuals perform better sexually, but also it is proven that healthier and fit individuals have a more noteworthy longing for sex. There are numerous reasons behind this. Healthy, fit individuals are not only more joyful, but also physiologically, they are capable of producing more sex hormones due to a number of other health factors.
Enthusiasm is not found in sex; it is found in individuals. To completely grasp sexual enthusiasm, you should be completely present in the moment. As such, you should bring your psyche, body, and soul to your partner. This implies being conscious, aware, and present mentally as well as emotionally.
Decreasing or managing sex levels can also help one integrate happiness and sexuality. Life is clearly unpleasant many times, and our reaction to all the anxiety can be devastating when it comes to sexual experiences. Not only does a lot of stress or anxiety decrease the yearning for sex, it also additionally hinders sexual performance. Hence, one should vent out to their partners or try therapy or yoga for stress release.
Routine tend to repel romance and consistency cools the flames of sexual excitement and energy. To neutralize these twin constrains, you should deliberately plan and design different rituals of sexual pleasure. Indulge in customs of joy and particular actions, thoughts, activities, and exercises like back rub, animate, and stimulation of the sexual and emotional pleasures.
Being happy in general is very important. Being cheerful and idealistic is the establishment of numerous parts of a successful life. Inquiring about actions that make your partner happy are more advantageous, beneficial, and have better connections, including better and more continuous sex.
Sex is very important in a relationship for knowing and feeling that your partner still fancies you, yet having sex once a week is a practical and an achievable objective for people who tend to be very busy. A study demonstrates that regular sex additionally makes individuals more joyful than a high income.

Sexual Happiness and Satisfaction - How You Can Integrate Them?

With changing times the nature and effects of virus and bacteria are also changing and due to this, one of the biggest risks of unprotected sex is catching a sexually transmitted disease or STD. An STD can be contacted by any form of intercourse including oral, vaginal and anal sex. STDs are serious diseases that should not be ignored and require treatment and medication. Some common STDs are:
1. Chlamydia
2. Hepatitis B
3. Genital Herpes
4. Syphilis and
5. Gonorrhea 

The only way to protect yourself from an STD is to abstain from unprotected sex and always use a condom. Sometimes STD infections have no symptoms and can remain dormant for years, hence it is essential to get yourself regularly treated for STDs if you have more than one sexual partner. On the other hand some STDs have visible symptoms such as:

Skin rash
A rash in the genital area is most often a sign of STDs. This can be in the form of bumps, sores or warts. It may or may not be accompanied by itchiness. A rash caused by a STD usually results in redness and inflammation. Herpes sores may subside within a week or so but just because the rash is gone does not mean the infection has been treated. Hence even if the rash disappears before your doctor's visit, ensure you mention it. 

Painful urination
A burning sensation or pain while urinating is a symptom for a number of STDs. There may also be a change in the colour of urine. Some STDs associated with painful urination as Chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. However, this may also be triggered by kidney stones or a urinary tract infection. 

Painful intercourse
Pain during intercourse is one of the most overlooked symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. While a little pain may be normal, any sudden increase in pain or new type of pain should not be ignored. This should be kept in mind especially when having intercourse with a new partner or if there is a change in sexual habits. When it comes to men's sexual health, pain at the time of ejaculation can be a symptom of a STD.

Abnormal discharge
Abnormal discharge from the vagina or penis can be a symptom of a number of infections not all of which are STDs. Strangely coloured and odorous vaginal discharge can be a symptom of yeast infections or a Sexually transmitted disease like trichomoniasis or gonorrhea. Bleeding in between periods can also be a symptom of a STD.  Abnormal discharge from the penis can be a sign of Chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis.

Learn the Signs and Symptoms of STDs

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a type of immune disorder which attacks the immune system of the body and slowly destroys it overtime. The HIV virus targets the immune system and makes the body susceptible to other diseases. HIV infection can progress to AIDS although it may take up to 10 or 12 years to fully go into the last stage.

Risks and Causes
HIV is a communicable disease which spreads through only the following methods

    It can spread from one person to another by means of unprotected sexual intercourse due to the exchange of bodily fluids.
    The virus spreads if you share drug needles with someone who is already contaminated with HIV virus. It can also occur due to improperly trained medical staff that may reuse syringes although this is very uncommon.
    The HIV virus transmits from the mother to the child during pregnancy through the placenta.
    Any exchange of blood in significant amounts such as blood transfusion from a contaminated patient will result in infection as well although this is very rare.

Any other form of contracting the disease such as through kissing or food is a untrue and only propagates due to ignorance.

Symptoms
The initial symptoms of HIV infection are noticed after a few weeks although it can take a few months to come up as well. The initial symptoms may include
1. Severe headache along with intense pain in the muscles and the joints of the body.
2. Frequent appearances of rashes
3. inflation of the lymph nodes
4. Itchy skin
5. Disorders which stay for sustained periods such as an upset stomach or a cold.

The early symptoms disappear within 2 to 3 weeks without any treatment. The later symptoms might appear after few years (sometimes up to or more than a decade), which will stay. This is usually the time HIV is diagnosed. The symptoms now may also include
1. severe muscle fatigue
2. severe loss in body weight,
3. High fever and recurrent instances of sweating at the night time.
HIV is suspected if the later symptoms tend to last for a long time without any other diagnosable cause.

Treatment
HIV can be treated by means of antiretroviral therapy which reduces the rate at which the virus multiplies. However, there is no cure for HIV as of yet.
Prevention
In order to prevent yourself from getting HIV, you should adopt the following precautionary measures:
1. You should use protection every time when engaging in sexual intercourse and if you are unsure of your partner s HIV status.
2. You should use new blades in barbershops for shaving purposes in order to prevent yourself from HIV as well
3. If you are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS while you are pregnant, to prevent spreading it to your unborn baby, you might immediately need undergo a medical check-up and follow the doctor s advice.
4. Ensure that disposable syringes are used whenever they are being use for medical tests or treatments.

HIV / AIDS - Things You Should Remember About It

The HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a critical disease. This virus invades a person's immune system which is the body's defense against infections such as viruses and bacteria. The immune system doesn't work properly and becomes deficient once attacked by HIV. One social acknowledgement to HIV that has gained enough recognition is the HIV counselling due to the crucial need to counsel the patient about sexual behavior and the risks associated with it. 

Importance of HIV counselling 
The human immunodeficiency virus has become an epidemic in nature and has reached to a distressing proportion worldwide as it is in its third decade. Thus, counselling becomes remarkably crucial part of the treatment. 

HIV prevention counselling is a significant mode of behavioral invasion particularly in the deficiency or lack of an effective curative treatment or vaccine. HIV counselling varies from other forms of counselling sessions. Apart from being a health obstacle, the disease is equally overwhelming for the family as well as people around you. family. It is also connected with endless and intense human suffering which stimulates multiple emotional responses. Such reactions involve self-denial, grief, fear, loss, anxiety, anger, annoyance, depression self-blaming, pity, self-condemnation isolation and suicidal thoughts. 

Also, the risk of passing the virus to the partner during sexual activity is high and the patient must be aware of safe sex and the risks associated with unprotected sex. Hence, counselling becomes paramount. 

Counselling session s information Self-care counselling: 
The patient must be well informed about the disease and should be supported in embracing attitudes, actions, and beliefs which will defend and serve as a protective shield to the body s immune system. Improving, enhancing, and transforming nutrition is required. A few other things that are emphasized are, encouraging physical activity, avoiding objects, actions, and events that threaten the body, overcoming anxiety and stress that compromise the psychological, mental, physical and welfare of the body, and seeking and giving support for self-care. 

Types of counselling: 

Patient centered counselling: It changed the focus of counselling from a single informative one to one that concentrated on a patient s circumstances and needs. This involved active listening, to render better support and managing client's particular prevention needs. 
Risk reduction counselling: This includes examining client s awareness about sexual activity and their feelings.Using their current HIV knowledge as an appealing tool, the limitations they have for protected sex is discussed. A better understanding is ensured in the patients so that unsafe behaviors can be avoided. 
Grief counselling: People who are contaminated with HIV have an elevated risk of acquiring depression. Counselling helps you to deal with any emotional outburst. 
Aims of counselling in HIV infection-

Prevention is the first purpose of HIV counselling. It decides whether the lifestyle puts that individual at a higher risk. Helping to recognize and distinguish the definitions of high-risk behavior. The counselling contributes to behavioral change and also aims at working with the person and his family to obtain and sustain that change in approach and behavior.

HIV Counselling - Why It Is Important To Get It?

Any kind of dysfunction points to the issues experienced during any stage of the cycle of physical issue that prevents the participants from experiencing any kind of satisfaction from the intimate activities. Though the researches imply that sexual problems are common all across the globe; 43% of women along with 31% of men are affected by some sort of dysfunction; however, it is something that most people are hesitant to talk about. But thankfully enough, most cases of sexual problems can be effectively treated, and can be prevented from occurring again, by sharing your concerns with a qualified doctor. You should consider visiting the doctor along with your partner.

What leads to sexual problems?
Sexual problems can be caused either due to physical or psychological reasons. Many medications and clinical conditions can cause a variety of sexual dysfunctions, and these physical conditions include heart and vascular disease, high levels of blood sugar and blood pressure, any kind of neurological disorder, chronic diseases of the kidneys, liver and lungs, and hormonal imbalances. In addition to this, the side effects stemming from any medicine, including antidepressant drugs, can cast a harmful impact on the sexual desire and its normal functioning. On the other hand, psychological causes refer to the stress caused due to work pressures, anxiety, depression, excessive concern about sexual performance, feelings of guilt, and relationship problems.

What are the common sexual problems?
What leads to sexual problems can cause a wide variety of issues in both men and women. While erectile dysfunction is most commonly found in men, vaginal dryness is the most common issue in women. Sexual dysfunction can take a variety of forms, and it is not plainly confined to the dysfunction or simple disinterest in sex, which is commonly termed as lack of sex drive. It can also involve pain while having sex or an inability to maintain the erection or experiencing pain while getting an orgasm. There are some people who experience excruciating pain during intercourse, which is often accompanied with a burning sensation.

All couples have the right to enjoy a happy and healthy sex life, which can be considered a crucial aspect of any relationship. So, if you are having any kind of difficulty that is interrupting your lovemaking, it is imperative to speak with your doctor to get the right diagnosis, and discuss openly with your partner to find out the ideal solution of your sexual problems.

Sexual Problems - Things That Can Lead to It

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