How Important Is Self-Care When Living With HIV?

Making time for self-care is extremely important when you’re living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Along with taking antiviral medications, HIV+ patients can benefit from finding healthy activities to support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. At Health Services of North Texas, our compassionate team offers confidential care for patients throughout Denton, Plano, and Wylie, TX who are living with HIV. Read on for tips on how to care for your mind, body, and soul, and learn why HIV self-care plays such an essential role in your quality of life.

How to manage HIV

If you are at a higher risk for HIV, think you may have been exposed to the virus, or are living with HIV or AIDS, it’s important that you have the medical support you need to manage your health and maintain your quality of life. Without medical care, HIV can progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) or late-stage HIV. Health Services of North Texas offers comprehensive HIV treatment to patients and provides Ryan White services to low-income individuals in Denton, Dallas, Kaufman, and Hunt counties. We want to help you get the care you need for better health and wellness, and offer services that range from HIV testing to counseling and the management of HIV medications.

Maintaining self-care when living with HIV

After an HIV diagnosis, you’ll want to take steps to manage the condition with antiviral medication and help prevent its progression to AIDS. Our caring team can develop a personalized treatment plan for you during a private consultation at one of our six offices located throughout Plano, Denton, and Wylie, TX. We also suggest the following self-care tips when living with HIV:

• Get plenty of exercise. People with HIV tend to lose weight due to physiological changes that occur as their bodies attempt to fight the virus. Regular physical activity can help support your immune system and help prevent the loss of muscle in your body.
• Eat a nutritious diet. Maintaining proper nutrition is also key to minimizing the risk of HIV-related weight loss and boosting your immune system. Our team can help you put together a balanced nutritional diet plan that is ideal for your caloric needs, metabolism, and general health.
• Seek support for your mental and emotional health. An HIV diagnosis is often accompanied by a range of emotions, from anger and anxiety to feeling scared or depressed. Finding support groups or going to counseling can allow you to better process these emotions and maintain positive mental health.
• Get plenty of rest. Your body needs adequate rest in order to function properly. Making sure you get plenty of sleep each night can have a restorative impact on both your mental and physical health.
• Avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits. Smoking, excessive alcohol use, and drug use can all impact your body’s ability to fight HIV. Avoiding the use of these substances or taking steps to overcome an addiction can improve your health and prolong your life. Our team at Health Services of North Texas can help you get the substance abuse treatment and support you need to take your life in the right direction.

Combining self-care with HIV treatment

Having a positive HIV status doesn’t have to keep you from living a healthy, fulfilling life. By partnering with a team that understands your needs and incorporating self-care into your daily routine, you can better manage your HIV symptoms and condition and look forward to a bright future. For testing, support, or HIV treatment in Denton, Plano, or Wylie, TX, please reach out to one of our six Health Services of North Texas locations.