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Many people with HIV want to help themselves. There are lots of things you can do to stay healthy. We haven't looked at these approaches in as much detail as other treatments on this site.

Exercising for at least 20 minutes at least three times a week helps keep your heart and lungs fitter. Regular exercise may help you to feel better about yourself.¹

Swimming, walking, jogging or going to a gym are all good ways to exercise. If you want to start exercising regularly and have breathing or circulation problems, you should talk about it with your doctor. A physical therapist may be able to help you plan a program that suits you. If you don't have circulation problems, you should take care to start exercising gently at first, building up the frequency of exercise (how many times a week) before increasing the intensity (how hard you exercise).

Many people with HIV lose weight. Doctors aren't sure why this happens. It may be because the virus makes you feel less hungry. The infections you may get and the drugs you take for HIV can also give you diarrhea, which can mean you lose weight. And the drugs can also change how your food tastes or stop you from digesting your food properly.

There are some things you can do to try to keep your weight up and give your body the nutrients it needs.

• Eat regular, small meals.
• Make sure meals include a mixture of vegetables, meat (or fish) and starchy foods (potatoes, rice or pasta).
• Between meals, eat small snacks that have a lot of energy. Examples are nuts, seeds, fruit, yogurt, carrots or peanut butter sandwiches.

Eating healthily helps you stay strong and well.

Many people with HIV also like to take vitamin or mineral supplements. If you want to take vitamin supplements, talk with your doctor first. Some supplements (including vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc and iron) can make you feel nauseated. And some may cause problems with your kidneys or liver.

If you have HIV, getting another sexually transmitted infection (STI) may speed up how quickly HIV damages your immune system. This is because your immune system has to put some effort into dealing with the new infection. So it can't keep fighting the HIV as well.² You can protect yourself against STIs by using a condom or another kind of protection when you have sex.

Up to 8 in 10 people with HIV get depression.³ Many doctors think that this is a reaction to drug treatments. Learning about depression can help you to cope if it happens to you.

Living with HIV can be hard for many reasons.

• Being told that you have HIV can be unexpected when you feel and look well.
• Although drug treatments allow many people to stay healthy for a long time, many people find their treatment is a burden because they cause side effects and need to be taken at particular times.
• You might feel embarrassed at having HIV.
• You might feel discriminated against.
• You might find it difficult to form intimate relationships.

Many people with HIV get depressed. But there are treatments for depression and so you don't need to live with feeling unhappy or with worry.

To learn more, see our articles on depression and anxiety.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.