* Persons on antiretroviral treatment (ART) should not use coffee. The caffeine in coffee is a diuretic that contributes to the body’s loss of important nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and potassium.  It places great stress on the adrenal glands and adversely affects the nervous system. This results in anxiety, hyperactivity and insomnia.  It also adversely affects healing, which occurs when the body is relaxed.
More importantly, the acid in coffee also ‘eats away’ the villi (tiny fingerlike structures) in the small intestines, thereby reducing their effectiveness in supporting nutrient assimilation.   The end result is that the PLHIV will not derive the full benefits of nutritious foods eaten or antiretroviral  medication taken.
* PLHIV should avoid consuming too much sugar.  The consumption of high levels of sugar has a negative effect on the function of the immune system.  When white blood cells are exposed to high levels of sugar in the blood stream, they have a decreased ability to engulf bacteria, and therefore have weakened systemic resistance to all infections.   This ultimately leads to a compromised or weakened immune system.
* Foods eaten raw or under cooked are dangerous to good health, and particularly so in PLHIV.  Raw foods such as prawns, or undercooked foods such as poached eggs or meats contain infectious bacteria or intestinal parasites such as salmonella.   Raw fruits and vegetables too, should be thoroughly washed before being eaten.  PLHIV, beware  of  using  lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers  and other (raw served) vegetables grown near pit-latrines  or watered with supplies taken from trenches and other unclean sources.
* HIV does not always remain in the plasma of the blood, but hide in other organ tissues.  There are cases where HIV does not show immediately up in a blood smear, even though the person tested indeed has HIV.  Research has shown that only about 2 per cent of the HIV in a person’s body is in the blood, whereas HIV, which is a very smart virus, sequesters or hides itself away in body tissues such as the brain, spleen, and lymph nodes.
* Persons with HIV are at risk for kidney disease.  With kidney disease, the renal (normal kidney) function which is essential for life is severely threatened.  For some PLHIV, the virus itself can cause damage to the kidney.  In others , certain HIV medication can crystallize and cause damage to the kidney.
Other diseases/behaviours that put persons at risk for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, hepatitis B or C and recurrent kidney stones and persons who overuse pain killers such as ibuprofen, and users of cocaine or heroin. 
Poor Kidney Function Common Among HIV-Infected Injection Drug Users
(August 13, 2010)  Poor kidney function is common among injection drug users, particularly those with HIV, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The results suggest that clinicians should monitor the kidney function of HIV-infected injection drug users and consider them candidates for medical treatments to protect their kidneys when appropriate.
HIV-infected individuals are more likely to have kidney disease compared with the general population. This may be due to a direct effect of HIV infection as well as indirect effects related to known risk factors for kidney disease that are commonly present among HIV-infected populations for example, the presence of other illnesses, toxic effects of antiretroviral medications, low socioeconomic status, and African American race. Research also indicates that injection drug users exhibit increased risk of becoming infected with HIV. While little information is available about the burden of kidney disease in injection drug users, this population’s drug use, higher prevalence of viral hepatitis, and poor access to medical care may increase the risk of kidney disease.
To investigate the issue, Shruti H Mehta, PhD (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and her colleagues analyzed the presence of proteinuria, or excess excretion of protein in the urine, in HIV-positive and HIV-negative injection drug users. Individuals with proteinuria often develop kidney disease; therefore, screening for proteinuria may help physicians prevent or slow damage to the kidneys.
Researchers analyzed information from 902 injection drug users who were predominantly African American, 273 of whom were infected with HIV. 24.8% had proteinuria and prevalence was 2.9 times higher among HIV-infected (45%) compared with uninfected individuals (16%). HIV infection, unemployment, increased age, diabetes, hepatitis C infection, and high blood pressure were linked to a higher prevalence of proteinuria.
Because proteinuria can lead to kidney failure and increases one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease, clinicians should aggressively screen HIV-infected injection drug users for proteinuria and consider them candidates for medical treatments that protect the heart and kidneys.
Study co-authors include Elizabeth Yanik (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Public Health); Gregory Lucas, MD, PhD (Johns Hopkins School of Medicine); David Vlahov, PhD (New York Academy of Medicine); and Gregory Kirk, MD, PhD (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine).
Source: American Society of Nephrology (ASN)