A. Durante, D. Rigon, L. Raua
Poiesis Center of Exodus Group, NATC Caucus Italy, Viale Marotta 18/20, 20134 Milan, Italy
Second International Conference on Nutrition-HIV Infection - 23-25 April 1997, Cannes
Abs. P-42

Background:
In Italy, the large majority of people living with HIV and AIDS (PlwHA) present two characteristics: a) they are not completely aware of the great importance that healthy nutrition represents for their immune system and against opportunistic diseases. b) if they are or become aware, they don't know how to manage in daily practice. There are great difficulties to change nutritional habits: this is only a problem of taste or of laziness, often need the collaboration of the persons cooking for them (mother, wife, companion, etc.) who can be unprepared to follow new indications or to use completely unknown nourishment.

Objective:
to prepare a practical guide with informations, advices recipes for a healthy nutrition for PlwHA.

Methods:
we made a large bibliographic research about important informations about nutrients and micronutrients, free radicals, vitamins, antioxidants, etc. in a very plain language; 2) to give practical directions about food: which kind of food to buy, where to find it to cheaper prices, how to cook it, etc.); 3) to give important and simple informations about the correct nutrition in presence of particular, but very common problems, as diarrhea, lack of appetite, fever, candidates, etc.; 4) finally, to give a lot of recipes, easy to prepare and careful to immune support.

NATC (Natural Alternative Traditional, Complementary Therapies) Caucus is a network of single or organized activists especially involved in unconventional therapies, natural nutrition, psychological techniques and peer support.