Introduction What is the difference between HIV infection and AIDS? Evaluating your health status Phase 1 - Primo-infection Phase 2 – Seropositive without symptoms Phase 3 – Seropositive with symptoms Phase 4 – AIDS Will I necessarily progress through all phases? What are CD4 cells? What is the viral load? When should I start medications to treat HIV (antiretrovirals)? How does anti-HIV treatment work? Why is it necessary to take several medications at the same time? What are the different types of antiretrovirals? How to choose the best combination of medications? How do I know if my treatment is working? Why are treatments unable to completely erradicate HIV from the body? What are the potential side-effects of antiretrovirals? Why is it sometimes necessary to change the medications in my triple therapy? What is medication resistance? What can I do to avoid resistance? Treatment adherence means: Can alternative or naturopathic/homeopathic therapies assist me in managing my HIV infection? Will I need to take medications for the rest of my life? What can I do to stay in good health? Condom breaks or tears? —Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) HIV and Depression HIV and Aging HIV and Neurocognitive Disorders KASA (Kaletra Adherance and Support Assistance)Program Links and References

The answer to this question is not complicated. In fact, whether sero-positive or sero-negative the answer to this question is the same. It is all about lifestyle issues, and you probably already know what is important, but here are a couple of simple principles to assist you in the promotion of your general health:

• A well-balanced diet that includes all the different food groups, eat regular meals at regular intervals (don’t skip meals);
• Regular exercise, particularly cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is good for both the body and the mind;
• Take care of the mind – don’t ignore psychological issues (if you need assistance speak to your physician about resources – stress management, counseling, therapy, etc;
• Quit or cut down on your smoking habit (this is a big one);
• If you consume alcohol and/or recreational drugs – do so in moderation and play safe (some recreational drugs may interact with antiretrovirals and you may have to be careful to avoid complications). Speak with your physician/pharmacist for up-to-date info on drug-drug interactions;
• Prevent common infections via vaccination: yearly influenza vaccination, pneumonia vaccination, hepatitis A and B vaccination;
• Protect yourself from sexually transmitted illness (play safe!);
• Ensure a regular follow-up for HIV, routine testing for sexually transmitted illnesses and routine age-appropriate tests with respect to your general health (apart from HIV).

As you can see from the partial list above – you need to take care of yourself!

Research on HIV and aging in QC — 2013

Video - One Life

Aids/HIV & Work .pdf (french)

Your Health & You .pdf (french)

Live Better With HIV .pdf (french)

Fight against discrimination

Relay Magazine