What’s Your Risk Of Contracting COVID-19 If You Have Diabetes?

According to the WHO, having either type 1 and type 2 diabetes can increase your risk of contracting COVID-19. Having diabetes makes one more vulnerable to contracting most diseases as is (especially during cold and flu season).

However, in the case of contracting COVID-19, current studies have determined that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes increase the risk for morbidity and mortality.

The theory is that hyperglycaemia (a symptom of diabetes marked by high levels of sugar or glucose in the blood) may cause a disfunction in your immune system’s response to the virus. This deficiency allows the invading pathogens to spread more rapidly in diabetic patients, according to a study published in Current Diabetes Review.

Diabetes Complications

Due to people with diabetes being more likely to have compromised immune systems, viral infections, like the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) can cause serious complications:

Diabetic ketoacidosis

When you’re stressed or ill, your blood sugar levels may rise. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) happens when a person with diabetes does not have enough insulin to manage this drastic elevation. Your body begins to break down fats for energy, which results in a spike in ketones in the blood, making the blood more acidic. This makes DKA a complication that requires immediate medical attention.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is essentially an inflammation of the air sacs in the lungs. Again, due to the immune-compromised status of people with diabetes, you may be at a greater risk of developing pneumonia as a result of COVID-19. This is why anyone with diabetes should be vaccinated against both pneumonia and influenza every year.

Dehydration

People with diabetes are already prone to dehydration on a regular basis. However, when infected with infections like COVID-19, you would be losing additional fluids due to fever, and your body fighting the infection.

High blood sugar

All infections cause a stress response in the body. This response increases your body’s production of glucose, resulting in much higher blood sugar levels. Therefore, your body is going to need extra insulin during a serious illness. If you’re ill, you should monitor your blood sugar levels more frequently. If you do see a spike in your blood sugar, consult your doctor on how often to administer this extra insulin.

Staying Safe From COVID-19 Infection If You Have Diabetes

Stock up on a few weeks’ worth of insulin and medical supplies

To avoid too many trips to the shops or to the pharmacy, try to stock up on basic supplies and a few weeks’ worth of insulin and medication. This is not to say you should stockpile so much medication that it will expire before you can take it. However, do get plenty of water, rubbing alcohol, ketone strips, glucagon, and foods like nuts and low-carb fruits to maintain blood sugar and electrolyte levels when you’re ill.

Arrange virtual communication with your doctor and local pharmacy

Many major pharmacies are offering delivery services, especially during the national lockdown. Keep in touch with you doctor, keeping him/her in the loop about your symptoms and blood sugar readings.

Practice social distancing

The coronavirus is known to spread fairly easily through infected surfaces (e.g. door handles and taps). These surfaces become contaminated by droplets from coughing and sneezing. Due to the latter, health authorities recommend standing at least two metres away from strangers.

If you suspect you may have contracted the virus: consult your doctor, wear a face mask, clean regularly used surfaces, and self-quarantining.

Keep an emergency contact on speed dial

If you find yourself with a shortness of breath or a persistent pain or pressure in the chest, you should seek emergency medical attention. Make sure you have a friend’s or family member’s phone number on hand in case you feel unwell. They should be someone, who is familiar with your history of diabetes and can help if you need it.

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NOTE: If you’re looking to these tips to protect you from contracting COVID-19, please note that no supplement, diet or change in lifestyle (aside from social distancing and regular handwashing) do that. These tips can only help to boost your immune defences, but they cannot protect you specifically against this coronavirus.

1. Get Plenty Of Sleep

Surprisingly, one of the easiest tricks to giving your immune system a boost is just getting in a good forty winks.

This is also why you tend to sleep more when sick – to allow your body to better fight off the illness. So, catch as much of those Z’s as possible.

Adults ought to try get in at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Meanwhile, teens should be sleeping between 8-10 hours, and younger children and infants about 14 hours.

2. Eat More Fibre In Whole Plant Foods

Next to your 40 winks, the most important factor in protecting your body’s defence system is whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These are rich in nutrients and antioxidants to give you the upper hand against invading infections.

Antioxidants in foods help to reduce inflammation. Inflammation is linked to many health conditions, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers. So, a high-fibre diet, built on a foundation of plant foods, can have far-reaching positive effects in any season of your life.

Another thing fibre is good for is feeding your gut biome, better known as the community of healthy bacteria maintaining your digestive tract. A varied gut biome can go a long way in building up your immune system. But we’ll give you more details on that in a bit.

3. Eat More (Healthy) Fats

Although we’re going into winter and hot, greasy foods suddenly take on a new allure (especially with hot food delivery back on the menu), you must resist the urge to order in.

What your body really needs right now in order to fight infections are the right kinds of fats. When we talk about “healthy fats”, we’re talking about monosaturated fats:

• Vegetable oils (including olive, canola, sunflower, and soy)
• Omega-3 fatty acids (i.e. fatty fish like salmon, trout, or mackerel)
• Avocados
• Nuts
• Seeds

4. Listen To Your Gut And Up Your

What your stomach (and your immune system) really needs right now is the right kind of bacteria: probiotics. These good bacteria live throughout your digestive tract and contribute a great deal to your overall health.

Eat more fermented foods or take a probiotic supplement to keep your gut bacteria varied and flourishing. This will help your body differentiate between normal, healthy cells and invading infections.

So, either find a probiotic supplement or consider incorporating the following fermented foods into your diet:

• Yogurt
• Sauerkraut
• Kefir (fermented milk)
• Natto (fermented soybeans)

5. Limit Your Sugar Intake

Increasing research suggests that added sugars and refined carbs can increase inflammation in the body. Curbing your sugar intake can go a long way in, not only keeping your immune system strong, but also reducing your risk of contracting chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

You should try to limit your sugar intake to less than 5% of your daily calories. In other words, avoid eating more than 2 tablespoons (or 25g) of sugar, if your regular diet consists of 2,000 calories overall.

Of course, as we go into winter, and colds and viruses become more prevalent, you should stick to the usual advice. Drink plenty of water, while keeping warm, relaxed and rested.

Please be aware that, if you are HIV-positive, these tips are also not a replacement for either your ARV treatment or the precautions outlined by the World Health Organisation. However, they can be useful in supporting the effectiveness of that medication, giving you more time to give your all to your family. And while you’re taking care to live life to the fullest, we’ll help you take care of your life cover. With Specialised Life Cover, you can find quotes that suit your budget in no time flat.

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While many life insurance companies may turn their noses up at insuring individuals with this common lifestyle disease, some forward-thinking insurance providers do. With Specialised Life Cover, you can get quotes for life cover policies that can protect your family’s future.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

This chronic condition affects the way your body metabolises sugar (glucose), which the body typically uses as fuel. With type 2 diabetes, your body either resists insulin – a hormone that controls the movement of sugar into your body’s cells – or doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain normal glucose levels.

What’s The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes?

While both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are chronic diseases, they differ in how they deal with insulin in the body. A person with type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin at all. Meanwhile, a person with type 2 diabetes cannot respond to insulin very well, and as the disease progresses, their body often can’t make enough insulin.

Symptoms

Type 2 diabetes symptoms tend to appear gradually. Many people often don’t notice these symptoms when they first appear.

A person with this diabetes type may experience the following:

• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger
• Weight loss
• Fatigue / lack of energy
• Dry mouth
• Itchy skin
• Blurred vision
• Infections and sores
• Numbness and tingling in hands, arms, legs, and feet: due to poor circulation and nerve damage.
• Dental problems, including infections of the mouth and red, inflamed gums.

Treatment

Doctors can diagnose diabetes with a quick blood test that measures blood glucose levels. If you have recently experienced any of the above symptoms, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

Treatment for diabetes aims to keep blood glucose levels stable at a healthy level. Unfortunately, there is no cure for diabetes, but you can manage this disease through lifestyle changes as well as diabetes medications or insulin therapy.

These include:

• Taking medications or insulin as the doctor recommends
• Following a healthy diet
• Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight and body mass index (BMI)
• Doing physical activity (at least 30 minutes per day)
• Getting enough sleep
• Avoiding or quitting smoking

Despite its rather dire complications, a diabetes diagnosis, whether type 1 or type 2, is far from a death sentence. Many people with diabetes live full and happy lives. Life insurance companies are waking up to this too. Where many insurance policies once discriminated against diabetics, there are plenty nowadays, who are happy to insure people living with diabetes. Get a quote today and protect your family’s tomorrows!

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With COVID-19’s rate of infection quickly rising in South Africa, there has never been a more pressing time to update your life insurance policy. Your HIV-positive status shouldn’t have to prevent you from protecting your family’s future. Speak to us about quotes for specialised life cover for individuals living with HIV.

What Is Coronavirus?

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Disease 2019 is a respiratory illness. This is a zoonotic virus, which is a disease that passes from animals to humans. Now, it spreads easily from person to person. Thankfully, one can prevent infection with good hygiene, and young, healthy individuals are able to weather it like any bout of flu. However, this disease can prove dangerous to some vulnerable groups like the elderly and people living with HIV.

Coronavirus Symptoms

Coronavirus appears quite similar to a bout of cold or flu, and symptoms appear gradually. A typical incubation period lasts between 4-6 days, before noticeable symptoms become apparent. That’s why it’s a good idea to self-quarantine, call your doctor and arrange a test, if you have been in a high-risk area or have interacted with someone with COVID-19.

Be on the look-out for the following coronavirus symptoms:

• Fever (most common)
• Sore throat
• Dry cough or coughing up mucus
• Headache
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle or joint pain
• Pneumonia (severe cases)

Older people and people with medical conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes, heart disease, etc.) may be especially vulnerable to becoming severely ill from this disease.

Coronavirus Treatment

Although there is no cure yet, doctors have had some marked success in using antiretrovirals (ARVs) as part of their coronavirus treatment. After all, ARVs were intended to stop HIV from progressing to AIDS and keep viral loads in the body low. The ARVs’ abilities to keep a virus from reproducing is what is making it so effective in coronavirus treatment.

However, there is more to this treatment. Other parts of the treatment include antimalaria medication and an experimental Ebola drug. Again this is not a coronavirus cure, per se, but these medications can help keep the virus from progressing while your body’s immune system tries to combat the virus.

How Will Coronavirus Affect People Living With HIV?

While most of the population are getting through the pandemic relatively unscathed, people with compromised immunity are at a higher risk of developing the more serious coronavirus symptoms. This includes the elderly as well as people already infected with immunocompromising diseases like HIV. Even before COVID-19 reached South African shores, people living with HIV are already more vulnerable to infections and cardiovascular diseases.

As with any illness, experts say an HIV-positive individual’s chances of infection depend on their level of immune suppression. If you are on stable antiretroviral therapy and have a normal CD4 count, you may have as good a chance as an HIV-negative person. However, people with a weakened immune system may be unable to fight off the virus and are more likely to develop some of the more severe coronavirus symptoms.

Precautions Against COVID-19 For People With HIV

As it happens, you can prevent catching coronavirus with many of the same tricks you’d use to avoid the flu:

• Avoid close contact (i.e. within about 1.5 metres) with anyone who seems sick and keep away from large groups of people.
• Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Don’t share personal items like drinking glasses, utensils, toothbrushes and lip balm.
• Regularly wipe down high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, keyboards, and stair rails in your home with household cleaners or a diluted bleach solution.
• Frequently wash hands or use hand sanitiser after touching surfaces in public spaces like ATM buttons and shopping trolleys.
• Stay home and phone your doctor if you start having respiratory issues and suspect you are experience coronavirus symptoms.

Your HIV status shouldn’t be a death sentence, but that doesn’t mean you mustn’t take precautions. Since people with HIV are more susceptible to COVID-19 and other serious diseases, life insurance companies are reluctant to offer insurance to these individuals. Thankfully, some forward-thinking insurance companies are prepared to cover individuals currently weathering the combination of coronavirus and HIV. Apply for a quote today and protect your family’s tomorrow.

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Of these two conditions, Diabetes Miletus may still be the more difficult to manage. However, whatever type of diabetes you may be living with, you should still have access to life cover tailored to your unique lifestyle.

Diabetes Insipidus Symptoms

Typical signs and symptoms of diabetes type include:

• Extreme thirst
• Producing large amounts of diluted urine
• Interrupted sleep due to getting up to urinate
• Preference for cold drinks

The following symptoms should be especially concerning in infants and young children:

• Heavy, wet diapers
• Bed-wetting
• Trouble sleeping
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Delayed growth
• Weight loss

Diabetes Insipidus Causes

All types of diabetes insipidus can be tied back to a hormone called vasopressin or anti-diuretic hormone (ADH). Nevertheless, this disease can occur in different ways. Vasopressin promotes water retention in the kidneys, which also maintains blood pressure at healthy levels.

While the main symptom is frequent and excessive urine output, this symptom may have other causes. One such cause may simply be improperly managed diabetes mellitus. Such alternative causes should be ruled out before making an insipidus diagnosis.

Types Of Diabetes Insipidus

• Central diabetes insipidus: This type is often due to damage to the pituitary gland or hypothalamus resulting from surgery, a tumour, a head injury or illness. Such damage can interfere in the usual production, storage and release of ADH. Some inherited genetic diseases can also cause this condition.
• Nephrogenic diabetes Insipidus: Nephrogenic diabetes is attributed to a defect in the kidney tubules, which are responsible for water being excreted and reabsorbed. This defect prevents your kidneys from properly responding to ADH. This defect may be linked to a genetic disorder or a chronic kidney disorder. Alternatively, it could be the result of certain medications.
• Gestational diabetes insipidus: This type of diabetes is incredibly rare. It occurs only during pregnancy, when an enzyme made by the placenta breaks down ADH in the mother.
• Primary polydipsia: Also known as dipsogenic diabetes insipidus, this condition manifests in the production of large amounts of diluted urine. The underlying cause is drinking excessive amounts of fluids. Alternatively, this diabetes type can be caused by damage to the thirst-regulating mechanism in the hypothalamus.

Complications

This diabetes’ complications commonly present as either dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.

Dehydration can cause:

• Dry mouth
• Changes in skin elasticity
• Thirst
• Fatigue

An electrolyte imbalance can cause:

• Weakness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle cramps
• Confusion

While there is no cure for this type of diabetes, the symptoms can be managed with treatment.

While living with diabetes can be difficult and unpredictable, taking out life cover shouldn’t be. Get quotes today for specialised life cover designed with diabetics in mind.

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As this article unpacks what HIV is, what symptoms to look out for, and how to prevent the further spread of the disease, it’s good to remember that a positive status is not a death sentence. While the is no HIV cure as of yet, your status should not prevent you from living a full life and helping to provide a lasting legacy for your family. Take the first step in protecting your family with life cover developed specifically for HIV-positive individuals.

What is HIV/AIDS?

HIV is the common name for the human immunodeficiency virus, which interferes with the body’s ability to fight infections. This virus attacks immune cells (aka CD4 cells) that would otherwise be fighting off infections in the body themselves. As the HIV in a person’s system kills more of their CD4 cells, the body becomes more vulnerable to various types of infections and cancers.

AIDS is recognised as the most advanced stage of HIV. While having HIV doesn’t necessarily mean you have AIDS, untreated HIV can progress to AIDS within ten years. You would be diagnosed with AIDS if your CD4 count drops below the 200 per cubic millimetre mark.

HIV/AIDS Symptoms

While some HIV symptoms differ between men and women, the most common symptoms present just like your average cold or flu. Within a few weeks of HIV infection, a person will begin to experience a fever, sore throat, and fatigue.

However, more often than not, HIV appears asymptomatic until the virus progresses to AIDS. AIDS symptoms include severe weight loss, fever, night sweats, fatigue, and recurrent and persistent infections.

Because HIV symptoms are often dismissed as a typical bout of flu, most people don’t think to check their status until more serious symptoms appear. Unfortunately, by that point, the HIV virus may have already progressed to AIDS. It is best to learn of your status sooner rather than later. This is best accomplished through regular HIV tests at your local doctor’s office, clinic or hospital.

How To Prevent HIV and AIDS

HIV is mainly transmitted through bodily fluids such as:

• Blood
• Semen
• Vaginal fluids
• Rectal fluids
• Breast milk

Some of the ways HIV is spread from person to person includes:

• Through vaginal or anal sex
• By sharing needles and syringes
• By sharing tattoo equipment without sterilising it between uses
• During pregnancy, labour, or delivery from a woman to her baby
• During breastfeeding
• Through “pre-mastication” or chewing up a baby’s food before feeding it to them
• Through exposure to the blood of an individual living with HIV. The virus is also transmitted through blood transfusion or organ transplants.

There are a number of ways to prevent being on the receiving end of this virus.

Safe Sex

The most common way, in which HIV is spread is through unprotected sex, i.e. sex without a condom. This risk cannot be entirely eliminated unless one abstains from sex completely. However, the risk can be lowered by taking the following precautions:

• Get tested for HIV
• Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Use condoms
• Limit the number of sexual partners
• Ensure the HIV-positive person is taking their medications as directed

Avoid sharing needles

Since HIV is spread through blood, it’s important to remember that it can be contracted by using contaminated materials. Even if you’re not a drug user, you could come into contact with a contaminated needle if your tattoo artist doesn’t sterilise theirs between clients.

Consider PrEP

If you live in an environment that has a high-risk of HIV infection or work in a high-risk environment, speak to your doctor about PrEP. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a combination of two drugs that can reduce the risk of contracting HIV, if taken consistently.

Treatments For HIV and AIDS

Unfortunately, there is no cure for HIV or AIDS at this point. However, you can slow the progression of the virus by going on antiretroviral medication (ARVs). By being consistent in taking this medication, you can lower the risk of spreading HIV to your sexual partners and extend your life in spite of the virus.

No matter what your status, your life matters. Your HIV-status shouldn’t restrict you from applying and getting an affordable life cover policy that can help to take care of your loved ones when you’re no longer around. Get quotes for life cover designed for HIV-positive individuals.

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If you experience any of the following symptoms, visit your doctor and ask for an HIV test. If you’re worried about being excluded from accessing life cover, speak to us about getting a quote for specialised health cover today!

Early Signs Of HIV In Women

These early symptoms are often dismissed as a simple cold or flu. These include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Lack of energy
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Rash

If you experience these symptoms after having unprotected sex, ask your doctor to conduct an HIV test. This is a quick blood test that can be done in minutes and can indicate whether or not you have contracted the virus.

However, even without noticeable symptoms, it’s important to note that an HIV-positive individual can still pass on the virus to others.

Vaginal Yeast Infections

HIV attacks the immune system, so don’t be surprised, if you suddenly find yourself more prone to infections. Oral or vaginal candidiasis (a.k.a. yeast infections) is one of the more common infections for HIV-positive women. If the virus is attacking your system, you might find your infections especially persistent and harder to treat.

In general, people with HIV are also more vulnerable to the following infections:

• Skin
• Eyes
• Lungs
• Kidneys
• Digestive tract
• Brain

Changes In Your Period

Women with HIV can experience changes in their menstrual cycle. You might find your periods are lighter or heavier than usual, or you might not get a period at all. HIV-positive women may also experience more severe pre-menstrual symptoms, like cramps and fatigue.

Skin Symptoms

The HIV rash is probably the most recognisable symptom. There are a number of skin conditions associated with the disease.

While a rash could be a symptom of HIV, it could also simply be the result of a recurring infection or condition. If you do find a rash, it’s a good idea to have a healthcare provider review you’re your medical history. This should tell them what diagnostic tests are needed.

Advanced Symptoms Of HIV

The sooner you start on antiretroviral medication, the less likely you are to suffer the more advanced symptoms of HIV. These include:

• Diarrhoea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss
• Joint pain
• Muscle aches
• Shortness of breath
• Chronic cough
• Trouble swallowing

If these symptoms are also ignored, HIV in its later stages can lead to:

• Short-term memory loss
• Mental confusion
• Coma

HIV and AIDS

There’s a reason why HIV and AIDS are often mentioned in the same breath. The most advanced stage of HIV is acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). By this stage, the immune system is completely compromised, and the body has a tougher time fighting infection. Individuals with AIDS are also at high risk of certain cancers, including Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and cervical cancer.

Don’t let your symptoms reach this stage! If you’re concerned that you might have HIV, speak to your doctor about an ARV prescription. And if you’re worried about finding life cover after an HIV-positive diagnosis: We make it our mission to find life insurance for HIV-positive individuals, so drop us a line!

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Low-Carb Diet Benefits For Diabetics

A low-carb diet is an excellent strategy for managing diabetes, especially for people who may be able to avoid going onto medication.

Carbohydrates can elevate one’s blood sugar more than any other food group. People with an insulin resistance typically find that their blood glucose levels remain elevated for hours after eating carbs. Carb-rich foods can also have a negative impact on a person’s health, since they are often high in calories but low in nutrients. Eating too many of these “empty calories” inevitably leads to weight gain. Moreover, research shows that people, who eat carb-rich foods, are likely to get hungrier between meals, causing them to overeat.

However, switching to a low-carb diet plan can produce a number of great benefits, especially for folks struggling with diabetes:

• More energy
• Lower average blood glucose, or HbA1c levels
• Reduced food cravings, especially for sugar
• Lower risk of hypoglycaemia
• Lower cholesterol
• Aids in weight loss efforts
• Decreased risk of long-term diabetes complications

Foods To Eat And Foods To Avoid

A diabetic diet should always be centred around eating low-carb, high-nutrient whole foods. Of course, no matter what diet you choose to follow, it’s important to pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.

Foods to eat:

• Meat, poultry, and seafood
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Non-starchy vegetables
• Avocado
• Olives
• Olive oil, coconut oil, butter, cream, sour cream, and cream cheese

Foods to eat in moderation:

• Berries: 1 cup or less.
• Plain, Greek yogurt: 1 cup or less.
• Cottage Cheese: ½ cup or less.
• Nuts or peanuts: 30-60 grams.
• Flaxseeds or chia seeds: 2 tablespoons.
• Dark chocolate (at least 85% cocoa): 30 grams or less.
• Liquor: 50 grams.
• Dry red or white wine: 120 grams.

Foods to avoid:

• Bread, pasta, cereal, corn and other grains
• Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams and taro
• Legumes like peas, lentils and beans (except for green beans)
• Milk
• Fruit other than berries
• Juice, cooldrink, punch, sweetened tea, etc
• Beer
• Desserts, baked goods, sweets, ice cream, etc

These foods are very high in carbohydrates, which contribute to spikes in blood sugar levels in diabetics. Best to avoid them where possible.

Talk To Your Doctor Before Changing Your Diet

It’s important to note that by reducing the amount of carbs in your diet can lower your insulin levels, which causes the kidneys to release sodium and water. As such, it is important that you drink plenty of water over the course of the day and increase the salt in your diet to make up for the decrease in sodium. Try to include more broth, olives, and other salty low-carb snacks as well as adding some salt to your meals. However, if you have a family history of heart failure, congestive kidney disease or high blood pressure, or you have been diagnosed with these issues in the past, speak with your doctor before making any changes to your diet.

Your doctor would also be able to give you advice on other ways to control your blood sugar levels by improving your insulin sensitivity. Things like aerobic exercise, quality sleep, and stress management can go a long way to lower blood sugar and insulin levels.

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Know Your HIV Status

Knowing your HIV status before things get serious is a good place to start. Equipped with this knowledge, you’re in a better position to protect yourself and your partner. Five years ago, 40% of people living with HIV had no idea what their status was. While more people are becoming aware of their status these days, it’s not worth being careless, especially when you live in one of the countries with the highest HIV rates.

Come PrEPared

One of the main ways, in which HIV spreads from person to person, is through unprotected sex (whether oral, vaginal or anal). Anyone, who is sexually active in a high HIV prevalence population (and it’s estimated that about 7 million South Africans are HIV-positive), is at high risk of HIV-infection. Safe sex is about more than protecting yourself. And since Valentines Day is about love, that means protecting those we love. So, no matter how adventurous you’re looking to get, make sure you have plenty of protection on hand. Fun fact: the day before Valentines Day is World Condom Day, so take the opportunity to stock up.

On the off chance you don’t have a condom on hand, it’s a pretty good idea to be on PrEP, a daily pill that when taken consistently may prevent you from getting HIV. Alternatively, one study has shown that male medical circumcision can reduce the risk of contracting HIV by up to 60%.

Talk With Your Partner

If you’re living with HIV, it’s only right that this part of your life is something you discuss with your significant other regularly. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), partner notification and testing has been shown to increase mutual support for access to prevention, treatment, and care. This is especially important in sero-discordant couples, where one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative. The more you let your partner in on this health issue, the more they are able to support you in your efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle – whether it’s making sure you’re taking your antiretroviral tablets or eating foods that support your immune system.

Your HIV status shouldn’t stand in the way of you living a full life or enjoying a little lovin’ – or a life insurance policy.

The post How Do You Keep The Romance Going When You’re HIV+ appeared first on Specialised Life.

Myth #1: You can cure HIV through diet and lifestyle changes alone

Many years ago, former health minister, Dr Tshabalala-Msimang, came under fire for insisting that one could cure HIV with a vegetable-rich diet. Medical professionals were quick to dismiss her claims that diet alone could provide an adequate cure for HIV. But that didn’t stop many HIV-positive South Africans from trying. While healthy lifestyle and diet habits can support an HIV treatment, these factors cannot get rid of HIV completely.

Myth #2: Having an “undetectable” viral load means you are cured

It is possible for an HIV-positive person to achieve undetectable levels after adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, this doesn’t mean that the virus has been entirely eradicated. Rather, an undetectable viral load only means that the HIV virus remains dormant in various places within the body. Should an HIV-positive person stop taking their ARV medication, the HIV will immediately begin to replicate, and your vial load will rise again.

Myth #3: HIV Is A Death Sentence

Despite all our efforts over the last 30 years, we’re still a ways off from a definitive HIV cure. However, ARV treatment is still the recommended course of action. It has proven effective for the most part in keeping HIV from spreading throughout the body. As the effectiveness of antiretrovirals has consistently improved over the years, more HIV-positive people are able to live long and full lives.

Unfortunately, no HIV treatment developed thus far can absolutely cure HIV. You can, however, reduce your viral load by starting on ARVs as soon as possible after you’ve been diagnosed and adopt healthy dietary and lifestyle habits. What HIV does make more difficult is being able to get life insurance. Thankfully, some insurance providers are moving with the times and offering life insurance for HIV positive individuals.

Ask us about quotes for life insurance for HIV positive people.

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