Chronicle EditorInnocent Choga Fitness—
The benefits of exercising and eating well are generally the same to all people.However, different conditions require different methods of approach and application of various fitness activities and diet. Failure to observe this can result in negative effects and aggravation of conditions.I had a discussion with Anna Miti on the effects of exercise and diet specifically on people living with HIV and AIDS.
Anna is a broadcasting personality currently plying her trade at Spot FM.
Anna works with the Zimbabwe HIV/Aids Activists Union Community Trust — an organisation which conducts monitoring and evaluation of treatment access, stigma and discrimination and the rights of people living with HIV.
They also conduct focus discussion groups to evaluate experiences of people living with HIV. She is also a member of the AVAC Fellows Alumni — a global group of HIV/AIDS advocates. She is the chairperson of Health Journalists Association.
HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus) hunts down and destroys the CD4+ cells in our bodies. The CD4+ cells are the soldiers in our immune system that fight off diseases and infections.
The HIV replicates and destroys the CD4+ cells until our immune system is compromised leaving us open to a host of opportunistic infections.
AIDS is the final stage of HIV and not everyone with HIV will develop AIDS. .
The progression from HIV to AIDS is determined by several factors including age and overall health, but early diagnosis and treatment will greatly assist in curbing this progression.
Anna says exercise helps reduce stress, usually experienced in the early stages of diagnosis. Stress causes a reduction of CD4+ cells count, thus it weakens the immune system. The fact that one has been diagnosed positive, initial bitterness as well as missing out on prescribed medications can heavily stress infected individuals.
Exercise, especially resistance training can build strength, muscular endurance and increase muscle mass. Exercise will ensure cardiovascular system efficiency by improving the heart and lung function.
It increases appetite and water intake, energising infected individuals and increasing their feeling of well being.
This counters some of the side effects of ARVs like low energy levels and constant fatigue. I think that those who assist in such projects could help install pieces of basic gym equipment at the various rural clinics.
Although swimming is also a resistance exercise, requesting for swimming pools would be asking for too much.
Anna advised that people living with HIV and AIDS should eat traditional foods and at times take recommended supplements to counter the side effects of ARVs that usually affect those who have just started taking medication.
Iron laden spinach as one of the key foods they are advised to eat because some drugs cause the thinning of blood resulting in the loss of iron. Nyevhe, road runners and small grains are also greatly recommended.
Anna introduced me to a unique HIV (AIDS) support group comprising of professional teachers and other individuals living with HIV in Gokwe.
This group was founded by Mr Piason Maringwa (52). They go mountain climbing, walk, engage in body weight exercises and they do gardening chores as a group. They play soccer and take part in other sporting activities inclusively.
Mr Maringwa is one of those few individuals who are brave enough to disclose their status and shared his experiences with others. He is a school teacher at Mukoka School in Gokwe. He features regularly on Anna’s radio programmes and he has written several articles on the subject.
He was diagnosed HIV positive 16 years ago after suffering from TB. He says it was a terrible time for him since around this time ARVs were not available and being diagnosed positive meant death.
Stressed up, he passionately sought to know more about the condition in an effort to prolong his life as well as assist other people living with HIV .He incorporated exercise programmes and herbs into his lifestyle.
Inspired by one Sister Anastasia Gorejena’s lectures, he formed three support groups. The teachers’ group founded under the auspices of ZIMTA comprises of 52 members including non infected activists.
The Business community has 15 members. The third is the Mukoka Clinic Group. Maringwa’s wife who has been positive for the past 20 years is part of this group. Her CD 4+ count is constantly on the safe side so the doctor advised her not to take ARVs, and she has maintained good health through exercising.
Their 21-year-old daughter who was born positive sometimes joins the group. While this group comprises of over 20 members who at times can stretch to 30 it has 10 long standing members who are over the age of 40. Maringwa believes their group is successful because the initiation came from the infected and affected people themselves. Chairmanship of the group is on a rotational basis among the 10.
The current chairman of the group Mr Tawanda Andaki said they have to eat easily digestible foods like white meat. He a said once in a while they indulge and at times they feel the urge to eat beef though it is not recommended. In such cases they over boil it to soften it up. He said through exercise and good diet they have managed to maintain good health and ward off the side effects of medication.
Sister Gorejena who now works at Brunapeg, an institution in Matebeleland South, highlighted that individuals living with HIV are just like individuals living with diabetes, cancer, blood pressure, asthma and they are classified as individuals living with a status. She said through knowledge and following the practitioners’ advice all people living positively can lead normal lives.
She said the first step to fitness was disclosure. Once an individual has disclosed his/her status they become stronger as they will have accepted the condition and psychologically the burden will be less. Eventually those who like to talk and brand people will have nothing to say.
She said exercise has positive psychological and physiological effects. It strengthens the neuropathy which is highly vulnerable in such cases. She stressed the need to exercise outdoors as this provides fresh air to the weak chest.
She stated that due to weak chests and lack of energy they should not engage in strenuous exercise but moderate exercise that will ensure enhanced efficient blood flows throughout the body. She encourages individuals in the AIDS status to move their bodies and avoid being bed ridden as this causes deterioration of conditions.
She also says individuals living with HIV should not eat fatty foods they should eat natural foods like mazhanje, matamba, peanut butter and nyimo, in good portions that will enable them to sustain themselves. However, she stressed that it is important that they should choose and eat the good foods they like .
The group holds a function every year on the 24th of December to celebrate life and as an appreciation of passing through another year alive.
Mr Maringwa and Mr Andaki said: “Due to our lifestyles you cannot tell us apart from other individuals, we are all well and we never miss lessons at school due to illnesses”. For sure they are happy people.
When Anna told me the people she was going to introduce me to an issue she was passionate about, I thought she was overstating. Each individual linked me to another and they all gladly assisted. It was such an amazing and inspiring experience.
Anna lamented the scarcity of such groups in urban areas, citing that these groups are good sources of information not only on how to exercise and eat, but on the use of medication and other relevant issues affecting the infected and affected individuals.
“Although people can Google information and consult doctors it can never be the same as sharing information with infected and affected people. Isolated individuals suffer in silence and miss out on the benefits of such support groups.”
Indeed, why walk alone when you can link up and run with others who can easily and happily share their experiences with you so that you do not go through agonising trial and error phases.
While exercise is of great importance it is not a substitute of medication. You need the approval of doctors before embarking on an exercise or diet programme.
Innocent Choga is a six time National Bodybuilding Champion with international experience. He is studying for a science degree in Physical Education and Sport. Email:[email protected]
Online Reporter