POSITIVE EATING
THE FOOD CHAIN HAS BEEN PROVIDING MEALS FOR LONDONERS LIVING WITH HIV FOR 26 YEARS. FRAN HODGE TAKES A LOOK AT THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE
How the Food Chain is helping people living with HIV eat healthily
December 1988. The first ever World Aids Day was observed all over the globe and The Food Chain began supporting people living with HIV in London. In the 26 years that have passed since then, The Food Chain has responded to the changing face of HIV by adapting its services to best serve the people who need them.
The charity provides nutritional support for people living with HIV in London through tailored advice from a qualified dietician, grocery deliveries, nutrition and cookery classes and hot meals at their kitchen three times a week. It’s the only charity in the UK to support people living with HIV in this way.
So why is eating well so important for people living with HIV? Zoe Rice, dietician at The Food Chain explains:
“Eating well is important for everyone but it’s particularly important for people living with HIV as the virus itself, and many of the treatments, can change the body’s metabolism and the way the body processes nutrients and other substances like fat. Moreover, some of the symptoms of the virus, for example mouth sores, nausea and vomiting make it difficult to eat and diarrhoea reduces the absorption of food. Some of the drugs used in treatment can cause taste changes and reduced appetite.
“If you eat less or do not eat a balanced and varied diet, you are at higher risk of malnutrition. People living with HIV who are malnourished are more susceptible to infections such as tuberculosis than people with HIV who are well nourished. It is very difficult to reverse malnutrition so people with HIV/Aids need to prevent malnutrition.”
Demand for The Food Chain’s services has soared in the past twelve months. “We’ve seen a 37% increase in the number of referrals we receive,” says Chief Executive, Siobhán Lanigan. “More and more we’re seeing people referred to us for financial reasons, often because they have no recourse to public funds or there have been changes to their welfare benefit. With the effectiveness of medication relying heavily on the interaction with food, we aim to provide vital nutrition to people who really need it.”
A previous recipient of The Food Chain services tells us how The Food Chain gave him a boost when he needed it: “What difference has The Food Chain made to me – where can I start?
“I was just recovering from being homeless, and had a battle to get benefits. Some days I went without eating and I had a lost a lot of weight and my main worry always was money.
“After I was referred to The Food Chain by a nurse at my HIV clinic, I spoke with the dietician and the first service I received was the grocery delivery service. I received deliveries for six weeks just before Christmas and the system that the charity has in place was wonderful and went like clockwork.
“It made such a difference to me in many ways: it reduced my shopping bill considerably and I didn’t run out of food – I had things that kept for a long time and there were plenty of supplies. I’ve put on weight considerably and for me that’s quite hard.
“Mainly, it’s given me much greater peace of mind. The last blood test that I had showed results that were the best they’ve ever been, and I couldn’t believe it. ”
As well as grocery deliveries, The Food Chain runs a five-week cookery and nutrition course called Eating Positively and hosts hot lunches called Eating Together at their kitchen in King’s Cross. Each Eating Positively class starts with an interactive cookery demonstration followed by a nutritional talk given by a qualified dietician. Topics include “Shopping and Eating well on a Budget” and “Keeping your Heart Healthy”, and the recipes taught are tailored to each lesson. Eating Together is a chance for people to come together and enjoy a hot lunch on a Wednesday and a Saturday and aims to combat social isolation amongst some people living with HIV in London.
All of The Food Chain’s services are delivered by volunteers, from the kitchen assistants who help at Eating Positively classes to qualified Nutritionist and Dieticians who deliver talks at the Saturday Eating Together session.
“What’s great about volunteering at The Food Chain is that I don’t have to volunteer every week, only one shift per month so it’s really manageable. Plus I’ve learnt some handy tips! ” says Jen, a kitchen assistant at Eating Positively.
The Food Chain were out in force in London for this year’s World Aids Day with teams of volunteers selling red ribbons for people to show their support and help feed the fight against HIV.
If you or someone you know is in nutritional crisis, consult your GP or HIV clinic and ask them to call The Food Chain on 020 7843 1800 so they can make a referral.
If you want to collect food items to donate to The Food Chain in December email volunteering@foodchain.org.uk for a list of items
“Eating well is important for everyone but it’s particularly important for people living with HIV”