Eating well is one of the first steps in taking care of yourself. Eating nutritious food helps your immune system fight diseases and gives you energy. Malnutrition and malabsorption are major problems for HIV-positive people. Your body uses up vitamins and minerals faster than normal. It gets harder for your body to absorb what it needs from your food. Even your stomach has a hard time breaking down your food into a form your body can use. It's important to watch what you eat.