Diseases and Conditions Blog

AIDS is a severe, and ultimately fatal, condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which attacks the immune system. The damaged immune system makes people with AIDS susceptible to a large group of diseases and infections. With proper detection and treatment, people with HIV infection and AIDS can live much longer, avoid many of the complications, and have a good quality of life.

Common Symptoms

HIV infection may show no symptoms until the immune system is compromised. Then symptoms can appear either suddenly or more gradually.

Sudden Onset Symptoms

• Fever
• Sweating
• Malaise
• Fatigue
• Joint and muscle pain
• Sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Lymph gland enlargement
• Rashes
• Infection of the lung or mouth (yeast)

Subtle Onset Symptoms

• Progressively worsening fatigue . Weight loss
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Lymph node enlargement

What you need to know

Prevention is the best means of protection from this disease, yet despite widespread information on AIDS, many people (especially those at high risk) do not take precautions to protect themselves from this fatal infection. As many as 30 percent of people who have HIV don’t know it, so they’re putting themselves and others at risk. That’s why you must protect yourself! A blood test can detect the presence of HIV, which is transferred from person to person via body fluids, particularly through any type of sexual contact (oral, genital, or anal). The use of a condom during sex is the best prevention, although it does not give 100 percent protection. Infected blood and infected needles (especially in drug abusers) can also transmit HIV.

Treatment with conventional drugs can put AIDS in remission for 10 to 15 years or longer. By adding alternative methods, you may be able to extend your survival, reduce your symptoms, and improve your quality of life.

General recommendations

Diet: There is a strong association between nutritional status and immune function. Proper nutrition can slow the development and progress of AIDS. In addition to following the balanced healing eating guidelines, avoid sugar and smoking, both of which depress the immune system, and avoid alcohol, which depletes the body of vitamins and minerals. Taking a protein supplement is often helpful; I recommend soy protein as the best source.

Meditation and Qigong: Because the immune system is the primary target of the virus, any method that improves and strengthens the immune response is beneficial. Both meditation and Qigong are very helpful in enhancing the immune system.

Your Herbal healing action plan for AIDS/HIV

Step 1: Take Prescribed Conventional Medications Such As AZT, Didanosine, Dideoxycytidine, and/or Protease Inhibitors

If you have HIV or AIDS, your doctor may prescribe nucleoside analogue medications such as AZT, didanosine, and/or dideoxycytidine, which help prevent the spread of the virus within your body. If your doctor prescribes AZT for you, also take L-carnitine (300mg to 500mg three times a day). This can prevent toxicity from AZT.

Many HIV / AIDS treatment regimens also include protease inhibitors, which help prevent the virus from reproducing itself within the body’s cells. All these drugs do have various side effects, however, and the HIV virus can become resistant to them. If you are taking a protease inhibitor, do not take the antidepressant herb St. John’s wort, which interferes with the metabolism of protease inhibitors, making them less effective. Garlic supplements have also been reported to decrease the blood levels of protease inhibitors (particularly saquinavir), so avoid them as well.

There is some controversy as to when to start the various types of drugs and which ones to use, so make sure you are always under the care of a physician who is an expert in the treatment of AIDS. Decisions about how to treat are based primarily on your CD4+T lymphocyte count and your HIV RNA count (that is, the amount of virus particles). Each of us makes white blood cells that fight against viruses, called T-lymphocytes. In AIDS, T-lymphocytes that contain the so-called CD4 receptor fight the HIV virus, but they become depleted as the condition worsens. As a result, the RNA increases at the same time. If the CD4 count decreases and HIV RNA increases, then you have a greater chance of complications. If your CD4 count is less than 350 and HIV RNA is greater than 55,000, that’s a very worrisome situation, and most doctors will start you on medication. When these levels return to normal, or near normal, you’ll know that the treatment is working.

Step 2: Use Interactive Imagery

I highly recommend that everyone with AIDS use interactive imagery, which can reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life-and may help prolong life. This is a mind-body method in which you mentally interact with images that represent your emotions. It is a powerful method to uncover and deal with subconscious psychological issues of which you may not be aware.  If you have AIDS, interactive imagery helps you deal with the basic fears, anxiety, and anger that commonly occur with this condition. It also helps with stress reduction, which in turn can reduce various symptoms and complications. Use interactive imagery with all the other steps.

Step 3: Take Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Selenium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin BIZ, Beta-Carotene, Curcumin, Licorice, Bromelain, CoQ10,and L-Camitine

Many vitamins and minerals are depleted in people with AIDS. These and other supplements can help fight the virus. I recommend taking all of these supplements because AIDS is a lethal disease, and these vitamins and supplements may help prolong life and decrease complications through their nutritional and antioxidant effects. However, do not take zinc, which can actually decrease your chances of survival. Here are the dosages you should take as you follow Steps 1 and 2:

• Vitamin E, 800mg daily
• Vitamin C, 1,000mg daily
• Alpha-lipoic acid, 150mg three times a day
• Selenium, 200mcg daily
• Vitamin B6, 100mg daily
• Vitamin B12 (active methycobalamin), 2mg daily
• Beta-carotene, 50,000 IU daily
• Curcumin, 2,000mg daily
• Licorice, in the deglycyrrhizinated (DGL) form, one or two 380mg chewable tablets before meals
• Bromelain, 1,200mcu to 1,800mcu daily
• CoQ10, 200mg daily
• L-camitine, 6g daily

Step 4: Take Chinese Herbal Formulas for Complications of AIDS

If you still have symptoms of AIDS, such as neuropathy (nerve deterioration causing severe pain in the legs), night sweats, fatigue, and diarrhea, I recommend taking Chinese herbs and in particular a formula called Enhance. It has been used very successfully in the Quan Yin Herbal Program, a major treatment program for HIV patients in San Francisco. Other Chinese herbal formulas may be useful for particular symptoms or complications. Consult a practitioner qualified in Chinese herbal medicine to determine which herbal formulas are the best for your particular syndromes.

Step 5: Undergo Acupuncture for Symptoms and Complications

Acupuncture can reduce many of the symptoms and other complications of AIDS, especially neuropathy, fatigue, and pain. Acupuncture is often used along with the Chinese herbs in Step 4. A qualified acupuncturist will use traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic techniques to determine the appropriate acupuncture points.

Always seek evaluation and treatment from a practitioner certified in acupuncture.  You should notice improvement within six treatments, although more treatments may be necessary for maximum benefit. You might need maintenance treatments every few months.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 12th, 2007 at 8:33 am and is filed under Diseases and Conditions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.