AIDS is an immune system disease where the
body's ability to defend itself is greatly weakened. When human
immunodeficiency virus invades the immune cells called T lymphocytes and multiplies, it causes a
breakdown in the body's immune system, eventually leading to massive infection and/or
cancer and,
eventually death. Most deaths among people with AIDS are not
caused by AIDS itself, but by one of the many infections or cancers to
which the syndrome makes the body vulnerable. The origin of HIV is
unknown. The earliest documented case of AIDS occurred in 1981, but
researchers admit that unidentified cases may have existed in
the 1970s. There are investigators who have speculated if HIV maybe a
genetically engineered virus that got out of control. HIV is a retrovirus that is spread primarily through blood-to-blood
or sexual contact, like the sharing of
needles by drug users. It may also be spread by blood
transfusion or the use of blood products such as clotting factors, if
the blood used for these purposes is infected. Hemophiliacs, who need a
special coagulation factor from blood concentrates, have been at high
risk to HIV.
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance(1-10) |
Helpful notes |
Acidophilus |
10 |
replaces needed bacteria that are helpful to
your digestion and it also helps fight
infection. Sometimes found in a vitamin herbal mixture. |
Multi-vitamin
& Mineral supplement |
10 |
contains vitamin E, vitamin B ,
vitamin C,
magnesium, manganese, selenium, potassium, and zinc which all are helpful in
both the treatment and prevention of both epstein barr
and chronic fatigue syndrome. The nutrients found in a daily
supplement are also needed for good general health and well
being. |
Garlic |
10 |
garlic has been
shown to inhibit the formation of free radicals
which can benefit people with Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome or HIV. Garlic also
helps boost the immune system. A combination herbal immune
system remedy often includes garlic in an herbal blend. |
Zinc |
10 |
a mineral which aides the human
immune system |
Pomegranate
extract |
10 |
strong anti-oxidant |
Grape
seed extract |
10 |
helps protect cells
and it a powerful antioxidant |
Echinacea |
9 |
herb that is good for
the immune system |
Aloe
vera |
9 |
contains carrisyn
which inhibits growth and spread of HIV |
Astragalus |
8 |
boosts the immune
system and works well with other herbs like reishi mushroom
and echinacea. |
Reishi |
8 |
reishi mushroom serves to boost the
immune system weakened by AIDs or HIV.
Normally found in an immune
system herbal mixture like the Symmetry product Immunity. |
Licorice |
8 |
good for the endocrine
system |
Ginkgo
biloba |
8 |
herb good for the
brain cells and circulation |
Methionine |
8 |
good antioxidant |
Carnitine |
8 |
cell membrane
protector and also helps with carrying energy |
Bioflavinoids |
10 |
bioflavinoids are powerful anti-viral agents
and increase energy levels. They are found in fruit and vegetable
based supplements.
They work well with vitamin C. |
vitamin
E |
10 |
good for healing |
vitamin C |
9 |
helps to fight
infection and promote healing in the body |
vitamin
A |
8 |
powerful anti oxidant that is good
for the healing and protection of all membranes in the body. |
Selenium |
8 |
mineral that helps
with immune system and fight free radicals in the body |
Glutathione |
9 |
helps with red blood
cell integrity and protects immune cells |
Lecithin |
8 |
hepls protect cells |
In the USA, as well as in many
other countries, blood is screened for the
presence of antibodies to HIV, a sign of HIV infection and is
discarded if found to contain them. However, it is possible, that infected blood
can pass through screening processes. HIV antibodies may not show up in the blood
for as much as 3 to 6 months after a person is infected,
so a presence in blood taken from people who contracted
the virus recently may not be detectable. Blood products are
now subjected to heat to destroy the virus, but some AIDS
advocates have stated their concerns that this process may not be
100% effective. Dentists and other medical personnel, who come into close contact with
bodily fluids of
infected persons may also become infected. This is why paramedics, emergency medical
technicians, dentists and dental hygienists, hospital,
clinic, emergency room personnel, and even police officers now use rubber gloves to prevent contact with blood
products or saliva. The practice of wearing gloves also
protects patients. Babies of mothers with HIV can contract the
virus during pregnancy or birth, or through breastfeeding,
although this is not inevitable. Statistics show that
most such babies do not contract the virus themselves. In the 1993 Surgeon General's report on HIV and
AIDS, about 25% of these babies do become infected, either
before or during birth. Scientists do not know what factors
influence whether or not a child will become infected but are
working hard to find answers. It is known that the
use of drug therapy during pregnancy plus bottle-feeding after
birth may dramatically decrease the chances of mother to baby
transmission of the disease. Many people who are infected with
HIV are not even aware that they have it. There are some people
who experience a mild flu like illness within 2 to 4 weeks of
exposure, the virus generally takes at least 2 to 5
years before any symptoms of HIV infection appear. In most cases, the first symptoms are nonspecific and variable. They
include
diarrhea, fever, fatigue,
inflamed gums, loss of appetite and weight, mouth sores, night
sweats, skin disorders, swollen lymph nodes, and an enlarged
liver and/or spleen. If such symptoms become chronic, an
individual may be said to have AIDS-related complex (ARC). In
other cases, the first sign of HIV is the development of one
or more of the opportunistic infections or cancers associated
with AIDS. One of the most common is a tongue that is coated
with white bumps. This is oral thrush, or
candidiasis.
Candidiasis indicates a compromised immune system.
Intestinal
parasites are another common problem. Other common, AIDS
related illnesses include: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, which is caused by a parasite found in about 60% of
people with AIDS; an otherwise rare skin cancer called
Kaposi's sarcoma;
Epstein-Barr
virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus,
Mycobacterium aviumintracellulare, salmonellosis,
toxoplasmosis; and
tuberculosis. The medical criteria for a diagnosis of full-blown AIDS are
quite specific, requiring the presence of one or more
opportunistic infections or cancers known to be associated
with HIV infection. Testing HIV positive does not mean that
the person has AIDS. It does mean that the person has been exposed to
HIV, as indicated by the presence in the blood of
antibodies to the virus. A confirmed positive HIV
test result is often the earliest indication that the person
may eventually develop AIDS. Some authorities believe that,
although strongly linked to HIV, AIDS must be considered a
disease caused by many factors. The person with AIDS needs
higher amounts of all nutrients than normal because
malabsorption is a common problem. Those at risk of becoming
infected with HIV or of developing AIDS can also be helped
through the following program.
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
-
eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
-
nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
-
juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
-
do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
-
a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
-
do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
-
do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
-
use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
-
brown rice is good to eat
-
avoid red meat and animal fats
-
reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
-
fast a few days a month
-
get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
-
avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
-
do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
-
do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
-
do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
-
do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
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