HIV infection and AIDS (commonly referred to as HIV/AIDS) are caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV is transmitted sexually and through exchange of body fluids, such as blood. The HIV attacks our defense system (immune system) giving opportunity to many illnesses to attack the body. These infections (called opportunistic infections) range from common cold and diarrhea to life-threatening illnesses including uncommon pneumonias and cancers. The type, range and intensity of opportunistic infections vary with the severity of the HIV infection and the extent to which our immunity is compromised. 

AIDS is the last stage disorder of the HIV infection. Though there is no complete cure for the HIV-infection till date - despite thousands of scientists across the world working on it, spending countless hours of research involving billions of dollars - there has been tremendous progress in medicare improving the quality of life of the HIV-infected, in extending their life-span to almost normal levels and in preventing mother-child transmission. 

The key factors in extending the life-span, and in keeping good immunity and good health are 

balanced and nutritious diet

regular physical exercise

correct, consistent and lifelong use of the prescribed medicines

periodic medical checkups

staying psychologically positive and strong

good family support and

good lifestyle habits.

The last one involves maintaining good personal hygiene, avoiding smoking (active as well as passive), alcohol, recreational drugs, unhygienic and disease-prone environments and sedentary life style. Those who follow these will guidelines certainly have better prognoses. 

Diet:

A nutritious diet is of utmost importance to the HIV-infected, as adequate nutrition contributes to the development of the immune system, prevents malnutrition and wasting, achieves and maintains optimal body weight and strength, enhances the body s ability to fight opportunistic infections, helps delay the progression of HIV, improves the effectiveness of drug treatments, and improves the quality of life. 

Ensure that the food contains adequate macronutrients, that is, carbohydrates, proteins and fat, otherwise the patient may end up with - protein-energy malnutrition, manifesting itself in the weight loss and wasting that is typical of AIDS patients.

As per WHO, an HIV-infected person has additional nutrient requirements: 10-15 percent additional energy intake and 50 to 100 percent increase in protein intake as compared to a non HIV-infected person.

Consuming micronutrients (especially Vitamins A, B6 and B12, iron and zinc) is important for building a strong immune system and fighting infections.

Try and maintain a daily diet containing rice/roti, vegetables, legumes, and fruits which provide you energy and micronutrients. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.

Eat at least two servings of fish each week. Oily fish, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, are best. If you cannot eat fish, you can also get omega-3 fats from omega-3 eggs, walnuts, flax seeds.

Better avoid fast foods.

Living with HIV/AIDS: Diet, Nutrition, and Food Safety

According to the tenets of Ayurveda, HIV is primarily a disease involving low immunity which is considered the most vital sap of the body. Immunity is in charge of providing both mental and physical strengths required to cope up with the foreign bodies that cause unwanted changes in the human body. When the immune system gets disrupted, the individual becomes susceptible to a host of infections and disorders. There are incessant numbers of bacteria and viruses in the environment, and some of them are highly contagious which can easily cause an infection.

Ayurveda has numerous highly effective therapies to combat HIV exposure. There is a sector of Ayurveda specifically dedicated to boosting immunity and vitality in the body with the help of herbs, minerals, and practice of Ayurvedic techniques. The treatment first aims to detoxify the body and strengthen the immune system which improves the immune system with the help of certain "rasayanic" techniques.

How is HIV exposure treated through Ayurveda?
The first step of HIV exposure treatment through Ayurveda is having nourishing food and leading a positive life supported by well-meaning friends and relatives. The patient can also take part in some physical exercises which don't cause any strain to the fragile health condition. Engaging in comfortable yet fruitful activities can help in strengthening good tendencies and stimulating appetite as well.

Then the patient will have to take some Ayurvedic tonics along with rejuvenators that can boost immunity levels and eliminate the toxins from the body. This is particularly done through emesis, purgation, and enemas. The medications which are given at this stage are neither drastic nor very harsh for the body so that they can be digested without any difficulty.

In the third stage of treatment, appropriate medications will help in purifying the blood, and this is where the role of liver corrective measures come to the fore. The patient has to take preparations with medicated ghee and soups that can alleviate the signs and symptoms of HIV exposure. There is no scope of consuming spicy and oily junk foods as they can take a toll on the patient s liver. Medicated alcohol may have to be used to aid in the digestive procedure and removal of blockages in the flow of energy.

Participating in physical activities on a daily basis is important. In case the patient is too weak to exercise or even run, then steaming can be helpful. This is very crucial since it is believed in Ayurveda that heated blood can weaken and sometimes destroy the virus involved in HIV.

There are some herbal cum mineral compounds which are helpful for subsiding the conditions of HIV exposure. It is important to consult with an expert who can evaluate your condition and help in healing the signs and symptoms that you are suffering from.

HIV Exposure - How Ayurveda Can Help You Manage It?

Sadly, there is no known cure for hiv. However, it can be controlled through medication. Hiv or the human immunodeficiency virus attacks the body's immune system and over time leaves it vulnerable to a number of other diseases. In its most advanced stages, it can lead to aids. Hence, it is essential to control this virus in its early stages.

Hiv treatment is known as antiretroviral therapy or art. This involves taking a series of hiv medicines on a daily basis. Art can help hiv patients live a longer, healthier life and can also reduce the risk of hiv transmission.

The first step towards getting treated for hiv is to get tested. This can be easily done at your nearest health center and the results will be kept confidential. With hiv prevention is better than cure and hence, if you have more than one sexual partner, you must insist on them getting tested as well.

As soon as you test positive for the virus, start the treatment. Do not wait till you start feeling sick. Art can be taken by anyone at any stage of the condition. If you are pregnant, breast feeding or have been diagnosed with early hiv infection, this is all the more important.

Hiv medication works by preventing the hiv cells from multiplying and thus reduces the amount of hiv cells in the body. A low level of hiv cells gives the immune system a chance to recover and strengthen itself. A lowered hiv count also reduces chances of transferring the virus to another person.

Art involves following a regimen of a number of medicines. There are 25 hiv medicines that can be grouped under six drug classes depending on how they affect hiv cells. These include:

1. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
2. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
3. Protease inhibitors
4. Fusion and entry inhibitors
5. Pharmacokinetic enhancers and
6. Integrase strand transfer inhibitors

Usually, a person is prescribed 3-4 hiv medicines from a minimum of 2 drug classes. A number of factors go into deciding what form of hiv treatment is most suitable to a patient. This includes the person's individual needs, symptoms presented, potential drug interactions and possible side effects. Convenience of following the regimen and costs are also taken into account while prescribing a form of treatment to a hiv patient.

Once treatment is started, art can be proven to be effective within 3-6 months by lowering the number of hiv cells in the body.

HIV/AIDS - How Can It Be Treated?

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a type of immune disorder which attacks the immune system of the body and slowly destroys it overtime. The HIV virus targets the immune system and makes the body susceptible to other diseases. HIV infection can progress to AIDS although it may take up to 10 or 12 years to fully go into the last stage.

Risks and Causes
HIV is a communicable disease which spreads through only the following methods

    It can spread from one person to another by means of unprotected sexual intercourse due to the exchange of bodily fluids.
    The virus spreads if you share drug needles with someone who is already contaminated with HIV virus. It can also occur due to improperly trained medical staff that may reuse syringes although this is very uncommon.
    The HIV virus transmits from the mother to the child during pregnancy through the placenta.
    Any exchange of blood in significant amounts such as blood transfusion from a contaminated patient will result in infection as well although this is very rare.

Any other form of contracting the disease such as through kissing or food is a untrue and only propagates due to ignorance.

Symptoms
The initial symptoms of HIV infection are noticed after a few weeks although it can take a few months to come up as well. The initial symptoms may include
1. Severe headache along with intense pain in the muscles and the joints of the body.
2. Frequent appearances of rashes
3. inflation of the lymph nodes
4. Itchy skin
5. Disorders which stay for sustained periods such as an upset stomach or a cold.

The early symptoms disappear within 2 to 3 weeks without any treatment. The later symptoms might appear after few years (sometimes up to or more than a decade), which will stay. This is usually the time HIV is diagnosed. The symptoms now may also include
1. severe muscle fatigue
2. severe loss in body weight,
3. High fever and recurrent instances of sweating at the night time.
HIV is suspected if the later symptoms tend to last for a long time without any other diagnosable cause.

Treatment
HIV can be treated by means of antiretroviral therapy which reduces the rate at which the virus multiplies. However, there is no cure for HIV as of yet.
Prevention
In order to prevent yourself from getting HIV, you should adopt the following precautionary measures:
1. You should use protection every time when engaging in sexual intercourse and if you are unsure of your partner s HIV status.
2. You should use new blades in barbershops for shaving purposes in order to prevent yourself from HIV as well
3. If you are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS while you are pregnant, to prevent spreading it to your unborn baby, you might immediately need undergo a medical check-up and follow the doctor s advice.
4. Ensure that disposable syringes are used whenever they are being use for medical tests or treatments.

HIV / AIDS - Things You Should Remember About It

There is a contrast between intimacy satisfaction and intimacy happiness. Happiness tends to be a byproduct of the relationship. Therefore, while it just takes one partner to be sexually satisfied, it takes two to make the conditions for sexual happiness. A key indication of sexual bliss in a relationship is a couple's capacity to endlessly rejuvenate the sexual energy between them. Consequently, the term sexual happiness depicts couples who can revive, reestablish and extend their sexual desire with each other for a very long time or even forever. Here are a few ways through which one can integrate happiness and sexuality:

Since sexual happiness is a result of the relationship, both the partners need to be happy with each other in general to achieve happiness rather than satisfaction.
Staying in shape can be very beneficial. Being sound and fit promotes better sex. Not just are fit individuals perform better sexually, but also it is proven that healthier and fit individuals have a more noteworthy longing for sex. There are numerous reasons behind this. Healthy, fit individuals are not only more joyful, but also physiologically, they are capable of producing more sex hormones due to a number of other health factors.
Enthusiasm is not found in sex; it is found in individuals. To completely grasp sexual enthusiasm, you should be completely present in the moment. As such, you should bring your psyche, body, and soul to your partner. This implies being conscious, aware, and present mentally as well as emotionally.
Decreasing or managing sex levels can also help one integrate happiness and sexuality. Life is clearly unpleasant many times, and our reaction to all the anxiety can be devastating when it comes to sexual experiences. Not only does a lot of stress or anxiety decrease the yearning for sex, it also additionally hinders sexual performance. Hence, one should vent out to their partners or try therapy or yoga for stress release.
Routine tend to repel romance and consistency cools the flames of sexual excitement and energy. To neutralize these twin constrains, you should deliberately plan and design different rituals of sexual pleasure. Indulge in customs of joy and particular actions, thoughts, activities, and exercises like back rub, animate, and stimulation of the sexual and emotional pleasures.
Being happy in general is very important. Being cheerful and idealistic is the establishment of numerous parts of a successful life. Inquiring about actions that make your partner happy are more advantageous, beneficial, and have better connections, including better and more continuous sex.
Sex is very important in a relationship for knowing and feeling that your partner still fancies you, yet having sex once a week is a practical and an achievable objective for people who tend to be very busy. A study demonstrates that regular sex additionally makes individuals more joyful than a high income.

Sexual Happiness and Satisfaction - How You Can Integrate Them?

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome(AIDS) is caused by a virus called Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It should be remembered that it is not necessary that a person having HIV is suffering from AIDS or will inevitably result in it. The illness damages the immune system of the person and makes them more vulnerable to diseases and infections. As the syndrome progresses, opportunistic infections attack the patient, ultimately causing their death.

What are the causes of AIDS?
The virus is spread by person-to-person contact like:
1. Through sexual contact.
2. By sharing the same needle or through blood transfusion.
3. The disease can be spread from mother to the newborn child.

What are the symptoms of AIDS?
1. You may have a high fever or suffer from constant diarrhea which may last for weeks.
2. Red rashes may appear on your skin.
3. You may feel weak and tired all the time.
4. You may have excessive sweating, particularly at night.
5. Your muscles and joints may ache.
6. Your swollen glands don t heal for weeks.

What are the complications related to AIDS?
During the last stage of infection, there is a high risk of having life-threatening diseases.These include:
1. Infections to the nervous system like meningitis, peripheral neuropathy.
2. Inflammation in the lower end of the esophagus.
3. Cancers like cervical cancer, neck cancer, and lymphomas.
4. Tuberculosis.

Can AIDS be treated with homeopathy?
Homeopathic treatment can be of a great help for such patients. It can boost up not only physical health but mental health too. It can combat opportunistic infections very effectively by boosting up the immunity of the patient. There are marvellous results with homeopathic medicines tried in Africa (an epidemic zone for AIDS). Many patients of AIDS are still waiting to die after using homeopathy and their quality of life has improved drastically. Homeopathy works by modulating the immunity which is an important factor in AIDS patient. Some of the homeopathy medicine used to treat symptoms of AIDS are:
1. Syphilinum
2. Arsenic iodum
3. Sulphur
4. Silica,
5. Tuberculinum
6. Kali carbonicum
7. Calcaria iodum
8. Bacillinum
9. Arsenica Album
10. Phosphorus
These medications can be used in conjuction with ART or antiretroviral therapy along with other treatments and has been shown to be very effective in alleviating some of the commonly encountered symptoms of AIDS related complications. But utmost care must ensured and these medicines should not be taken without consulting a homeopathic doctor.

HIV / AIDS - Can Homeopathy Medicines Helps in Treating it

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