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?

Certain diseases are a major cause of concern as often these diseases can cause severe health complications. Various campaigns and awareness have been spread both by the government and NGOs for practicing safe sex to fight against these sexually transmitted diseases. Here are a few tips on how to avoid contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

1. Selective Abstinence: Selective abstinence is when people indulge in certain sexual activities, but limit in what they do to avoid the chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. People who do practice selective abstinence run a lower risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, which is also dependent on the type of sexual activity they indulge in as certain sexual acts have a higher chance of spreading STDs than others.

2. Using condoms: Using latex condoms decreases the chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. If you use lubricants, make sure that they are water based. Condoms are however not 100% effective at preventing sexually transmitted diseases, but reduce the chance of infection to a great extent. It is highly advised to learn how to properly use condoms.

3. Mutual monogamy: Another way to avoid getting infected by STDs is to practice mutual monogamy. If you and your partner do not have sex with anyone else, then it greatly reduces the chances of getting infected with sexually transmitted diseases.

4. Getting tested: Getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases as well as asking your partner to do so decreases the chances of transmitting sexually transmitted diseases. Refrain from having sex if either of you test positive.

5. Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs: Avoiding the usage of recreational drugs and alcohol reduces the chances of contracting STDs. Indulging in sexual activities while being highly intoxicated can both cause you to forget practicing safe sex.

6. Practicing healthy habits: Practicing certain healthy habits also reduces the chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. These include avoiding sharing towels and undergarments, washing before and after sexual intercourse and getting a vaccination for hepatitis B.

7. Low risk and high risk activities: Certain sexual activities such as open mouth kissing and hand to genital contact have a lower risk of infection. Other activities such as oral sex, vaginal intercourse, and genital to genital contact have a higher chance of infection. Understanding the risks better would allow you to avoid contacting diseases easily.

7 Tips to Avoid Sexually Transmitted Diseases

4 Effects of HIV on the Body

HIV, which is short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, penetrates your body and directly attacks your immune system. In this process, the virus weakens your body's natural defense mechanism against diseases and infections. A compromised immune system makes the body prone to minor infections, which healthy people would generally overcome. The virus itself doesn't cause any physical symptoms. It only serves to ease the entry of other bacteria and viruses into the body.

The following are some of the ways HIV affects your body:

1. Immune system

The human immunodeficiency virus destroys CD4 cells, the white blood cells that help the immune system ward off foreign substances. If left unchecked, HIV can develop into AIDS. During such time, the virus may damage the immune system to an extent that it wouldn't be able to ward off minor infections that a healthy immune system would. A person with HIV could thus suffer from fever, chills, sweats, shortness of breath, white spots in the mouth, fatigue, skin rash and weight loss from time to time.

2. Respiratory system

As HIV develops into AIDS, the body can contract infections such as pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), tuberculosis and Kaposi's sarcoma. These conditions lead to serious respiratory problems. PCP is found to be one of the most common infections among people with HIV. 85% of the people would develop the infection if the condition is left untreated.

3. Skin problems

As in healthy individuals, many skin conditions can also occur in people with HIV or AIDS. But a compromised immune system heightens the condition and causes difficulty in treatment. Dermatitis, psoriasis, and hives are common conditions. They are also prone to a rare type of skin cancer known as Kaposi's sarcoma.

4. Gastrointestinal System

Gastrointestinal disorders are the most common ailments for people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. Problems faced include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding. 50% of the people suffering from HIV encounter gastrointestinal disorders at some point of their illness.



4 Effects HIV has on the Body

An STD or sexually transmitted disease is usually an infection which spreads from one person to another during sexual contact. Some STDs can also be transferred through touch, since they spread by skin contact. People hardly like to talk or discuss about STDs, but it is very important to rule out the possibilities of STD. Whether one likes it or not, if STD testing is ignored, then it can lead to long term consequences.

Why STD Testing is Important

Often STDs have no signs and symptoms, and the only way to know that are you suffering from an STD is to get tested for it. So it is a good idea to get yourself tested, as you never know if you might have STD even though you don't show symptoms. Also, when STDs are diagnosed, most of them can be cured.

Consequences of Not Getting Tested

If one has STD and is not getting tested for the same, then it could lead to health problems which can cause permanent damages or might prove to be fatal. Some of the problems are:

1. Undiagnosed and untreated STDs can lead to damaged reproductive system, leading to sterile men and women. 
2. Chlamydia, if untreated can lead to epididymitis and shrinkage of testicles and infertility in men. It also leads to pelvic inflammatory disease. But good news is, it can be treated easily.
3. Syphillis can make a person blind and deaf, and can also be passed on to babies. 
4. Gonorrhea, which can also be treated easily with antibiotics, can lead to infertility or death if untreated. 
5. Even HIV/AIDS if diagnosed in early stages can enable the patient to lead a normal life and does not mean only death, contrary to conventional perceptions.  

Symptoms of STD

While, gonorrhea, chlamydia and human papilloma virus (HPV) have no symptoms, the common symptoms of STDs might vary. 

1. In women, the common symptoms are pain and burning sensation during urination, blood in vaginal discharge as also abnormal vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, blisters, warts, and swollen glands. 
2. Men often experience inflammation of the testicles, prostate, sores, fever, urethral discharge and pain during urination.

If these symptoms are observed, it is vital to get tested for STDs. Also the best way to protect your partner is not to practice unsafe sex and to refrain from the same until diagnosed and treatment is complete.
 
Getting yourself tested for STD is also beneficial, as it can prevent against complications like cancers and infertility. The standard STD panel of tests consists of Herpes IgG antibody and HIV antibody blood tests, along with a blood test for syphilis antibody and DNA urine test for gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

The Dangers of Putting Off STD Testing

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/AIDS is a STD which is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The HIV virus attacks the immune system and makes the body vulnerable to other diseases. AIDS is the last stage disorder caused by HIV infection. This disorder destroys the human immune system which might lead to other life- threatening diseases such as cancer. If diagnosed with HIV, one must necessarily maintain a healthy dietary regime because the nutrients one derives go on to contribute to the development of the immune system, thus providing resistance to the side effects of the HIV medicines.

The early symptoms of HIV/AIDS appear within a few weeks after sexual contact. The early symptoms include a headache, pain in the muscles and the joints, rashes and inflamed lymph nodes. The early symptoms tend to disappear within 2 to 3 weeks. The next set of symptoms might appear after a few years which might be persistent. The symptoms include fatigue, loss of body weight, inflated lymph nodes, fever and sweat during the night.

If you are diagnosed with HIV, you should:

Try to maintain a daily diet containing vegetables, legumes, and fruits which provide you energy.
Try to include a little bit of fat, carbohydrates (at least 3 servings of vegetable per day), calcium (dairy products) and low-fat protein sources (generally 80-150 gram per day of fish, skinned chicken, low-fat cheese etc.) in your everyday meal.
Maintain a daily calorie intake of 17-25 calories per pound depending on whether the person is losing weight.
Vitamins and minerals are particularly necessary to repair the cells damaged by the HIV virus. 
So, it is necessary to intake foods such as eggs, milk, peanuts, green vegetables, meat, beans and broccolis on a regular basis, if you have been diagnosed with HIV.

If you are suffering from HIV, you must maintain the following food safety measures:

You should try to restrict the intake of fat
Restrict your alcohol intake
You should try to avoid fast foods
You should also limit your regular sugar intake and should avoid foods with extra sugar

HIV/AIDS: Diet, Nutrition and Food Safety You Must Follow

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