HIV help
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.
HIV Natural therapy
There are no natural therapies that are endorsed by the medical profession.
However, studies have shown several nutrients and herbs to have antiviral
properties. It is difficult to predict what clinical effect, if any, these herbs and
supplements have in the natural progression of HIV.
Antioxidant--There is evidence suggesting that patients infected with human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) are under chronic oxidative stress.
People infected with HIV
may benefit from treatment with low dose antioxidant vitamins.
Bovine Colostrum may
reduce the severity of diarrhea in HIV patients.
Green
Tea -- Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the components of
Green Tea Extract has been suggested to have antiviral activity. To determine the effects of EGCG on HIV infection, peripheral blood lymphocytes infected with HIV were incubated with
increasing concentrations of EGCG. EGCG strongly inhibited the replication of the HIV
virus.
Glutamine, the amino
acid, could be helpful for those on anti-HIV medicines.
Glutamine-antioxidant nutrient
supplementation can increase body weight, body cell mass, and intracellular
water when compared with placebo in HIV patients. More
Glutamine info can be found here.
There is very little information on how these herbs interact with
antiviral medicines used to treat HIV or AIDS. For instance,
Garlic reduces saquinavir blood levels by 50% and may affect
other drugs.
EGCG found in green tea prevents HIV from binding to immune system cells by
getting there first. Once EGCG has bound to immune system cells there is no room
for HIV to take hold in its usual fashion. The EGCG test is in vitro, and it
will take human research to determine whether EGCG is effective against HIV in
people who are infected or whether regular green tea intake or taking
EGCG supplements have a role
to play in preventing or reducing the severity of HIV infection.
Hyssop extract contains anti-viral and anti-HIV-1 activity.
Chinese herbal medicine, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and its identified components
(i.e., baicalein and baicalin), have been shown to inhibit infectivity and
replication of HIV.
Other options for those
infected with the HIV virus.
Writing about emotional
topics appears to reduce stress in HIV-infected patients and may improve immune
responses.
HIV information
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. When HIV enters your body, it
moves inside white blood cells called "CD4 lymphocytes." HIV takes over the CD4
cells and makes billions of virus pieces each day. The virus pieces spread through your
body. Your body tries to defend itself against HIV by making antibodies (these hook on to
the virus and keep it from making virus pieces) and by special cells called macrophages
and natural killer T-cells. These cells help you to get rid of some of the virus pieces.
If antibodies against HIV show up in your blood, you know your body is trying to protect
you from the HIV infection you have picked up. However, it's usually several months before
your body makes enough antibodies to measure.
After acute HIV infection, your body works hard to attack the virus. With your
body fighting, the virus can't make so many virus pieces. Even though you still have HIV
infection, you'll begin to look well and feel well again. The usual blood tests will be
normal. However, during this time, the virus pieces are still attacking your lymph nodes.
Lymph nodes are the centers of your body's immune system. The virus may also attack your
brain tissue and slowly cause damage there. Over 10 to 15 years, HIV would kill so many
CD4 cells that your body could no longer fight off infections. At this point, a person is
diagnosed as having AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Once you have AIDS, you can
easily get many serious infections.
Protein in sperm helps HIV enter
cells
An ingredient in human semen may actually help the HIV virus infect cells.
Naturally occurring prostatic acidic phosphatase or PAP, an enzyme produced by
the prostate, can form tiny fibers called amyloid fibrils that can capture bits
of the human immunodeficiency virus and usher it into cells.
HIV statistics
38 million people around the world, half of them women, are living with
HIV / AIDS,
according to the latest figures from UNAIDS, the United Nations agency spearheading the
battle against HIV or AIDS.
HIV in China
The number of reported HIV / AIDS cases in China has grown by nearly 30 percent
in 2006, and the HIV virus seemed to be spreading from high-risk groups to the
general public. Experts from the United Nations and the Chinese Health Ministry
estimate about 650,000 people in China were HIV positive by the end of 2006.
Drug abuse accounted for 37 percent of the newly found infections this year
whose transmission routes had been determined, while unsafe sexual contact had
caused 28 percent. People selling blood illegally or receiving infected blood
from hospitals in the 1990s accounted for 5 percent of HIV cases.
HIV in Indonesia
Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, is projecting half a
million HIV cases by 2010, and double that if preventive steps are not taken.
Current estimates put the number of HIV cases in a range of 169,000-216,000 in
Indonesia, which has a total population of 220 million.
HIV and marijuana smoking
Smoking cannabis daily can reduce the chronic nerve pain experienced by
many HIV -infected patients. However, the negative influence of marijuana on the
immune system needs to be taken into account.
HIV
Medical treatment
The medical treatment of HIV or AIDS is with several antiviral drugs.
Additional link
gluco page
hiv natural therapy hiv herbs hiv vitamins