What is the difference between HIV and AIDS
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is virus and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrom) is a definition of describing a whole group of symptoms and diseases associated with the damage HIV does to the immune system.
A HIV infected person immune defense cells will be damaged in an ongoing processes. Meaning to say, if a person’s immune system is damage, the body become increasingly less able to fight off infections.
A person who had an unprotected sex with another HIV positive person can live many years without developing AIDS symptoms of HIV infection. Means a person already contracted with HIV won’t show any symptoms of AIDS for eg; fever, flu, pneumonia, cough and others.
Where do HIV come from?
This is a question similar to chicken or the egg came first. Researchers traced history of HIV and some said it was from a man in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of Congo and another said HIV-1 may have stemmed from a single virus in the 1940s or early 1950s. After 25 researchers have confirmed that HIV originated in wild chimps and then spread to humans. For years, experts have speculated that SIV – simian immunodeficiency virus – found in monkeys was the origin of HIV – human immunodeficiency virus, spreading to humans by way of monkey bites or ingestion of monkey brains and meat.
About Immune System
Immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues and organs working together to protect the body from infection and diseases. These cells involved are white blood cells (or leukocytes) which come in 2 basic types that combine to: seek and destroy bacteria, pathogens, microorganisms, cancer cells, and other things that can be danger to our health
Leukocytes are produced or stored in many locations in the body, this includes; thymus, spleen and bone marrow. That is why it’s possible to be cured by having a bone marrow transplant, its proven succesful to a HIV patient, Timothy Ray Brown also know as “The Berlin Patient”.
Researchers in Berlin said Timothy Ray Brown who suffered from Leukaemia and HIV had shown no sign of either disease since the transplant 2 years ago.
Since the transplant was carried out 20 months ago, tests on the patient’s bone marrow, blood and other organ tissues have all been clear.
Some fascinating facts about HIV after bone marrow transplant
Even though their tests do not show a presence of HIV in his system, doesn’t mean it’s not there. This virus is known for hiding well and popping up later. It’s been seen before in patients taking anti-retro viral drugs. It is possible that if more sophisticated tests were used on this patient, they would detect the virus that is still in his body. So it’s still not entirely clear that he is HIV-free.
The chances of finding a bone marrow donor with two copies of this genetic mutation for every one of the 33 million people worldwide living with HIV or AIDS is not realistic because only one percent of Caucasians and zero percent of African Americans or Asians have this particular genetic mutation.
Bone marrow transplants are dangerous for patients. Before they can get the donated stem cells that will replace their own, they have to take strong chemotherapy to destroy their own bone marrow – leaving them without an immune system to fight off any disease – until the transplanted bone marrow can make new blood cells. Plus patients run the risk of rejecting the new cells, which means they have to take immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of their life.
Bone marrow transplants are very expensive and not an option for many people living with this disease around the world.
About one-third of patients die during them, Dr. Jay Levy told Health.com last year.
How to boost your immune system
- Edinburgh University scientists have found that the body naturally lowers cholesterol levels during an infection because viruses and bacteria like to “feed” off it. Limiting its production therefore curbs the invader’s ability to thrive.
- Eat as little processed foods as possible
- Avoid polyunsaturated vegetable oils and products made from them. (This includes margarine!) When you need to use oils, switch to olive oil.
- Eat less high-glycemic carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, sugary foods)
- Reduce dairy, and if you do eat dairy foods, switch to organic versions, and be sure to include yogurt
- Eat plenty of ocean fish
- Focus on fresh whole foods as much as possible, such as fresh vegetables, whole grains
- Try to eat an immune-enhancing food every day. These include garlic, maitake mushrooms, broccoli, and sea greens (like dulse, chlorella, and spirulina).
- (Note: be careful with too much raw broccoli or sea greens, as they can be goitrogens. Cooking for 3-4 mins, however, removes most of the antithyroid goitrogenic properties.)
- Try to avoid pesticides and hormones by choosing organic produce, meats and dairy products whenever possible
- Be sure to take probiotics of some sort. Either by eating sufficient organic yogurt, or by taking an acipdophilus supplement.
- Exercise is actually an immune enhancer. It creates immune enhancing chemicals, and increases oxygen, which helps fight antigens more effectively.
Over all, maintaining a diverse diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein, is the body’s best defense against viral invaders.
Types of diets to combat AIDS
Vegan – Vegan is the strictest sub-category of vegetarians. Vegans do not consume any animal products or by-products. Some go as far as not even consuming honey and yeast. Others do not wear any clothing made from animal products.
Vegetarian – Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that excludes meat (including game and slaughter by-products; fish, shellfish and other sea animals; and poultry). There are several variants of the diet, some of which also exclude eggs.
Raw Food – A raw foods diet consists of unprocessed raw vegan foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). “Raw foodists” believe that foods cooked above this temperature have lost their enzymes and thus a significant amount of their nutritional value and are harmful to the body, whereas uncooked foods provide living enzymes and proper nutrition. Proponents of a raw food diet claim that there are many benefits to eating raw foods, including weight loss, more energy, clear skin, improved digestion and improved overall health
“A raw food diet may help slow the development of AIDS from HIV because it provides vitamins, such as C and A, that may stimulate immune system function, according to Phyllis Balch, author of “Prescription for Nutritional Healing.” These vitamins can help your body ward off disease and infection. Raw foods also provide antioxidants that help prevent free radical damage to your bones, muscle tissues and organs. Raw foodists believe that uncooked, unprocessed foods contain larger amounts of vitamins and enzymes than cooked foods. Raw foods also contain enzymes that may improve digestion of foods and absorption of nutrients necessary for immune system health
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