HIV/AIDS Awareness. A father’s choice.

Archive for the ‘Information’ Category

We are working out way throught the 20 Things You Should Know About HIV (And Probably Don’t). Yesterday, we talked about inflammation and today we are going to talk a bit more where it causes problems.

 “It takes guts to get out of the ruts.” ~Robert Schuller 

#11:  70% of the body’s immune cells are in your intestines.

Yes it’s true, your gut normally contains about 70% of your immune cells. The immune system in the gut is called gut-associated lymphoid tissue or GALT and protects your body from invaders in food.

From the earliest stages of infection, HIV causes injury to the lining of the intestines as it infects the many CD4 T-cells present. This damage allows microbes (germs) living in your gut to leak out. As these bacteria and their toxins such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enter your bloodstream they trigger systemic immune activation and the resulting inflammatory response.

When it happens, people experience something called leaky gut syndrome. It results from damaging the cells of the small intestine so that the spaces between them become larger and allow these’ particles to pass through into your blood stream.

HIV is one of the culprits that cause leaky gut syndrome, but others include medications and a diet high in sugars, processed foods and alcohol. Other contributors include too many free radicals and some nutrient deficiencies.

Why is this important to you?

Inflammation in the gut makes it easier for germs to pass out of the intestine and leak into your body. This leaky gut contributes to the cycle of activating your immune and inflammatory responses. Inflammation in the gut also contributes to poor absorption of the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are molecules that are part of the coating of some bacteria normally found in the intestines and they produce a strong immune response when they  get in your bloodstream. High levels in the blood are a sign of “leaky gut” syndrome. As we shared in #11, an activate immune system leads to inflammation and damage to your organs.

Scientists have also found strong evidence that LPS helps HIV to penetrate the usually impregnable blood-brain barrier contributing to HIV-associated dementia and other cognitive disorders. In other words, what leaked from your gut is allowing HIV to harm your brain.

This speeds up HIV’s march on your whole body – not just your immune system.

How does this affect your path?

Knowing that you have to start monitoring your health immediately after diagnosis is the very first step to understanding all that is happening inside your body. There are many things to know and even more to understand how it affect you.

Doing all that you can to maintain good overall health by eating right, getting plenty of rest and exercising is even more critical than you may have thought. You do have some control over how HIV affects your body by the choices you make from the day you are diagnosed/.

 “Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to choose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice.” ~Ayn Rand

The power is yours. What path will you choose?

Can you believe that we are up to #8 of the 25 things you should know about HIV (and probably don’t) over 25 days. These 25 things will impact what you do and the choices you will make.

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.  ~Anaïs Nin

#8: There is no such thing as one size fits all with HIV.            

HIV affects each of us differently. We can’t expect to check out a book and know exactly how this disease will progress in your body or what your body’s reaction will be to HIV or its treatment.

Did you know there are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2? Both types are transmitted by sexual contact, through blood, and from mother to child, and they appear to cause virtually indistinguishable AIDS. However, it seems that HIV-2 is less easily transmitted, and the period between initial infection and illness is longer in the case of HIV-2.

Most of the infections across the world are HIV-1. However, there are different strains of HIV-1.  The strains of HIV-1 can be classified into four groups: the “major” group M, the “outlier” group O and two new groups, N and P.

Within group M there are known to be at least nine genetically distinct subtypes (or clades) of HIV-1. These are subtypes A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J and K.

Why is this important to you?

It has been found that certain subtypes react differently to antiretroviral drugs and others progress to AIDS much faster. Most current HIV-1 antiretroviral drugs were designed for use against subtype B, but there is no real evidence that they are less effective against other subtypes. Nevertheless, some subtypes may be more likely to develop resistance to certain drugs and impact the effectiveness of your treatment.

You can never say “it is only HIV” because “only HIV” is much more complex than you may think.

It is possible to become infected with more than one strain of HIV known as a “superinfection”. In these cases, the second infection can occur months after the first. It appears that the body’s immune response to the first virus sometimes isn’t enough to prevent infection with a second strain, especially with a virus belonging to a different subtype.

It has been shown that “superinfection” can be harder and less predictable to treat. Drug resistance is a huge problem. There is no got it and I will take a few pills a day to keep it at bay.

How does this affect your path?

We always have choices to make with HIV. When you make the choice to put your self at risk, do you really understand what that risk is?

If you are HIV positive, please make the choice to learn all that you can about HIV and protect yourself and your partners against secondary infection. A fighter knows the rules of the game.

Another one of those rules is that there are no hard rules when it comes to HIV infection and how it will react in your body. The only sure rule is that you will lose if you try to ignore HIV.

 ““The first rule is not to lose. The second rule is not to forget the first rule.” Warren Buffet

The power is yours. What path will you choose?

“Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke.” ~Benjamin Disraeli

Now that quote is old. This guy Benjamin Disraeli lived in the 1800’s in Great Britain. I guess it means that no matter how much we like to say we have grown or evolved, not a whole lot has changed when you are on the receiving end of bullying.

What the hell are you so afraid of?

Now you might think that I am talking to the young gays who have been so affected by the taunts and beat downs. I am not.

I am talking to the bullies. Because if you have to bully someone, you’ve got to be afraid of something big in yourself or something that you don’t understand or you wouldn’t be putting up all that smoke.

The time has come to start finding out what this fear is all about and where it is coming from.  Are we – the parents – transferring our fears to our kids? Fear about what is going to happen to us in this economy? Fear that our government isn’t looking out for the working man? Fear that we are not all we should be?

I have read that it is a lack of empathy, compassion, and kindness that leads to bullying. But from where I sit, it is flat out fear that blocks our ability to see or treat someone different with kindness or compassion.

I come from a background running businesses in the construction and auto industry. We are tough guys that work hard to make a good living. But I learned a long time ago that the real tough guy has courage and fire – he doesn’t need to blow smoke by bullying.

My son is gay and he is HIV positive. I would be lying if I said that it didn’t scare me. I am most afraid of what he will face in his life – not that he didn’t live up to my expectations of what my son was to be. (It seems that pro football career is just not happening.)

It takes courage to step outside our comfort zone. The reason I liked the Disraeli quote so much was because it said courage is fire. We’ve got to burn down the walls of our little comfort zone to face new things and new people. We’ve got to burn down the walls to not be so afraid of what is on the other side.

You just might like what you find, I know I did. When the smoke is blown away, you can usually see the real person or the situation for what it is.

Our whole lives we are going to be facing new things and new people. Are we going to be afraid of everything that comes along and miss out on what life has to offer? I know that I am not going to miss a moment of my son’s life with all of the good times and all of the bad even if his being gay and HIV positive were not in my plans.

If I can become a blogger and advocate for those living with HIV, there may be no limits to what you can do if you face your fears.

So I ask one more time of the bullies (and their parents):

What are you so afraid of????

We are back with the 25 things you should know about HIV (and probably don’t) over 25 days. Today is #7.  These 25 things will impact what you do and the choices you will make.

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.  ~Anaïs Nin

#7: Smoking makes symptoms and side effects of HIV disease worse.            

Smoking weakens the immune system. When you smoke, you get sick more often from HIV and it makes it more difficult to fight off serious infections.

Smoking is a pleasure for many of us and we often use it to help us cope when dealing with stress. The only problem here is that you will experience more stress (both physical and emotional) when you have to face getting sick more often.

Smoking makes the side effects of HIV treatment more severe. It is has been shown that if you smoke and take antiretroviral drugs, you are far more likely to suffer side effects like nausea and vomiting.

Some of the other long term side effects of treatment like osteoporosis (weakening of bones) and cardiovascular disease (heart attacks) are made worse by smoking.

Why is this important to you?

Smoking is like a big road block in your fight with HIV. It has been shown that smoking can even interfere with how your liver processes your HIV medications.

HIV is going to put many demands on your body. You will be asking your body and your immune system to step up and fight every day for the rest of your life. Smoking can take you out of that fight or make the fight more intense and stressful.

It is no longer a question of quitting smoking somewhere down the road because it could be a problem for your health. Smoking is a problem for your health today if you are HIV positive.

How does this affect your path?

There are many choices to make when facing an HIV positive diagnosis.

If you have already made the choice to fight this disease and live your life without limitations, please make the choice to learn all that you can about HIV. A fighter knows the rules of the game.

One of those rules is that you must choose whether to smoke or to make your life with HIV easier. It may seem a simple choice to someone who doesn’t smoke, but it is very difficult to quit smoking. You are probably going to need some help and the first step is to talk to your healthcare provider about medications or support groups to help you quit.

You can also go to http://smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to find out about support in your area.

HIV means facing a new reality and making some tough choices. Your choice to stop smoking is a choice to live the best life possible with HIV.

“There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it’s easy.”~Unknown

The power is yours. What path will you choose?

We are back with the 25 things you should know about HIV (and probably don’t) over 25 days. Today is #6.  These 25 things will impact what you do and the choices you will make.

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.  ~Anaïs Nin

#4: One of the biggest predictors of how well you will do living with HIV is a fighting spirit.            

Studies have shown that you will get sick less often if you have a good strategy to cope with HIV. When you are first diagnosed, it is an absolute shock and a life changing experience. Your life will never be the same and that can be stressful and overwhelming.

HIV is a life long condition that is often associated with severe stress on both your mind and your body. How you learn to deal with that stress (or have a strategy to cope with it) is going to play a big role in your life.

After you are diagnosed, you will need to work on living in this new reality. It is important to acknowledge that things have changed. The stressors that come with HIV impact the way you view your world, how you are able to deal with day-to-day situations, and the direction of your treatment. You may feel forced to confront illness, disability and death.

It is completely normal to feel fear, anger, guilt and maybe even denial.

Why is this important to you?

It is well known that a diagnosis of HIV can be very socially isolating. If you find yourself withdrawing from friends and family, feeling disconnected with your life, and perhaps being afraid of the stigma of HIV, it is more important that ever to make the effort to find a circle of support.

Long before the demands of HIV make a huge impact on your immune system, they are changing your emotional health. Only you will know when it is time to disclose your status to your family and your friends.

An HIV support group can be especially beneficial when you are trying to figure how to cope with HIV. To find an HIV support group near you, please use the AIDS Service Organization finder at http://asofinder.com.

How does this affect your path?

Are you going to fight or are you going to be defeated? This is a choice you will have to make that will impact the quality of your life and how often you get sick with HIV. It may also impact how well you do with HIV treatment.

If you have already made the choice to fight this disease and live your life without limitations, please make the choice to learn all that you can about HIV. A fighter knows the rules of the game.

HIV means facing life changes and losses. Your strength in coping with HIV means that there can also be wins.

“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.  ~Ivy Baker

The power is yours. What path will you choose?

This morning I was reading the Huffington Post blog by Susan Smith Ellis, the CEO of (RED) – the HIV/AIDS organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver. (RED) is not a charity. It’s an economic initiative that has become its own brand, and it acts as an agency of sorts, forging partnerships with other brands (Apple, Converse, Motorola, Gap and Hallmark, just to name a few) that sell products/services directly to consumers.

Here is a link to the post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-smith-ellis/hivaids-medicine-is-only_b_674033.html

Susan makes a great point that HIV medicine is only one piece of the puzzle.  She notes that successful treatment for HIV/AIDS requires education, care, support, food and nutrition, as well as medication.  And she uses the example that with food and nutritional support, the antiretroviral drugs taken to treat HIV/AIDS are likely to be significantly more effective. And programs to provide treatment and care go hand in hand with prevention.

I couldn’t agree more.

Over the past several months, my team and I at MyHIVAIDSAwareness.com have been talking with others who are HIV positive and meeting with HIV community leaders. It has become increasingly clear that we have to know all the pieces of the HIV puzzle. It isn’t enough just to take your meds if you plan on living your life without limitations.

But knowing what those pieces are and fitting them into your life are significant challenges. There is just too much information to retain and too much involved with making it all happen in your life. This is leading to an incredible amount of frustration and unnecessary stress.

So my team has been hard at work focusing on the top ten challenges of living with HIV and doing something about making these pieces of the puzzle fit for you. The result of our work is a groundbreaking series of expert courses that are ten minutes long. That’s right, they are ten minutes – no more.

In the ten minute video course, we highlight key pieces of the puzzle for topics such as nutrition, exercise, and side effects. Then we turn the action over to you in a ten day action guide designed to help you fit what you have learned into your life. In my new online community, you will find support and guidance from others taking the course with you.

You become the expert at putting together your own puzzle. And you take control of your life with HIV.

Please make sure that you have signed up for our mailing list to get the first look at our Eating for HIV Expert Course and my new online community coming very soon.

And remember, there are no solutions without action.

You’ve got 10 minutes to change your life with HIV in 50 ways. Get to it!

Here is an exercise I tried because I was feeling stuck in life after finding out my son was HIV positive. I wasn’t sure what was wrong, but the daily grind I had fallen into was not satisfying that voice in me that insisted there was something else out there for me. There was something more that I could do.

After trying desperately to understand what was going on, reading HIV books, searching the internet, and working with doctors and counselors, I was given a suggestion that became a catalyst for some pretty big personal changes.

Here is how you can change your life in 10 minutes, step by step:

Clear all distractions. Turn off the phone, the iPod, the laptop. Close your door, and go to a peaceful place.

Sit down at a desk or table, with a blank piece of paper and a pen in front of you. No typing on your laptop this time.

Set an alarm for 10 minutes.

Go. Write down 50 things you want to do, know, or change about living with HIV. The sky is the limit.

Don’t be realistic. Don’t put limits on yourself. Dream big time. Write down the craziest things you can think of, as well as the things that you don’t even think are worth mentioning because they are so wild or so simple. Write ’em down.

Work quickly. 10 minutes isn’t very long, and you have 50 items to come up with, if you can. Don’t think about whether or not to write down an idea – just do it. Write everything that comes to mind, even if it doesn’t make sense because there is no cure or your not in a relationship or whatever. Just keep on writing.

Something happens after about 5 or 10 minutes if you really get into this exercise. You stop worrying about exactly what the ideas are, and you start to get down to something in your gut that may have been locked away for a while. In an effort to get through 50 things in 10 minutes, you start to write things down that you aren’t even really sure you want, but that come from somewhere down deep inside of you.

Leave the list for a day. Try not to look at it, and certainly don’t change it. The following day, sit down and look at your list. How many of the items on it are something you can do? Can you see your way to making it happen?  Anything that surprises you?

The point of this exercise is not to create one more list of things that never gets done. Not one more set of dreams that don’t come true. Instead, it is simply to open up your mind to what you really want in your life with HIV. Now we can start talking about getting there.

Stay tuned.

“I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong” ~Benjamin Franklin

I started this series with the words we all get knocked down once in a while. Its part of what makes life interesting and it keeps us on our toes.

And I am going to end with a few simple words, “A good life doesn’t just happen. Get up and fight for it!”

Close and meaningful relationships, a fulfilling career, a healthy life, a sense of satisfaction and gratitude—nothing just happens.

Rather, everything in our life is in direct proportion to the attention, effort and importance we give. We’ve got to fight for it.

We all experience failure, setbacks, disappointments and obstacles. There is no denying that a punch hurts and it can knock us down. We are human. Bad tests, side effects and stigma hurt us. It’s part of the deal of being positive.

But in the same life, there are happy times, accomplishments, and a sense of belonging.

How will you fight for the good things?

It all comes down to this one thing—what you give your attention to becomes the reality of your world.

Give your attention to solely to the fear and uncertainty of HIV and that will shape your life and your world around you. If the blows from this disease are what you think about, dwell on, and live with each day, it will limit your life.

Instead, focus your attention on what’s good, amazing, abundant, wonderful and possible in the world. Focus your attention on ideas, information and knowledge that can help you grow, stay healthy, create and contribute to making a positive difference. Going down for the count doesn’t work here.  Turn OFF the count… it will change your world and your life!

Here a couple of suggestions for turning your focus around:

Get knowledgeable about HIV and understand what you can do to make a difference in living a healthy life. We have done a lot of research here at MyHIVAIDSAwareness.com and have found many ways that you can directly impact your disease progression. It is not out of your control.

Go SUPERSONIC and get past the naysayers. Don’t listen to the negative voices and stay on your path to wellness. To get past something you have to be moving forward.

Understand Karma and reaping what you sow. Doesn’t matter what your religion is or even if you are religious. It does matter that for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first. Step in and take control.

Use your personal power to help others. Giving feels good, but there’s more to it than that. When we direct our energy and focus on meeting others’ needs, we push aside our concerns and negative emotions. We open up our world.

Nothing is more challenging than facing a life long illness. There are no tomorrows where the battle with HIV will not be part of your life. But there are many more tomorrows that can be wonderful and fulfilling if you focus on finding them. We are here to help you do just that.

In the coming weeks, my team will be announcing the results of our work that focuses on your tomorrows.  We worked to find simple solutions to improve your daily living with HIV and make a positive difference in your life. Stay tuned!

There has been much discussion in the news about ADAP recently. We are hearing for the first time about thousands across the country now on waiting lists to join the program. These are people standing in a line that we don’t see.

In case you don’t know about ADAP, here is a little history. ADAP (pronounced ay-dap) started by Congress in 1987 to provide HIV related prescription drugs to people living in the United States who don’t have health insurance or not enough health insurance. By not enough, I mean they don’t have coverage for prescription drugs. When Congress gives the money to the states, it says they have to spend it on HIV “theraputics”.

To qualify for ADAP, there are elibility requirements that vary by state and change every year. Basically there is a maximum income requirement, residency requirement, and a no Medicaid requirement. Some states require that you have no health insurance at all and some require that you first apply for Medicaid and be denied.

So most of the people on ADAP are working, paying taxes and contributing to our society. They are just caught in a Catch 22 situaion where they can’t afford the incredibly high cost of HIV medications.

So what is up with ADAP? Why all of the sudden the news of waiting lists?

As of July 22, there were at least 2,158 people waiting for enrollment in an ADAP program, up from 2,090 on July 1 (which was itself an all-time high). Two new states, Georgia and Ohio, have started waiting lists, with Ohio not yet reporting how many people are on its list.

Earlier this month, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a $25 million reallocation of federal funds for ADAP. According to the Secretary, the funds will be available in mid-August and “will meet ADAP’s projected need through the end of the fiscal year.”

Problem is that state’s are now uping the requirements for ADAP so more people are now losing eligibility for the program. This can force them to quit their jobs and become eligible for other government funded programs like Medicaid to get their life prolonging medications. Their only other choice is to stop taking medications until they become so sick they qualify for Social Security Disability.

What’s up with ADAP? It is another story about how we prioritize the use of the taxpayer’s money in times of budget shortfalls. This time it can mean the difference between life and death.

If you want to know more about ADAP, there is a great article in the January/February edition of Positively Aware.

Much more to follow!

There are times when fear is good.  It must keep its watchful place at the heart’s controls.  ~Aeschylus

Have you ever experienced a situation similar to the one described below?   

You are set for your monthly doctor visit. You have been feeling good, taking your meds, working out, and eating well. You stepped into the office and then backed out. The mere sight of it gave you the creeps. After a short while, you tried to step back in and couldn’t. You felt light-headed and your heartbeat started to go crazy. It sent chills up your spine. You felt the urge to run but you couldn’t — your difficult breathing left you immobilized.

What can we do about our fears? Can we stop them? Is there a way to use them to our advantage?

Fear is really designed to warn you. It is your body’s security alarm to keep you from stepping into unknown territory unprepared. If you re-discover the true role of fear in your life, you will find there are ‘good fears’ that lead to a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach or vigilance in dealing with your HIV status.

Fear is not meant to stop you, it could be used as a  means to warn you to be prepared. Fear tells you to think twice before you step out and do something you will regret later. It gives you time or another chance to think so that you can make better decisions and take fewer risks. This is the correct perspective on fear.

For instance, it is perfectly natural to fear getting an HIV test. It is not the test that is the real fear – it is the chance of the positive result. This fear can make you extra careful about the choices in your sex life.

We are also programmed to fear becoming ill or injured, especially the unknown factor in being able to take care of ourselves. This is not to stop us from living each day, but to keep us from doing things that could hurt us. This natural self-preservation is a huge motivating factor in choosing a healthy lifestyle and limiting the risky behaviors associated with HIV infection.

Here are just a few normal fears associated with HIV:

Fear of the unknown – If you don’t know much about HIV and what happens in your body, you might be afraid.

Fear of changes in your status – When your tests are good, you are doing great. But your viral load could go up on the next doctor visit and you worry.

Fear of disclosure – Could somebody at work find out? Will that make a difference with your boss? It is nature to be concerned about what others might think, say or do if they found out your status.

Fear of symptoms – You might get obsessed with each and every twitch or minor illness that you experience because of what it might mean  to your HIV. You spend a great deal of  itme taking your temperature, checking your lymph nodes and searching for signs of infection.

Anxiety starts with persistent worrying and causes a disturbance in your mood and emotional life. Mild to moderate anxiety is nothing unusual after a major life event like becoming HIV positive. But fears and anxiety can get out of control and take over your world if you don’t deal with them.

Want to know more about fear and how to use it to your advantage?

Please make sure you get on my mailing list by putting your email address in the box to the upper right or go to http://myhivaidsawareness.com.  I’ll have some more information about HIV fear and anxiety coming your way very soon!

We enjoy reading and watching Mark S. King’s chronicle of his life as a gay man in recovery living with HIV. It is a must read here.

Mark created a great video blog on Six Tips for Choosing Your HIV Doctor that everyone looking for or thinking of changing doctors should watch. I don’t think Mark will mind too much if I give you a preview on his most important tips:

1. Interviewing a doctor is common and okay.
2. Bring medical records and a summary.
3. Find out the doctors credentials and education.
4. Try to combine HIV and primary care.
5. Check hospital privileges.
6. Be sure you feel comfortable being honest.

Mark’s biggest advice is to not be afraid to ask questions about anything you think is important. It is absolutely okay to ask questions about a doctor’s background. If he/she doesn’t like your questions and gives you an attitude, get another doctor.

You can watch Mark’s video at:

http://marksking.com/my-fabulous-disease/video-16-six-tips-for-choosing-your-hiv-doctor/

I started out to write a blog post about the true impacts of research news on the daily lives of those with HIV/AIDS. Part of what we do at http://myhivaidsawareness.com is to review each day what is happening the areas of prevention, treatment, care and research.

But then I came across an article posted in Business Week – http://bit.ly/c49GXl – and a few other publications that said, “Morphine May Protect Brains of People With HIV.” I looked a little further and found they studied this because doctors saw that HIV+ heroin users were not developing AIDS-related dementia. Okay, but doesn’t morphine have huge addictive and tolerance problems? Are we telling people to start using morphine or its close relative heroin?

To get past the headline, I looked a little deeper into HIV and heroin. Other research has found that drugs like morphine and heroin suppress the immune system and enhance the inflammatory effects of HIV on brain encephalitis. In other words, they can make you much worse.

You have to read past the headline and find that doctors are saying that a morphine-like substance could be developed that does not have the typical dependency and tolerance issues. They aren’t saying use heroin or morphine to protect your brain. But the headline sure sounded like an endorsement of morphine and no such morphine-like substance now exists.

Research is defined as the “systematic investigation to establish facts.” Individual research projects only look at a very tiny part of the whole HIV puzzle. Many times they present conflicting information that can be very confusing if you are trying to figure out a treatment regimen that works for you.

Most importantly, when we report on and/or hear about new research, we have to remember that impact of most research is years away. Just in the past few months we have heard about the potential importance of bananas, an acne drug, and some common anti-biotics in HIV treatment and prevention. But where does it fit in your treatment today?

We will continue to review and share the latest research findings especially those that hold promise for the future. But it is important to never forget that your treatment today is what impacts your future.

If you have questions about treatment, please check with your medical provider. If you wish to have some additional information about HIV treatment, I recommend some of these great resources that are available from Project Inform:

http://www.projectinform.org/info/decisions/decisions.pdf

http://www.projectinform.org/info/avs/avs.pdf

Just last week much was written about the twentieth anniversary of Ryan White’s death including my thoughts on this blog.

It is surprising to know that students still find it difficult to talk about HIV.  At this week’s University of Maine Know Your Status event, student and peer educator Megan Arsenault said, “Sometimes this is not an issue that a lot of people like to talk about.  Whether they’re embarrassed or scared or just don’t know where the right resources are.” To read more about U Maine’s event, please click here: http://www.wabi.tv/news/11168/umaine-students-talk-hiv.

Today, many of the parents and grandparents raising children still can’t talk about HIV. It is true that they don’t face the earlier thoughts that casual contact or a blood transfusion could spread the virus, but teens and young adults make up one of the fastest growing segments of HIV infection.

Talking about HIV and AIDS means talking about sexual behaviors — and it’s not always easy for parents to talk about sexual feelings and behavior with their kids. Similarly, it’s not always easy for teens to open up or to believe that issues like HIV and AIDS can affect them.

Even further complicated is talking about drug use and the dangers of sharing needles. Most of the talks I remember about sex and drugs center around don’t do it – not how to do it safely. For a parent to talk about it, they’ve got to believe themselves that the threat is real. We have to know about HIV ourselves.

Want to help someone you love know a little bit more about HIV? Here are a couple of favorite resources that you should check out:

Facts for Life: What you and the people you care about need to know about HIV/AIDS from AmfAR.

http://www.amfar.org/uploadedFiles/In_the_Community/Publications/Facts%20for%20Life.pdf

What You Should Know About HIV from UNAIDS

http://data.unaids.org/pub/FactSheet/2008/20080519_fastfacts_hiv_en.pdf

HIV AIDS 101 from AIDS.gov

http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/overview/what-is-hiv-aids/index.html

HIV Information for Parents from Advocates for Youth

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=813&Itemid=67

Studies have shown that teens who have discussed sexual contact and protection before they have sex are far less likely to contract an STD or HIV. Talking saves lives.

I was speaking to a group at the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS (http://www.swhiv.org) and heard some objections to the word “control” when it was used by another speaker. I started to think about what influence we really have over any aspect of our lives after a positive test…

The old Miram Webster dictionary says that control means to exercise restraining or directing influence over something or to have power over it. Let’s examine some ways we still have some control over our lives:

First, we control whether we seek or begin treatment.  The decision to begin treatment is a personal one best made in consultation with your healthcare provider.

Second, we control who we share our status with and who will be on our support team. I recently wrote a blog post about the positive benefits to your immune system when you share your status with supportive family and friends. It is your choice whether to share your status and who you share it with.

Third, we control our lifestyle choices. Even after a positive diagnosis, we make impactful choices about living a healthier lifestyle. Studies have shown that infection with a second strain of HIV (superinfection) may have medical consequences.

Fourth, we control our nutrition and diet. There are some basics we all should be aware of including the need for additional protein and calories in our diet. Several of the antiretroviral medications also require increased water intake in order to prevent kidney complications.

Fifth, we control how much we know about HIV. Have you heard the phrase “Knowledge is Power”? Read, ask, and share are the only ways that we will have the knowledge to take back some control after a positive diagnosis.

There are many more ways to exert some control over a diagnosis that may have us feeling out of control.

I recommend starting with Positively Aware – a publication by the Test Positive Awareness Network.  Please visit: http://positivelyaware.com/ . This bi-monthly publication is loaded with useful information.

Check back here frequently for more information and sources to build your knowledge and power.

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Michael Mooney and Nelson Vergel wrote a great article in the September/October 2009 edition of Postively Aware http://positivelyaware.com/2009/09_05/index.shtml about using exercise to manage the side effects of HIV.

In their research, they found that exercise can improve muscle mass and bone density while decreasing triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol). Building back your weight with lean muscles and improving your overall strength make exercise an attractive complement to your HIV therapy.

Starting an exercise program is tough for all of us and they recommend beginning with getting your blood pressure, heart rate, weight, body dimensions, fasting cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar checked. Your doctor should be able to tell you if you are capable of exercising without affecting your health.

The number to remember is 10,000 – as in steps per day. If you are new to exercise, start walking every day and do the best that you can. Walking can help increase energy levels and get your ready for a more intensive exercise program as you are feeling better. Using a cheap pedometer to measure your daily steps is helpful and the number of 10,000 per day supports good cardiovascular health and fat loss.

The article provides a comprehensive guide to getting your workout program off the ground. It is an informative read at http://positivelyaware.com/2009/09_05/exercise.shtml.

Exercise always works best on the buddy system and it a good time to share with friends and family who support you. Beyond the physical benefits, it can improve your overall outlook and help with your quality of life.

Bottomline is that is a choice you make to take back some control. Choose yoga or choose basketball. Exercise can improve strength, fight fatigue and depression, improve endurance, increase cardiovascular fitness, help to reduce stress and promote muscle strength. It may also help the immune system work better.