Boost Your Immune Against HIV and AIDS.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, a disease that destroys the immune system and ravages the body. There is no cure for AIDS, no way to eradicate HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus) from the body.
Yet, according to Jon Kaiser, M.D., director of the Jon Kaiser Wellness Center in San Francisco, "the progression of HIV disease in my practice is an extremely rare event."

So far, conventional doctors have been unable to find long-term solutions to control this dreadful virus. Yet, Dr. Kaiser has devised an immune-strengthening, alternative treatment program that he says has stopped the progression of HIV infection in more than 1,000 of his patients. The program consists of whole foods, nutritional supplements, herbs, exercise, stress reduction, and techniques for emotional and spiritual growth.
It's not that Dr. Kaiser doesn't use the new array of antiviral drugs (like protease inhibitors) that help slow the progression of HIV infection, but he uses them only when they're absolutely necessary. These drugs have a daunting variety of body-punishing side effects, he explains, from headaches to heart disease. And because people with HIV can quickly become resistant to antiviral drugs, he prefers to use them as a last resort.
"I am able to keep a high percentage of my HIV-positive patients off antiviral drugs completely for a significant period of time," he says. "And if they must take antiviral medications, I believe that combining them with natural therapies helps the drugs work better and longer, with fewer side effects."

AFFIRMATIONS: Health from Within
One of the cornerstones of Dr. Kaiser's program is providing emotional and spiritual uplift, using techniques such as meditation, prayer, or yoga. Relaxing the body, decreasing stress, and helping people connect with their spiritual sides can be powerful healing forces, he says. "Healing does not come from little bottles," he explains. "It comes from within."

Long-held negative beliefs or fears, such as "I'm not good enough to succeed in life," or "I can't heal," cause changes in the body that can weaken the immune system, says Dr. Kaiser. You can change your beliefs from negative to positive by using affirmations positive statements that are written or spoken aloud many times during the day.

First, write out a few of your fears, such as "I am afraid of becoming sick." Then write out a new belief, such as "I am a healthy human being, and my healthy emotions and thoughts will manifest a healthy body." Here are some other examples.

• I breathe in love and light and exhale fear and darkness.    
• I am confident and powerful.
• I am at peace with myself.
• I will listen to my body's guidance through my healing journey.

"I believe that using affirmations can literally change the ways the body works, and this in turn can help with healing," Dr. Kaiser explains.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS: Good for the Skin
Infections and other skin problems are common in people with HIV,
says Alien Green, M.D., director of the Center for Optimum Health in
Fountain Valley, California. Essential fatty acids (EFA), which are abundant in cold-water fish, flaxseed oil, and borage oil, help keep the skin
health.

Dr. Green suggests taking a daily EFA supplement, following the directions on the label. For vegetarians, he recommends supplements containing 4,000 to 6,000 milligrams of flaxseed oil. For non vegetarians, supplements of both fish oil in 2,000- to 4,000-milligram doses and borage oil in 240- to 480-milligram doses may be helpful. \

The Need for Protein.
Protein feeds the immune system. Since HIV attacks the immune system, people with the virus need all the protein they can get.
"I believe that adequate consumption of protein can make the difference between a healthy immune system and one that is in a progressive state of decline," says Dr. Kaiser. He recommends that people with HIV get 0.6 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, for example, that would mean at least 90 grams of protein a    day. Here are a few ways to ensure that you get enough.

THE 20-GRAM RULE: A Guideline for Every Meal
An easy way to keep track of your protein intake is to make it a point to eat at least 20 grams at every meal. High-protein animal foods recommended by Dr. Kaiser include beef (just 4 ounces supplies about 28 grams of protein), ham, turkey, chicken, shrimp, halibut, salmon, and tuna.

High-protein plant and dairy foods include tofu 0/2 cup supplies 10
grams of protein), barley, peanut butter, beans, nuts, pasta, and eggs
(one egg has 7 grams).

PROTEIN SNACKS: Eat Them between Meals
Look for protein bars that provide 5 to 10 grams of protein, and eat no more than two or three bars a day, says Dr. Kaiser. Be sure to choose bars that have a minimum of sweeteners, which can depress immune function, he adds.

PROTEIN POWDER: Truly Great Shakes
A convenient way to get a lot of protein is to make a daily shake with protein powder that provides at least 25 grams of protein per serving. Avoid any powder that lists sugar, sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, or      ^ fructose as one of its first two ingredients, says Dr. Kaiser. Also avoid powders with artificial flavors or colors.

If you have chronic diarrhea (a common symptom of HIV), try a powder with hydrolyzed protein, which is easily absorbed. "Mixing hydrolyzed protein supplements with rice or soy milk makes a good-tasting, easy-to-digest source of protein," says Dr. Kaiser.

Healing Foods.
A number of foods are thought to help people with HIV, both by controlling various symptoms and by bolstering immunity. Here are the foods that many alternative practitioners recommend.

GARLIC: Good for Protection
Garlic contains allicin, a powerful compound that can help kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This is important for people with HIV because the virus damages the immune system, giving many different types of organisms the opportunity to flourish.

Tai Lahans, an acupuncturist and practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Seattle who specializes in treating people with HIV, advises HIV-positive patients to take at least 9 grams of raw garlic a day in juiced form, or about three medium cloves. The garlic can be taken in three doses of 3 grams each at morning, noon, and evening. The juiced form is very active and can be added to other fresh juices.

You can also take garlic supplements. Dr. Kaiser recommends two to
eight capsules a day.
 Garlic may do more than protect against random infections. It also may slow the progression of the disease itself. "HIV spreads through clumps of white blood cells called aggregated lymphocytes/' says La-hans. "Garlic helps dissolve those clumps, slowing the infection."        ';'

CONGEE: Calms Diarrhea
Severe, chronic diarrhea affects most people with HIV, says Mish
Cohen, O.M.D., a doctor of Oriental medicine and licensed acupuncturist in San Francisco. You can help control it by eating congee, or boiled rice pudding, she says.    ;
"Chronic diarrhea produces extreme discomfort, makes it difficult to
have a normal social life, destroys the appetite, robs the person of nutritional support, and causes severe weight loss and wasting," Dr. Cohen ,
explains. According to practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a
daily meal of congee is said to provide warmth (yang) to the abdominal-
area. This is important because HIV and the drugs used to treat it tend to make this area very cold (yin), Dr. Cohen says

To make congee, combine 1 cup of white rice with 7 to 9 cups of filtered water in a pot, cover, and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours. You    1 may need to add more water during cooking to keep it from drying out. You can also make it in a slow cooker, says Dr. Cohen.

People with severe diarrhea may need to eat congee as a meal three times a day if that's all they can tolerate. In that case, you can add soup " stock to the base. Otherwise, eat 1 to 3 cups a day.

CHINESE HERBS: For More Potent Congee
Many alternative practitioners recommend adding healing foods or herbs to congee while it's cooking, Dr. Cohen says. For treating diarrhea, for example, she recommends adding 6 grams of lotus seeds (lian 2.1), 3 grams of euryale (qian shi), 3 grams of dried ginger (gan jiang), 6 grams of dioscorea (shan yao), 9 grams of poria (fu ling), 3 grams of codonopsis (dang shen), and 2 pieces of red dates (hong zao), plus fresh dates and cinnamon to taste. These herbs can be obtained from a Chinese herbal pharmacy or a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine.