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"I will live to see my grandchildren," Lynde Francis declared in 1986, afterher HIV-positive diagnosis gave her just another three years to live. Ten yearson, when her first grandchild was born, she declared, "Now I will live to seemy great-grandchildren"

No longer a mystery disease associated with witchcraft, HIV is alive and welland thriving in southern Africa. It has taken its toll, with many millions deador infected, and will kill thousands more. In the early days of the pandemic,life expectancy was short, but today people are living longer. Many peoplehave had the virus for more than 10 years without any serious difficulties anda few have passed the 20-year mark. These people are described as "long-term non-progressors". Their bodies are not simply fighting the virus, buthave learned to co-exist with it. We call this "positive living". Their survivalstrategies combine mental, physical, spiritual and social support togetherwith nutrition (see the Table of Health on Page 7).

HIV is a tiny germ that can cause your "army of defence" - your immunesystem - to lose its ability to defend your body. Your immune system containswhite blood cells called CD-4 or T-helper cells. These cells are like officersin your army of defence which protects you against infection and disease.Unlike other viruses, such as flu and measles, the HIV virus has no signs orsymptoms. The virus uses the CD-4 cells to multiply itself by changing theirproduction line to make new copies of HIV instead of CD-4 cells.

The virus has a special key, called "the receptor", that enables it to enter theCD-4 cells. Then it fools the cell into reproducing HIV. Over time, this reducesthe number of CD-4 cells available to defend the body, making the immunesystem unable to protect you. This is the only way the virus can reproduce.It does not have the chemical messengers called DNA needed for reproductionof all living cells, and has to borrow them from the CD-4 cells.

As the HIV increases in the cells they eventually die and all the new copiesof the virus rush out into the bloodstream to occupy new cells.

It is important to keep in mind that the virus cannot replicate outside the CD-4 cells. It can live in certain other parts of the immune system, but it cannot

THE HUMAN IMMUNO-DEFICIENCYVIRUS (HIV): WHAT IS IT?

HOW DOES IT AFFECT US?

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use cells from these parts to make copies. While the virus can only multiplyin the CD-4 cells, it also lives in the rest of the bloodstream, the centralnervous system, the brain, the lymph glands, the sexual body fluids andbreast milk. HIV cannot survive in other body fluids like tears, sweat, saliva,digestive fluids, urine and faeces or on the skin.

Once the virus is out of the body it dies within a few seconds. It is importantto remember that HIV relies on you to survive.

HIV

HIV

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HIV DOES NOT WANT YOU DEAD!IF YOU DIE, THE VIRUS DIES TOO!

AIDS is the Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome. People often ask: “IsAIDS the same thing as HIV?”, or “If you get HIV, does this always mean youwill develop AIDS and die?”

The answer is “no”. AIDS is not a disease, it is a "syndrome" or pattern madeup of various unusual and serious infections. These are normally controlledby a healthy immune system. “Having AIDS” means that your body has beenweakened by the use the virus makes of your CD-4 cells to survive.

This book is about the survival skills you need to live positively with the virus.

Nutrition is at the top of the Table of Health because it makes the biggestdifference to positive living.

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The first task is mental. You must come to know the unwelcome guests thathave set up house in your body. They are not strong. Have a talk with themand let them know that you are in charge. Believe that you are stronger thanthis virus, that you can survive with it, but that it cannot survive without you.Set yourself long-term goals and know that you can accomplish them, andyou will.

A part of this mental toughening is getting the information you need torecognise the signs of immune deficiency and responding in time. Listen toyour body; it knows what it needs.

The second key factor in living positively is getting social support. This usuallycomes from the community: for instance, family, friends, workplace and theChurch. Because HIV is associated with immoral and promiscuous sexual

THE TABLE OF HEALTH

behaviour, it is greatly stigmatised. This may mean that these traditionalsources of support are no longer available to you. Often we take in negativeattitudes, blaming messages that surround the virus, and begin to believein them ourselves. As a result we expect rejection and are not prepared torisk disclosure. This leaves us isolated and alone, without the love, care andsupport we need to remain healthy.

If this is your situation, try to get counselling, and if possible, join a supportgroup of other people living with HIV. That is where you can share yourproblems and experiences in a safe environment.

Sometimes people ask me, "If there is a God, why should I be punished thisway?" Whatever your spiritual beliefs, it is important to respect this sourceof support.

When you pray, do you believe that there is someone listening? If not, yourprayer may go unheeded. Prayer has many forms: it does not need to bedone in a temple, church or mosque. By being out in the open air, surroundedby the trees and plants and natural life, you can touch a source of highersupport.

Meditation is another technique that is used very successfully by millions ofpeople to find a quiet space in their minds and a means of mental relaxation.For many of us spiritual support comes from the ancestors, and if this is truefor you, you need to observe the rituals required. Whatever the way, find yourown path to spirituality.

The last task is physical. Look after your body. Take care of it in every way.

Hygiene: keeping skin, hair and teeth clean, because they are doors tocontamination and infections.

Exercise: to keep your lungs, heart and muscles strong and healthy. Exercisedoes not have to be a chore. Dancing, swimming and simply walking arewonderful ways of exercising. You do not need a gym.

Avoid harmful substances: especially tobacco, alcohol, drugs and badfood. The absorption of nutrients into the body mainly takes place in thesmall intestine. With HIV, the body may lose its ability to absorb nutrientsproperly. It is not yet clear why this is so. Diarrhoea is one cause, becausefood does not stay long enough in the system to be absorbed.

Feed your body properly: when your body does not get enough nutrientsor cannot absorb the nutrients it does 89

receive, it must use its stored energy, your fat and muscles, to keep working,so you lose weight. The muscles start to break down and there is wastingof the body.

Many people with HIV suffer from malnutrition. This is often diagnosed asAIDS when it is really a shortage of nutrients caused by:

• The body needing extra nutrients to fight infections

• The body not getting enough food

• The body not getting enough nutrient-rich food

• The stomach not fully absorbing the nutrients that you are getting

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No matter how hard we try to keep healthy and avoid infections, there willalways be "hard times" when we fall prey to illness. For many of us medicalcare and treatment is unavailable or unaffordable. This means that we needto learn what other remedies we can use to deal with the hard times.

Traditional healers can provide effective herbs that will help to control thesymptoms of AIDS and other illnesses. They are also excellent psychologists,who have a holistic approach to health, giving time and attention to thepatients and their families. There are many people today who undervalue therole these healers play, especially because a few charlatans, or “false prophets",have claimed to be able to cure AIDS, and have greatly profited by theirbogus practices to the dismay and despair of the people who believed inthem.

This chapter offers you some simple home remedies that can help you fightsome of the diseases which come with AIDS.

Diarrhoea

There are more needless deaths through diarrhoea than through any othercondition. This is particularly true in the AIDS community. Diarrhoea, or “runnytummy” is one of the most common - and one of the most difficult - kindsof illness that we have to deal with. This distressing condition may be causedby bacteria, infestation by worms and other intestinal parasites, food poisoning,which is usually caused by handling food with unwashed hands, eating unripefruit or a reaction to medications. Contaminated water is a major cause ofdiarrhoea. Make sure your water is always boiled, filtered or purified (seediagram of filter on Page 11).

Dysentery, an infection of the intestine marked by the passing of blood andmucus, is a severe form of diarrhoea.

There is also “chronic”, or long-lasting, diarrhoea that is often suffered bypeople who, through malnutrition and illness, have damaged guts and impairedcolon function.

HARD TIMES:HOW TO USE FOODS AND HERBS TO

OVERCOME THEM

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chicken bones,feet, neck andgiblets

POTASSIUM BROTHonions garlic

parsley 1 tspturmeric

pumpkin,butternut orcarrots

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The most dangerous aspect of diarrhoea is dehydration, the loss of bodyfluids and mineral salts. The number one rule for dealing with diarrhoea isto keep up your intake of fluids and salt. For adults the best way is to takesalt tablets, sold cheaply as Darrolyte in most pharmacies. The tablets arean effective remedy for sweating, heat fatigue, and dehydration throughdiarrhoea and vomiting.

While keeping up their fluid and salt intake, patients should be encouragedto take frequent and small servings of starch. This increases the blood sugarnaturally in order to allow the body to absorb the salts. The starch could takethe form of bread, boiled rice, semolina or any soft porridge from grain.

For small children, oral rehydration salts (ORS), sometimes called "sugar saltsolution", is the remedy applied by almost all clinics.

However, for anyone who has thrush as well as diarrhoea, the sugar contentof the rehydration salts will worsen the thrush, as will flat Coke. The best wayto rehydrate small children and infants is to use Ringers lactate, which comesin drip bags. Cut the end of the drip bag and pour the Ringers lactate intoa sealed container. Use it instead of water or milk for mixing anything thatyou feed the baby. It can be mixed with juice or given just as a fluid by itself.It contains potassium and mineral salts, and babies seem to know that it iswhat they need, and they love it!

Children and adults with diarrhoea should avoid milk, oils, fats, acidic fruitsand cooked tomatoes because they make the condition worse. A good wayto continually replenish lost fluids is to give the patient potassium broth. Thisis an inexpensive soup which can be made in large quantities to be given atfrequent intervals (at least every two hours).

carrots choppedfinely

Into a large pot put chicken bones, feet, necks and giblets. The left-overcarcass of cooked chicken and other used bones are ideal; no need formeat. Add the following: chopped onions, garlic and parsley, using bothstalks and leaves; chopped pumpkin, butternut or carrots and the greenand white ends of leeks; a cupful of lentils with a cupful of brown rice,barley, or oats; two teaspoons of turmeric and one teaspoon of cumin.

Cover all the ingredients with water and boil until the bones are completelysoft. Make sure to add water regularly and stir so that the soup does notburn on the bottom. Serve the liquid only, as often as possible.

CARROT SOUP

Carrot soup helps to replace vitamins and minerals. It coats and soothes thebowels and stimulates the appetite. It is good taken hot or cold.

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Continuing diarrhoea is often associated with nausea and vomiting and it isimportant to get these under control. If Immodium or Loperamide tablets aretaken in the first 48 hours to stop the diarrhoea, this may increase the nauseaand vomiting while the body is trying to get rid of whatever is causing thediarrhoea. It may be better to avoid taking this kind of medicine for the first48 hours, and allow the body to clear itself.

However, you can use Glucopect or mist kaolin and pectin or mist kaolinand morphine, all of which are available over the counter in most clinics andpharmacies. These remedies help to ease the discomfort and reduce thefrequency of the diarrhoea.

If diarrhoea lasts for more than 24 hours for children or 48 hours for adults,they should be taken to a clinic or a doctor for stool tests. This is necessaryin order to identify the cause of the diarrhoea, so that the correct medicationcan be prescribed to bring it under control.

Often, however, after the organisms or bacteria have been cleared out of thesystem, the diarrhoea persists. This chronic diarrhoea can lead to appetiteloss, weight loss, wasting and dehydration, and even death.

When diarrhoea has become chronic, it is necessary to restore the naturalflora and enzymes of the gut as well as bowel activity. The bowels are affectedby constant spasms caused by infection and become irritable. Antibiotics,cancer medication and other treatments often destroy the bacteria in the gut- the “friendly” flora as well as harmful bacteria. Often this results in chronicdiarrhoea or other digestive problems. The “friendly” flora need to be replaced.Plain or soya yoghurt, best taken in combination with lacto-bacillius capsulesbought from any chemist, is the best source of healthy intestinal flora. Yoghurtalso destroys harmful bacteria. Fermented juices, such as sour cabbagewater, also restore the enzyme balance.

Chop carrots finely and add a little fresh coriander. Steam until soft.

Strain through a fine strainer. Add water to make a soup and season withpinch of salt and ground cinnamon.

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Wash the cabbage and shred finely. Soak one part of cabbage to threeparts of water, cover tightly and leave for two or three days until it startsto create bubbles, or "ferment".

Strain the water from the cabbage into a jug or bowl and store in a coolplace or fridge. Drink half a cup three times a day.

1 cabbage shredded finely

SOUR CABBAGE WATER

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Keep a quarter cup of the sour water and add this to the next batch youmake. This will reduce the fermentation time to 24 hours.

You can use millet or any other grain instead of cabbage to make fermentedjuice.

It is important that small amounts of food be given often to people sufferingfrom diarrhoea or nausea. Big servings put them off. Small, colourful portionsof appetising foods, especially those which the patient likes, should be servedevery two to three hours. Such foods could be a banana, a cup of yoghurtor a slice of paw-paw, all of which help to restore the digestive enzymes.Also effective are scrambled egg, a slice of wholewheat bread with peanutbutter, a small portion of a vegetable like pumpkin or butternut, and a smallserving of cooked brown rice with vegetables. Add a pinch of cinnamon orfenugreek to soups and vegetables.

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Servings should be no more than a few tablespoons, an amount that thepatient can cope with.

Another useful food is soup, which keeps up both the fluid and the foodintake, and it can be given every two hours a cupful at a time (see Potassiumbroth on Page 92). You can also give the water from cooked rice or barley,or a thin porridge made from wholewheat flour.

Once the cause of diarrhoea has been established and dealt with, it becomesimportant to give the bowels plenty of fibre. This forms a soft, firm stool andhelps to prevent the irritable spasms that lead to dehydration. The best foodsfor this are:

• wholewheat bread

• mhunga prepared in the traditional way

• ground millet porridge, or zviyo, Granny's traditional remedy

• oatmeal porridge cooked with water and a little salt

• brown rice boiled and cooked, preferably with soya sauce or a stock cube

Serve mashed sweet potatoes or mashed pumpkins with these grains.

In urban situations I have used as an emergency measure laxatives likeCellovac or Agiolax which are recommended for people with colostomies toprovide a soft, formed stool. They help to control chronic irritable bowelsyndrome and chronic diarrhoea.

Also helpful are teas like ginger and lemon tea and infusions made fromguava leaves and small avocado leaves, as well as certain fermented products.

Three to five cloves of garlic, taken daily as tea, in soups or raw, help to clearthe harmful bacteria which cause diarrhoea.

Nausea and vomiting

Other frequent problems for people with an illness that may be associatedwith diarrhoea are nausea and vomiting. The most common cause is theside effects of drugs given to control other conditions, especially tuberculosis(TB). Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) should always be given when taking these drugs.Nausea is often triggered by the smell of cooking food.

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Nausea also occurs as "morning sickness" which women often suffer duringpregnancy. Vitamin B6 will help to control it.

There are many kinds of tea that will help to control nausea, including gratedginger root with lemon and honey, but honey should not be used if the patienthas thrush. Tea is best taken in frequent sips. Strong flavours and spicesmay not be tolerated.

Other palatable teas that help are made from mint leaves and lemon grass,which both grow like weeds.

If nausea leads to vomiting, do not drink large quantities of liquids at a time.Take sips of juices, teas and clean water. Then go on to soups and soft foodsas the nausea eases.

The "little and often" rule (see the Golden Rules on Page 8) applies stronglyto people who suffer from nausea and vomiting.

Weight loss and wasting

Weight loss and wasting, with the resulting loss of muscle tone and weakness,are often the product of the two things we have just discussed: diarrhoeaand nausea. They may also be associated with appetite loss. This may resultfrom digestive or emotional upsets, as well as incorrect eating. The importantthing here is to increase the intake of starches and proteins and to makesure that at all times they are combined in every meal. Avoid drinking at mealtimes; rather take your fluids between meals because drinks fill your stomachand make you eat less food.

If weight loss is due to digestive disturbances, it may be necessary at thebeginning to mash or grind the food. Gradually add more fibre like wholegrains and fats such as avocados, groundnuts or soya beans as the digestiongets stronger. Peanut butter can be combined with vegetables, kapenta orrice and soya beans, and groundnuts can be roasted for quick snacks. Thetraditional snacks like mutakura - a mixture of boiled maize kernels and cowpeas (nyemba) or round nuts (nyimo) - are also excellent for weight gain.

A wonderful recipe for weight gain, especially where solid food is not easilytolerated, either because of mouth sores or lack of appetite, is eggnog.

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Separate an egg. Beat the white with a whisk until stiff and foamy.

Into a jug put the yolk, three tablespoons of full-cream milk powder andhalf a cup of yoghurt, and blend to a smooth, creamy paste. Add a cupof milk, stirring gently until blended into a smooth liquid.

1 egg,separated

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a drop of essence, or mashed fruit such as banana, paw-pawor strawberries

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For flavour add a few drops of essence or mashed fruit such as banana,paw-paw or strawberries. Stir the beaten egg white into the liquid and drinkwhile fresh.

You will never know this has a raw egg in it! It is like a tasty milkshake! Andit is the best source of the protein called "albumen" which increases ironabsorption

All of the recipes contained in this book are ideal for feeding patients withweight loss and wasting. However, it is also essential that any patient witha chronic illness be given vitamin and mineral supplements as well as abalanced diet (see Supplement to the Healthy Plate on Page 14).

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Insomnia

Insomnia, an inability to sleep, is often experienced by people who are ill ormalnourished and especially by people who are bedridden. It can also be asymptom of depression. The person may be very tired but restless and haveconstant thoughts going through his or her head. This robs the person ofsleep. Anger, irritation and depression may result, making it difficult for theperson to participate fully in their healing and recovery.

Exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day for people who arerecovering from an illness will increase their appetite and help them to sleep.Encouraging them to take even a few steps from the bed to a chair in thesunshine or giving them a massage while in the bed will help. Conversation,music or television will provide mental stimulation and prevent them focusingtoo much on their condition.

There are teas which will help a person relax and sleep. One of the mostwidely used of these is camomile tea made from the flowers of the camomilebush. This is available in supermarkets as well as pharmacies. It is good witha teaspoon of honey, if the patient does not have thrush.

If the patient has no diarrhoea and tolerates milk, warm, milky drinks will oftenhelp them to sleep at night. A nourishing soup given before bedtime alsopromotes a good night’s sleep. The process of digestion diverts blood fromthe brain to the stomach and makes the patient less likely to dwell on anxiousthoughts. Taking a teaspoon of dolomite at night is also recommended forinsomniacs.

Thrush (candida)

One of the most common and least understood consequences of malnutritionand disease is thrush, or “candida”. This is a fungus, or yeast, infection thatlives in the body naturally and normally, and is kept under control by thebody's healthy bacteria and enzymes. Thrush is a thick, white coating thatinterferes with taste and digestion. It can cause red, round sores on the gumsand tongue and in the throat, making it unbearably painful to eat and swallow.

Many women have experienced vaginal thrush after taking a course ofantibiotics or birth control pills. This is because antibiotics kill both good andbad bacteria, destroying the flora needed to control thrush.

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Antibiotics and poor eating habits can lead to thrush in the vagina, mouthor throat. It may also be present in the gut and stomach and the lungs,causing indigestion, night sweats and chest pains similar to pneumonia. Inthe vagina the thrush will cause an itchy red irritation, with a thick, whiteodourless discharge that burns the skin painfully.

The food for thrush is sugar and the simplest method of controlling thiscondition is to leave sugar and all its products out of our diet. In severe casesthe yeast contained in beer, bread and wine and the sugars in fruits andtomatoes may cause thrush to get worse. In this case we recommend thatyou go on a "candida diet". This means avoiding these type of foods untilthe thrush has been brought under control for at least five weeks. If youcontinue to avoid sugar and its products once you have got thrush undercontrol, it will usually not return. Some people suffer from it repeatedly,however, and they may need to leave bread and other products with yeastpermanently out of their diet.

Garlic is a good food for controlling thrush. Take it as a tea or, every day, eatat least five cloves chopped or crushed or swallowed whole. A whole clovecan be inserted into the vagina, twice daily, after peeling, scoring it andapplying a little oil.

Natural yoghurt and lacto-bacillus are the natural enemies of thrush. Takingyoghurt half an hour before a meal will not only help to restore the digestiveprocess, but also help to control thrush. Yoghurt can also be used to treatthrush in the vagina by dipping a tampon into natural plain yoghurt andinserting it, using a fresh tampon twice daily. This treatment usually bringsvaginal thrush under control within 48 hours.

There are medications like ketaconazole (Nizerol and Nidrox) or vaginal creamslike Daktarin that clear thrush, but for many for us they are unavailable orunaffordable. So it is important to keep thrush under control through yourdiet as much as possible. Severe thrush will affect the absorption of the foodyou eat, and this will contribute to malnutrition even though you may beeating a balanced diet.

A simple remedy for oral thrush is to gargle, rinse and spit with a half cupof hot water to which has been added three drops of tea tree oil and a quarterteaspoon of salt. Gargle at least twice daily. This treatment was used withgreat success by the late Auxillia Chimusoro, the first woman in Zimbabwe100

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to go public with her HIV status and start a support group in Masvingo. Atea made from dried sage can be drunk or used as a gargle. Other teas thathelp are thyme and rosemary. Increasing your body temperature by eatingspices will also help.

Anaemia

Another common problem closely associated with HIV is anaemia, althoughthe reason for this is not really known. This condition occurs when thehaemoglobin (hgb) - the oxygen carrier in the red blood cells which promotehealing - is not enough. A typical symptom of anaemia is severe fatigue ortiredness. People with anaemia have little energy and they may become dizzywhen they stand up too quickly. The whites of their eyes will be very prominent,with dark circles under the eyes. Their fingernails are grey and the bloodreturns to them slowly when pressed.

Anaemia is often referred to as iron deficiency, but it can be caused bydeficiencies of many other nutrients. These include all the B vitamins, especiallyVitamin B12 and folic acid, and zinc, copper and albumen, a protein foundin the white of an egg. If there is a shortage of any of these nutrients in theblood, the body cannot absorb the iron that is eaten.

One of the best remedies for anaemia is ox liver. It must be cooked lightlyin a frying pan with a little butter or oil and eaten almost raw. The liver shouldnot be too thick. Cook on one side and as the blood rises to the top, turnit over and cook the other side. When the blood rises again take the liverout, add a little salt and pepper, and serve.

All leafy green vegetables are fairly high in iron and folic acid, especiallybroccoli. Many people think that spinach is the best source of iron, but itcontains an acid called oxalic which makes it hard to digest. Vitamin B12and folic acid are found abundantly in egg yolk, diary products, meat (especiallyliver), in leafy green vegetables, especially broccoli, and in nuts and the husksof grains.

High blood pressure

High blood pressure, usually associated with the overuse of salt in food, isanother common problem. People with other illnesses will often develop highblood pressure due to stress. This makes it important for them to learn to

control stress. Some ways of doing this are prayer, meditation, counsellingand exercise. It is also important to limit the intake of "bad" fats such as meatand dairy products and hydrogenated fats like margarine and refined cookingoil.

It is essential to lower your salt intake. Add a pinch to the cooking water, butleave salt off the table. Take a teaspoon of dolomite daily as a calcium andmagnesium supplement to help you to sleep well and lower your bloodpressure. Vitamin E capsules or wheat germ oil capsules are helpful, too.

Obesity

We mention obesity because many people have problems with their weight.They may feel that they are underweight and need to gain a few kilograms,or they are overweight which may increase blood pressure and cause backpain, indigestion and fatigue.

The healthy way of eating we recommend in this book will not make you loseweight quickly, but with time will restore you to the size that nature designedyou to be. If you are too thin and you eat healthily, you will quite quickly reachyour ideal size.

Chest infections

Some of the most frequent and serious ailments which afflict people with theHIV virus are chest infections and inflammation of the chest. They can resultfrom simple colds and flu or even tuberculosis (TB) and pneumonia. Fungalinfections like thrush can also lead to chronic chest pains and coughing.People who are underfed and have suppressed immunity will be much moresusceptible to diseases which can progress to pneumonia from a simplecold or flu.

Pneumonia, chest pains and coughing are often accompanied by high fever.With TB the fever may be absent, but the coughing is persistent and painful.Pneumonia and TB are serious infections and are best treated with the properantibiotics. But there are remedies that we recommend to make them easierto deal with and which will help you to recover more quickly.

One such remedy is made with ginger root and is called a "ginger compress".It is used to treat TB, but it should not be used for pneumonia because it isa heating remedy which will increase fever.102

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1 ginger root, about the size of yourmiddle finger, grated

GINGER COMPRESS

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Take a piece of ginger root about the size of your middle finger, grate andplace in the toe of a clean sock or stocking.

Knot the sock and suspend it in a pot of hot but not boiling water for fiveto 10 minutes.

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Remove the sock from the water and squeeze the liquid from the sockinto the water. You now have ginger water.

Dip the centre of a small towel in the water which should be kept justbelow boiling temperature. Leave the ends of the towel out of the waterso that the towel may be wrung out.

Remove the towel and wring it out.

Fold the towel and place on the patient’s chest. It should be as hot asyou can bear. Cover the small towel with a bath towel to keep the heatin. Replace the small towel when it cools - after three or four minutes -with another small towel prepared in the same way.

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Continue to alternate towels for 20 to 30 minutes. One treatment per dayis usually enough. Chronic coughs often clear in a few days.

The ginger compress can also be used to relieve muscular pain and invigoratethe liver and kidneys. It can be used for rheumatism, arthritis, backaches,cramps and similar problems. It should never be used for patients withpneumonia or on babies or the elderly. Nor should it be used in any treatmentof the head.

Continued and painful coughing can be brought under control by this home-made remedy:

2 cupsful of tender,green guava leaves

COUGH MIXTUREjuice and skins of 3lemons

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Put two cupsful of tender, green guava leaves into a pot with three clovesof garlic. Cut three lemons in half, squeeze the juice and put it aside. Putthe lemon skins into the pot, add six cups of water and boil until the waterhas reduced to half.

Strain the water into the lemon juice and add three tablespoons of honey.

If you do not have a refrigerator, add three tablespoons of any spirit such asbrandy, gin, vodka or cane as preservatives.

If the patient has a sore throat, add three teaspoons of pure glycerine.

Pour the cough mixture into a bottle and shake it before use. Keep itin a cool place.

Give the mixture in doses of one to three tablespoons as oftenas required. This recipe is suitable for children above six monthsas well as adults.

For all chest and skin infections a very beneficial herb is echinacea. This herb,originally used extensively by the American Indians and later adopted by theEuropeans, recently returned to America following its success in the PWA/HIVcommunity. It may be found in capsule form at most pharmacies. It shouldbe taken during the infection, but not continuously, as the body will becomeaccustomed to it over time and it will not be as effective.

With any infections, especially coughs, colds, flu and pneumonia, for whichyou take antibiotics, you should increase your intake of vitamins C and E.This is most easily done by getting supplements from the pharmacy. If youcannot afford this, drink lots of fresh orange juice. Guavas, marulas or any

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fruit that is fresh will increase your Vitamin C intake. A teaspoon of VitaminE oil is cheaper than Vitamin E capsules and just as effective. Add wheatgermbought from the supermarket to cereals and porridge to increase your VitaminE intake.

Constipation

A common and irritating problem for many people is constipation, when theycannot pass stools normally. The two most common causes are the lack ofliquids and the lack of fibre or roughage in your food.

If you are on a diet of refined carbohydrates and lots of fat, your liver andyour elimination system will become lazy. This causes discomfort and canlead to haemorrhoids (piles) or anal fissures caused by straining to pass ahard stool. Furthermore, the waste products and toxins that the body hassent to the bowel to be passed out remain in the colon and bowel. The wasteand toxins are reabsorbed into the body, using up moisture and making thestool even harder and drier. The condition becomes a vicious circle.

The simplest way to cure constipation is to add high-fibre foods like bran,oats or nuts to your diet. Taking a bowl of bran with yoghurt just beforebedtime will usually get the most stubborn of bowels moving.

Another remedy is to stir one or two teaspoons of unrefined, cold-pressedoil or cod liver oil into a cup of natural plain yoghurt and drink it half an hourbefore meals. Also helpful is to increase your intake of fresh fruit and fibrousvegetables.

It is not advised to use medicinal laxatives frequently, because they tend tomake your bowels lazy and may lead to incontinence in later life. It is farbetter to make sure that your diet contains enough vegetables, fibre andwhole grain to provide a formed, soft stool for your bowel to work on eachday, keeping you regular.

Herpes

Herpes in its various forms is an inflammatory disease of the skin, a seriouscondition embracing cold sores, shingles and genital herpes. Herpes simplexcauses little itchy, blister-like rashes on the body as well as cold sores on thelips. Herpes varicellar is the cause of chickenpox. When it is contracted inchildhood it disappears, but continues to lie dormant in parts106

of the central nervous system. When the body’s immunity is suppressed, thevirus will revive and affect the nerve endings, causing painful blisters alongthe course of an infected nerve which can become open sores and causeserious scarring. This condition is called shingles (herpes zoster). It can infectthe genitals and cause painful mouth sores called buccal ulcers, which aredifficult to treat.

Mouth ulcers are often caused by a combination of herpes and thrush. Theymake it difficult to tolerate spicy or acidic foods. To soothe a sore mouth,drink nutrient-rich liquids and soups. Eat soft or mashed foods like avocado,squash, pumpkin, potato, yoghurt, sour milk or sour porridge, cooked fruitssuch as banana, paw-paw, soft-cooked eggs, minced fish, chicken andmeat.

There is a medical treatment for herpes, called Acyclovir (or Zovirax), but itis extremely expensive. We find the easiest way to control herpes outbreaksis to take 50mg of zinc with 500mg of Vitamin E from the moment the attackbegins. Apply a disinfectant such as Betadine solution to the pimples or soresto prevent any secondary infection and then apply the gel found inside aloeleaves which has a soothing and healing effect. Regular doses of calcium ordolomite will ease the pain. Honey applied to the open sores is also healing,although it will burn for a few seconds before it starts to soothe. Once thesores have dried, apply Vitamin E oil to help prevent scarring.

Shingles is often associated with nerve pain (post-herpetic neuralgia). Youmay require pain-killers, which work better taken with calcium tablets or ateaspoon of dolomite once a day. More than a teaspoon of dolomite per daycan cause diarrhoea.

When herpes appears in the genitals or anus or occurs as ulcers in the mouthit is acutely painful. It usually starts as itchy pimples which rapidly becomeopen sores. If neglected, the sores may get infected by other bacteria andspread, causing a raw, open wound which does not heal easily. The samebasic herpes treatment - zinc and Vitamin E - should be used. Bathing thearea frequently with salty water mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil will helpto ease the pain and heal the wound rapidly.

Many people assume shingles is HIV-related. It is actually caused by a differentvirus. The connection between HIV and shingles is that a weakened immune

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system will be more susceptible to a herpes infection. The herpes virus seizesevery opportunity to attack, which is why it is called an “opportunistic infection".

Rashes

There are many types of rashes, or eruptions, which occur on the skin. Mostof them are caused by allergies which are a reaction to something our bodiesdo not like (an antigen) or to anxiety and mental stress, or a deficiency of zincand Vitamin A.

Some of the most common allergic reactions are brought on by the harshdetergents we use to wash our dishes and clothes without proper rinsing,or lotions and soaps which contain certain perfumes and other chemicalsthat irritate the skin.

The best kind of soap to use both for cleaning your clothes and your bodyis pure, natural green soap such as Sunlight. However, if you have a verysensitive skin it is best to use aqueous cream instead of soap. The creamis available in supermarkets. Take a small amount of aqueous cream on yourfingers and rub it into the skin as if it were soap, then rinse it off with cleanwater. Add a little salt and tea tree oil to the water, which will help to controlbacteria and fungal infections. Aqueous cream can also be used as a safeand soothing lotion. A little Vitamin E oil blended in will enhance the effect.

Petroleum jelly, or Vaseline, is not recommended for treating a rash. It sealsthe pores of your skin, keeping the bacteria in and not allowing the skin tobreathe.

Some rashes are caused by a fungal or yeast infection similar to candida orthrush. They can be treated with anti-fungal ointments and creams, but teatree oil applied neat to the rash will usually clear it up. Another effectiveremedy is to boil dried sage leaves in water, leaving the fluid to stand for 48hours and blending it with a little aqueous cream to make a lotion.

Some people suffer serious outbreaks of pimples or boils on their faces orall over their bodies. Such outbreaks are usually caused by an infection inthe bloodstream, and the best treatment is a course of antibiotics prescribedby a doctor.

Young people tend to have pimples or acne, but this is a natural reaction tothe changing hormonal balance in their bodies. Eating fatty foods and sweets108

and applying petroleum jelly to the pimples will simply make them worse.Teenagers who are prone to acne should keep their skin thoroughly cleanand observe a healthy diet to help control this natural problem.

Headaches

Headaches are probably the most common complaint in these times ofstressful lifestyles. Many things can cause them. But stress is only one of themany factors that may produce them. Meningitis, or inflammation of themembrane surrounding the brain, is the most dangerous of headaches. It iseither caused by a rare virus or occurs as a fungal infection calledcryptococcosis. This fungal kind of meningitis is common among peoplewhose immunity is suppressed and it is recognised as a symptom of AIDS.

The headache that many people suffer with meningitis is severe and is feltall over the head. They are likely to have a stiff neck and jaw, making it painfulto turn their heads. They may have problems with speech and seem to beforgetful or mentally disturbed. Meningitis is not usually associated with ahigh fever; in fact, it may bring about a drop in body temperature. Any ofthese symptoms, including persistent, severe headaches, should be broughtpromptly to the attention of a doctor.

The most common causes of headaches are stress and anxiety, which canresult from pressure at work, problems at home, financial worries or plain"thinking too much". Stress may affect the posture, especially the need tohold the neck and shoulders stiff.

It is important to learn ways to manage stress and relax. They includemeditation, prayer, exercise and listening to music. Over-the-counter pain-killers like paracetamol and aspirin are helpful, but they should not be takenfor any length of time because they can damage the liver and prevent healing.Dolomite is a natural painkiller. Take a teaspoon, stirred into a cup of hotwater or tea, each day. Dolomite taken with paracetamol will cure yourheadache much more effectively.

Pay attention to your posture; take exercise to firm it up. If you sit all dayhunched over a computer or a typewriter, your shoulders and neck maybecome stiff and tense. This typically leads to a tension headache which isusually felt behind the eyes. You can prevent this simply by taking regularbreaks and stretching for a few minutes. 109

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Some headaches are associated with an allergic reaction to the foods weeat, particularly those with chemicals used for colouring, preserving andflavouring. Other common allergens are wheat, milk, tea, coffee, eggs, porkand foods from the nightshade family of plants, notably potatoes, peppers,brinjals (aubergines or eggplants) and tomatoes.

Some people have found that when they give up these foods, their headachesclear up miraculously!

Depression

Depression is another common cause of tension headaches. It shows up inmany ways. It is associated with the problems we have to deal with everyday. A herb called St John's wort, which is available from most pharmacies,is extremely effective in treating depression and for general health. Tabletscontaining valerian or passiflora or both will help you to cope with anxietyand depression without the side-effects like sleepiness or dizziness whichanti-depressant drugs often cause. There are also many teas, particularlycamomile tea, which will help you to relax and release the stress.

Counselling will also help to deal with the stress and tension that often leadto headaches.

Headaches caused by depression sometimes come with other symptoms:persistent tiredness, weepiness, feeling that there is nothing to live for or thateveryone is against you, and that life has no meaning. Having these symptomsmay signal depression. People with acute depression often sleep unusuallylong, sometimes for 12 hours a night, only to wake up feeling sleepy again.Or they may be unable to sleep at all. They may feel afraid to leave the houseor their room; they may be chronically fatigued (feeling tired all the time).Feeling the need to eat more and constantly or not having an appetite at allare other signs of depression. All these symptoms plus the headaches andtension which come with them point to a diagnosis of depression. Peoplewith this condition need to obtain professional advice or counselling.

Allergies

We have touched on allergies. They have many causes and may present asrashes, blisters, violent stomach cramps and hay fever. Indeed, any foreignsubstance which comes into contact with your body may bring about an

allergic reaction. Sometimes the body overreacts, which happens to peoplewho are allergic to fish or certain medications, and they suffer immediate andsevere symptoms.

Some allergies are more difficult to diagnose. Many of them are food-based.Millions of people are allergic to lactic acid, or lactose, which comes in milkand milk products. When they take milk or ice-cream they get indigestionand painful gas, or sinusitis and a runny nose. Cutting milk out of your dietwill often solve the problem.

Another food which brings out an allergic reaction is the gluten in wheat andwheat products as well as certain nuts. There is a direct link between theseallergies and arthritis and rheumatism.

The symptoms of allergies are generally difficult to define. They may includechronic fatigue or constant headaches, indigestion, rashes, diarrhoea and afeeling of being in poor health. The best way to find out if you are susceptibleto any of these food allergies is to leave suspect foods out of your diet for awhile and see if these symptoms disappear. If the allergy disappears, then addthem back and check again. This is the best way to identify the offending food.

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