I am honored to be asked by Brian Finch to present an article for his website.  In my first posting, I am going to introduce you to Naturopathic Medicine, what becoming a Naturopathic Doctor requires and some of what you can look forward to in reading my column.

My name is Timothy Swift.  I am a Naturopathic Doctor practicing in Toronto, Ontario.  Like most Naturopaths I have more then one college/university degree.  I have four!  Yes a type A, over achiever.  Guilty as charged.  I live and practice in Toronto.  I have been here for 6 years having moved from my last home state of Arizona in 2005.  I have a thorough understanding of the medical systems in both the United States and Canada.  This provides me with a unique perspective from which to provide information and education on health-related matters in both countries. Multi-national indeed.

Naturopathic Doctors in North America are regulated and monitored by the same credentialing  and testing agency - CNME (Council of Naturopathic Medical Education) (www.cnme.org). Sixteen states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have regulations and licensing of Naturopathic medicine.  In Canada, five provinces regulate and license naturopaths.

Naturopathic Doctors (ND’s) (or as we are called in some US states - naturopathic medical doctors - NMD’s) are trained as general practitioners (GP’s) much like a University of Toronto (U of T) medical doctor is trained.  In fact, I took my anatomy lab practical at U of T and several of the U of T instructors were instructors at The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) - my alma mater.  The uniqueness about ND’s is that we are trained in all the complementary and alternative medical (CAM) modalities that are within our broadest scope of practice.

The CAM modalities of our training include: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Chiropractic Manipulation, Massage, Hydrotherapy, Botanical Medicine, Homeopathy, Nutrition Science, Minor Surgery, Pharmaceuticals, Laboratory and Clinical Diagnosis and Counseling.

Not all ND’s can practice in all these areas of training.  Each state and/or province can have different regulations as to what areas a ND can practice.  In Canada, the widest scope of practice is in British Columbia.  In the US, Arizona and Vermont have the widest scopes of practice.  Check out the CNME website for more specifics.

For myself, I have a limit in Ontario which restricts any minor surgery or prescriptive authority around pharmaceuticals and certain herbal components.  This however does not prevent me from providing a wide range of treatment options to my patients.  My degree in Psychology with a focus on Marriage and Family Therapy gives me a huge advantage when working with my patients.  A majority of my work as a ND involves listening and counseling.

I see my role as a medical provider as one where I encourage, empower and inspire patients to achieve individual goals around their health care and quality of life. I am  a wellness coach.  I encourage and welcome active participation in health care management.  Nothing is done to you and there is no pill to fix a concern.  It is a process.  As I tell all my patients, “You are my patient until one of us drops off the planet”, until then we have time to figure out and look for the cause of the ailment.

I hope this gives a better understanding of Naturopathic Medicine.  We are all highly trained, experienced individuals guided by 6 basic tenets.  They are:

1)  First, do no Harm

2)  Work with the Healing Power of Nature

3)  Seek out the Cause

4)  Treat the Whole Person

5)  Doctor as Teacher

6)  Prevention is the Best Medicine

People often wonder why I chose Naturopathic Medicine over Western (Allopathic) Medicine.  There are many reasons.  I saw that the application of diet and exercise with severely mentally ill patients resulted in improvement of their symptoms.  I also had an experience with a ND in Seattle.  I had had a chronic sinus infection twice a year.  I had standing prescriptions at the pharmacy.  One day I asked the MD if I had any other options.  He suggested  inhaled steroids daily for the rest of my life and sinus surgery.  I didn’t like those options and chose to seek alternative help.  After three visits with a ND and 3 homeopathic remedies (nothing else) my symptoms not only disappeared but have never ever returned.  It has been 15 years.  And the scientists say homeopathy doesn’t work.  Bullshit.

I am sure there are skeptics reading this who will argue that there is little or no science behind alternative medicine. I can guarantee that I can pull studies and recite statistics from studies that prove CAM works. There is one major study that the majority of MD’s ignore in regards to high cholesterol.  The Lyon Heart Study, whose results were adopted by the AHA (American Heart Association), talked about the Mediterranean diet and exercise - a CAM modality.  What is required is that MD’s place ALL their patients on three months of a diet and exercise regimen prior to the prescription of any statin drug (like Crestor).  This recommendation is rarely followed because it takes too much time and it is much easier to write a prescription than create or recommend a diet and exercise regimen.  This is the practice of allopathic medicine.

In this column, I will talk about various regimens that can work for certain conditions. They may include supplementation. Any and all of these recommendations are for informational and educational purposes only.  As is stated with any medical information “do not begin, change or add anything to your regular daily activities without consulting your licensed healthcare professional”.  I stress licensed for several reasons.

There is a lot of health information, blogs and websites that purport and sell many supplements, devices, and “cures” for everything from the common cold to cancers.

“Dr. Google” is not a licensed professional and anyone can post anything online.

Secondly, there are a great deal of “Natural Health Practitioners” in North America.  You want a ND who has attended one of the six accredited Naturopathic schools in the US and Canada (aanmc.org), AND a member of a licensing body such as the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (www.naturopathic.org) or the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (cand.org). This is a way to assure the public that the Doctor you are looking to see has been trained, examined and credentialed to practice medicine - legally.  They will also be part of an oversight board that licenses them and protects the public from any practitioners who are not practicing as per the regulations in your state or province.  Do your homework and only take medical advice from a licensed doctor.

Patients are always coming into my office saying that “the clerk in the Health food store” recommended this or that. A recent study showed that 85% of the information provided by these health store clerks was incorrect, wrong.  There has been a move in Canada to regulate the sale of vitamins and minerals. I recently read that the FDA is attempting to do this in the US because the low cost of supplementation is eating into the profits of the big pharmaceutical companies.  The problem I see is that statistically the chance of an overdose or adverse response to a natural supplement is minuscule compared with that of a prescription drug. The difference in adverse effects is 1,000’s to 1 in favor of the natural products industry supplements.

Information, that is correct information, is a great tool.  Get educated.  Use good sources of information or studies.  Ask a licensed medical professional who is well trained and understands the adverse affects and possible interactions that can occur prior to starting any new supplement.  Naturopaths are trained and have access to just such information, resources and data bases.

That’s my bit for this first column.  I am open to comments, feedback, questions and even challenges to my thoughts.  Drop me a line, let me know what you’d like to know more about and we’ll see what I come up with for you. Next column will be about the protein myth: how much should I have, why and why not. Trainers love to debate this topic with me. The facts and health risks will surprise you. Just remember, Naturopaths love to quote studies and statistics.  Until then.  Be healthy, laugh often and love deeply.

Timothy L. Swift MA, ND

Dr. Swift can be found practicing medicine in the mid-town Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  Contact him at via his website at www.terramadrehealth.com

I've written about my turn around in health status (despite this three-week long cold I've had, but even the healthiest of folks are getting it) in several of my posts.

It all really began when I picked up a bug while traveling to Itay. Don't drink the tap water! Well try not to. On the upside, that was a great weight loss program. One might notice that I didn't post any photos of me during the trip as I was ballooning out. I'll get back to that in a bit.

The treatment was Metrondianozole, I've taken it so often I actually know how to spell it, and I have dyslexia issues! It is so toxic that it comes with a warning of being potentially carcinogenic. It is ten days of chemo. I didn't eat (lived off of Ensure) and was an emotional mess. 

The first round of drugs didn't work, so I switched to a less effective, longer therapy, not  so toxic. Guess what? It worked. Lesson learned - don't start off with an atomic bomb of a treatment if it can be avoided. 

In view of the first round not working, I was desperate in case this second round didn't as well. There was no way in hell I was going back on the chemo drug. Thus I sought out a naturopath. 

I had stopped seeing naturopaths as I figured I had learned as much as I could and it wasn't that helpful. What I have learned through this process, as with other health care professionals, is that finding the right fit is paramount. 

This time I found a good fit. I discovered that I was anemic through my last and very old blood work of last March. My recent tests confirmed this. With B12 shots, diet changes and taking iron supplements I found I was on my way to restoring my health. 

*This is where I do the usual warning to consult with your physician or naturopath before contemplating anything that I'm doing and the doses I'm taking.

On top of it, the realization that I was most likely Vitamin D deficient was another key element. I began with D3 drops, 5,000 IU daily and then upped it to 10,000 IU daily.  For more Vitamin D info, check out CATIE's recent post. 

The combination of the above, plus going back to the gym, has made a world of difference. At the recent OHTN Research Conference last month a number of people remarked how good I looked. For the first time in a decade I'm clean shaven, have lost weight, and most important of all, I look rested and have a healthy colour to my skin. 

I'm saying not this out of ego, but rather of a feeling finally I've been able to overcome some health obstacles that I had thought were just something with which I had to live. It was amazing how many people, not just one or two people, remarked on the change. 

None of this would have happened had I not decided to intervene with this particular naturopath. 

On the diet side, I had been having digestive issues that would  be TMI here. On the night of the OAN leadership awards banquet, I wore a shirt that I bought two of in different colours. This time it was not fitting well and I was depressed. "Please don't let me gain this weight back!" 

Many years ago I'd been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I'll never forget the name of the clinic, "The Upper Canada Lower Bowel Clinic." I swear I didn't make that up. There the doctor told me about foods I should avoid, and  to stop drinking coffee. 

By the night of the awards, my guts were no longer irritable, they were hoping mad desperate. I found on line a diet that is suggested for IBS based on eliminating certain foods in what is called an "elimination challenge". This means leaving out a lot of foods for a few months and living on a diet of steamed cardboard and rice (that's a joke). Then slowly add back in foods to see which ones are the problem.

Through the use of this diet my stomach is flatter than ever. All this time I was having issues with my food causing my stomach area to bloat up and look distended. I'll write another post on this process and the foods I'm eating and not eating.

I'm going to show my nakedness to show how I've gotten that "AIDS stomach" down from the main photo taken in Italy. It's something I've been very self conscious about since people have taken to patting me on the stomach while offering an unsolicited comment. 

I've been able to have the endurance to get up early and go all day and at times the evenings where in the past I'd wake up tired and then progress to exhausted by dinner time.

Never in a million years did I ever think I was able to bring about such change. If anyone has access to a naturopath, I highly recommend it. 

If you are in Toronto you may want to try here. There is a waiting list to get in, I'm not sure how long it is. 

Community Naturopathic Clinic for People living with HIV/AIDS 

To make an appointment, contact the naturopathic co-ordinator at

(416) 324-4164.Tuesday 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Wednesday 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

It’s the most awful thing.  The alarm is going off and you’re half conscious laying there in bed trying to figure out how on earth it can be morning already.  Rolling over and trying to stand on your feet, after several snooze button tests you try to figure out after all that sleep why on earth you are still so tired.

Have you ever just stood in line at a bank or grocery store and just for a few seconds dozed off?  Or pulled up on the couch and curled in after dinner for a bit only to find yourself still unsettled?  Maybe not eating enough or not getting to bed on time are contributing factors.  Many of us can use work in those areas and they are definite possibilities.

But perhaps it’s something else.  Rest.  It’s something we all want to do but never seem to have time for.  No matter how busy we are in life there never seems to be enough time to relax.  We sometimes go to extremes in order to obtain it.  We take large fanciful trips abroad. Then the bills become daunting so that you have to work harder to compensate for the time you weren’t working  “You can rest when you’re dead!” is a popular motto and perhaps that works for some.  But is it possible to have a great, fulfilling and active life and still be fully rested ?

Doctors prescribe it to patients.  Bosses suggest it to employees . But where in this hustle  did someone ever teach us how to rest?

Hi.  I’m Daniel.  I’m going to be your Rest Teacher today!

Earlier I wrote an article about breathing. We learned there is importance in pausing for a moment. More recently I wrote an article about Time - taking the opportunity to plan for the things you desire for your life. But many of my students are coming to my yoga classes for is a desire for less stress in their lives. What they are usually referring to is a desire for more rest and relaxation.

How do we go about doing it? It’s actually easier than you think. It almost seems too easy. I could go into the mechanics of how and when the body calms down and the brain slows down, but ultimately I’d like to keep this quite simple and not ruin the magic of the process.

First, when I refer to rest, I'm not talking about sleep. Think of those times when you woke to find yourself tired. Although you were sleeping, you never reached a state of rest. They are two very different places. What rest is trying to do is bring us to a place between action and movement and unconsciousness.  Perhaps why many of us can’t reach this place is because of lack of sleep. We get so little of it that we hit the pillow and then within seconds are out like a light. A truly rested person takes about 10-15 minutes to fall asleep. We are not talking about meditation.  Meditation is much more active than rest. (An article on meditation will come soon.)  What we aim for is a place where the mind, body and spirit are at a place of inaction but still conscious and awake.  It’s a place we’re not trying to get to or forcing ourself to maintain, but one that happens more by accident as we let go.

What I would like to offer up is an opportunity to practice resting. This will be a one month challenge from December 1 to January 1 where we can try to practice resting together. I have created a Facebook event here:

The directions are pretty simple.. The effects, however, can be profound. The yoga posture that is going to be used in this is savasana – the corpse pose.To practice this, simply lay down on the floor, carpet, yoga mat, towel, (not a bed or the couch) and be still in the posture.

I have included a video on savasana (resting pose) done by two of my friends and colleagues – Jackie and Shan - below.

I have set three levels of difficulty for this challenge, all based on time - five minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes in savasana, once a day. Try to aim for 20 minutes a day, but I realize that isn’t always possible for those of us who are on the go.

Props such as an eyebag, bolsters or blocks for under the knees etc can be used. Ultimately it's about taking time for yourself, your own life and your own happiness, to be still. This is to be practiced beyond your regular yoga classes, if that is part of your practice. They can be done with friends or family if you are doing this as a challenge together, but ultimately done outside of a yoga class teaching setting as a part of your daily life.

Things to consider making this work even better:

1. Stay in the posture for the full duration of time (20min if you are doing that challenge everyday). Set a timer to help remember when it's time to end.
2. Keep the room and background noise down. Quiet works better, but if some music must be played, keep it soft, and at really low volume.
3. Keep warm. This may be turning on the heat or wearing enough comfortable clothing.  Perhaps covering with a light blanket may help.
4. Keep the room/space on the dark side. Or perhaps consider using something like an eye bag over the eyes (a rolled up facecloth may work well too) or just keep the lighting low or off completely.
5. Make it your own. Perhaps there is something you do in daily reflection or part of your own personal devotion. Incorporate whatever you feel enhances this to your beliefs but take that time of stillness.
6. Tell people about it. Invite your friends and family and colleagues to join in. Share your experience here with others who will be doing this with you.

Getting it done earlier in the day is easier then skipping it and trying to find time later. I usually try to do this shortly after waking up. It’s a nice transition into consciousness and helps re-set me for the day ahead.

I would love to hear feedback on how this goes, here in the comments section. This month I will have some related articles and challenge opportunities that all tie in with trying to cultivate more rest for the body, mind and spirit.  My hope and desire is that we can find a more rested holiday season and enter the New Year fully able to embrace and truly enjoy life and what it has to offer. One breathe, one beat, one savasana at a time. 

Metta.

As many of us folks living in this colder climate are approaching the flu season and health providers are recommending we get our flu vaccines.  I do not get flu vaccine as I believe there are many ways to boost our immune system versus getting the shot.  For years, I have used complementary therapies to keep the flu bug away.  It is very important to take adequate vitamin D3 from 1000 I.U. to 4000 I.U. daily as our gorgeous sun tends to disappear.   One of the effective treatments I have used is homeopathic medicine to keep me healthy especially in the flu season.

I have consulted Rebecca Gower, a homeopathic doctor over the years and she has indepth knowledge of health challenges for poz folks.  Rebecca has also worked with poz clients at TPWA, see bio below. She is also involved in an international study on the benefit of homeopathy to minimize side effects of HIV medications via homeopathy.  I requested Rebecca to share her expertise and knowledge for the readers via this article.   She kindly took time to write the article below. Thanks Rebecca!

What is Influenza?

Influenza is a specific virus that causes an infection of the upper respiratory system.  Some common symptoms of influenza can include a fever, runny nose; muscle aches, sore throat, cough and headaches.  Influenza is caused by a different virus than the common cold and usually produces more severe symptoms.  There are also many Influenza-like illnesses that can cause similar symptoms to Influenza such as a runny nose, sore throat and a moderate fever.  Symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pains, often referred as ‘the stomach flu’, are caused by different viruses or bacteria other than the Influenza virus.

Rev Up Your Immune System:

It is especially important for HIV-positive people to keep their immune system strong and healthy.  This is why self-care is especially important during the winter months.  So don’t forget to eat well, exercise, get enough sleep and use techniques to reduce stress such as mindfulness meditation, yoga etc.  Studies have found that adequate amounts of Vitamin D can have a positive impact on your immune system during the winter months.  This is especially important for Canadians in the winter months because we do not get enough adequate exposure to sunlight.  I would recommend taking 4000 IU per day.

Natural Treatment for Influenza:

Homeopathic Medicine is a complete system of natural medicine that was discovered over 200 years ago.  It gained its reputation for successfully treating epidemic disease including the 1918 Spanish Influenza epidemic. This makes Homeopathy an ideal treatment for people with compromised immune systems.

Homeopathy can assist in the treatment of Influenza in several ways;

1.     Chronic treatment focusing on your total health picture and prescribing one remedy that is the best match for your symptoms.

2.     Acute treatment: Homeopathy can successfully resolve symptoms of Influenza while you are sick.

3.     Another option is to use homeopathic medicine to prevent Influenza.  This is known as Homeopathic Prophylaxis. For at least the past 150 years, homeopathic practitioners have used the homeopathic remedy Influenzinum as a preventative treatment for Influenza.  Homeopathic Prophylaxis is different from the ‘flu shot’ because homeopathic remedies including Influenzinum, have no extra chemicals in them and do not create side effects.

Homeopathic Flu Prevention:

I am offering free homeopathic prevention for Influenza starting in October, 2010.  This treatment is offered for free for people living with HIV/AIDS.  To book an appointment, please contact me at;

647-688-8290

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.redpearlhomeopathy.com

Bio:

Rebecca graduated from The Toronto School of Homeopathy where she received in-depth training in homeopathic medicine and the medical sciences. She completed a thesis on using Homeopathy to treat people living with HIV/AIDS. She continues to treat HIV-positive people in her practice as well as in a 3-year research study with Homeopathic Doctor Dr. D.P. Rastogi.  Prior to becoming a Homeopathic Physician, she worked at the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation (TPWA) where she provided treatment and wellness counseling to people living with HIV/AIDS.  Rebecca’s specialties are HIV/AIDS, LGBT health as well as women’s and children’s healt

Point number one, refined sugar is by and large the worst additive for the immune cells. Refined sugar is immunosuppressive.  No mincing words about it.

To boost your immune system, it is important to try to stay on diet ideally free of foods with refined sugars such as corn syrup and fructose, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, unnecessary additives and preservatives.   Your glutathione level is fastest depleted by toxins, sugar and chemicals ingested into the body.   Glutathione’s deficiency has been linked to many “age related diseases such as muscle weakness and fatigue, mitochondrial dysfunction, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, cancer, inflammatory illness” (Dr. Mercola).  HIV infection accelerates the aging process and also linked to the inflammatory process in the body due to HIV replication, immune activation, cell death, etc.

The beauty of glutathione is that it works on an intracellular level. It helps protect the mitochrondria (the energy factory) in the cell.  Many of the side effects of HIV medication are due to mitochrondial toxicity.  Glutathione helps boosts the activity of other antioxidants such as vitamin C, E, alpha lipoic acid and CoQ10 and the fruits and vegetables consumed.  As a side note, Coenzyme Q₁₀ is found in the heart muscle.  However, anti-cholesterol drugs or statin drugs deplete Coenzyme Q₁₀ in body, you might want to consider supplements.

Nutrients for Health:  Many antioxidants like beta-carotene, selenium and vitamins A, C and E are present in healthy living foods.  First and foremost, it must be real food.  Real food is defined as wholesome food that is minimally processed, does not have tons of sugar, dubious chemicals you cannot pronounce and foods that actually rot (not full of chemicals and preservatives that it last a lifetime in a landfill).   Avoid, reduce and/or eliminate pop/soda (full of sugar) and processed meats (full of nitrates) gradually from your grocery list.   If this sounds overwhelming to you- take baby steps to your goal.

Omega 3 is excellent to maintain cardiovascular and mental health and has anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumin from tumeric also has anti-inflammatory effects and is believe to be useful in minimizing dementia.  Omega 3 supplements have been found to have equally beneficially effects as Prozac for depression

An ideal healthy diet is high in complex carbohydrates vs. simple carbohydrates.  Complex carbohydrates are whole grains (bread) & whole grain cereals (not whole wheat), vegetables and fruits. The cereal must have 3 to 5 grams of fibre and preferably not more than 8 grams of sugar.  Simple carbohydrates are sugars, fresh or dried fruits, honey, jam or syrups.  Add fats such as good fats from nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil (omega 9) and fish(omega 3 from deep sea cold water fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, anchovies). 

Nuts and seeds are high in various essential fatty acids. Do not eat salted and toasted nuts and seeds if you want seek therapeutic benefits. Toasted nuts may taste better, but the heat has destroyed most of the healthy essential fats.  Add soluble fibre and insoluble fibre to your diet.  Avoid buying anything that contains more than five ingredients should be frequently obeyed.

Nutrition is needed by cells, tissues, organs to metabolize and absorb food, anti-HIV drugs and support various processes in the body.  You need the following foods to sustain health within. They are:

l  Amino acids: L-cysteine and L-methionine (sources: eggs, fish, steak)

l  Antioxidants: GSH (glutathione) high rate of oxidation on a cellular level ( food sources see below)

l  Mitochondria protectors: B complex, vitamin C, E, Alpha lipoic acid, NAC

l  Body can make own antioxidants using selenium, manganese, zinc which  works with cysteine in NAC (Brazil nuts are high in selenium)

Shopping for supplements:  Buy it when on sale or in bulk.  A bottle of any supplement has 60 to 90 pills or capsules.  It can be taken every other day if you want more value for your money.

Other foods high in glutathione are whey protein (ion exchange formulation and cold –pressed), and these fruits and vegetables have highest glutathione per serving: spinach, potatoes, asparagus, avocado, squash, okra, cauliflower, broccoli, walnuts, garlic and tomatoes.  The yellow spice turmeric contains curcumin which may be useful to increase glutathione levels.

Some easy ways to boost the intake of antioxidant for overall health are as follows.  Summer is an excellent time to consume as many berries as possible for their high antioxidant content.  It is also advisable to consider freezing blueberries, black berries, raspberries and strawberries.  Exercise helps increase glutathione levels naturally.

Do not taker B-12 close to bed time unless you are planning an exciting evening.  However take calcium/magnesium closer to bedtime, as it is relaxes the muscles.

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). ORAC is a scoring system of foods based on antioxidant capacity of foods. The top 10 fruits and vegetables on the ORAC list –from highest to lowest are  as follows. Prunes followed by raisins, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, pomegranates, raspberries, plums, oranges.  Vegetables; kale, spinach (raw), brussels sprout, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, red bell pepper, onion, corn and eggplant.   These may not be your favorite picks but it is what nature blessed the foods with.   A simple rule – shop for a grocery list of fresh foods that look colorful and you can be eating lots of high ORAC foods.

To good health and make conscious decisions when eating foods and buying foods. Treat your body kindly by putting real foods into your body. You will reap the benefits of your diet.

Ref:

NAC Info Sheet, http://www.thebody.com/content/art4754.html

Dr. Mercola, Ori Hofmekler .This ONE Antioxidant Keeps All Other Antioxidants Performing at Peak Levels.  www.mercola.com

To build health from within, it is important to understand inflammation and oxidation.Inflammation is believed to be one of the main causes of aging and organ disease in PHAs.

In the early 80’s there was on going research in gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).Researchers knew in early HIV infection, the immune cells in the intestinal system are infected and the early symptoms of HIV seroconversion are gastrointestinal (GI) related diarrhoea, wasting, indigestion, and weight loss. However, when the triple combination anti-HIV drugs came about in 1996, research in GALT was abandoned until recently in 2006 it resurfaced (http://www.prn.org/index.php/progression/article/hiv_1_gastrointestinal_galt_267). In the last five years, researchers have found that ARV has revived some of the immune cells in the intestinal system but not all of it.Plus there are many variables; number of CD4+ cells at time of ART initiation, CD8, percentage of CD4+ ,other co-infections, and overall health.

HIV infection in the GI tract can affects absorption of foods and nutrients in the intestines. “To maximize the efficiency of digestive function, the GI tract has evolved such that it has the largest surface area among all organs. In fact, the 400 m2 surface area of the GI tract is about 200 times larger than the surface area of the entire skin.”(Mehandru.S, 2007). We know HIV also affects the production of B12 in the intestine hence many PHAs are B12 deficient. B12 is important for energy and red blood production. Furthermore HIV infection affects the bone and heart muscles. A health regimen has to integrate the many components of health. As such taking antiretrovirals therapy (ARV) is one part of the plan but not all of it.

Thirty years later, HIV is known to cause many cellular inflammations, from an increase in cytokines, chemokines, interleukins, an imbalance in the two arms of the immune system; the cellular and humoral arm to mention a few. As all of us know our body best, but how do we control inflammation within and keep our health at an optimal level. There is much more one can do to boost cellular health, minimize oxidative stress while living with HIV infection. We are going to take a look at what goes on in the cells and understand inflammation, oxidation and the role of the mitochondria.

The immune system and inflammation: Living with HIV infection means the immune system is constantly activated or stimulated and does not get the vacation it needs. While a person may have a high CD4+ count, the CD8 may also be high which means the immune system is constantly fighting off the infection. In an ideal immune system, it has high CD4+ and low CD8 count. A low viral load or undetectable viral load does not mean HIV is not in the tissues, cells, blood or organs. All it means is HIV cannot be detected by the current diagnostic test.  Over the cause of HIV infection, we are now certain of the increase in inflammation over a long term in living with HIV. The cause of this increase is not completely understood.

When the body is fighting an infection, “or repairs injured tissues, fluids and cells get transported to the site of injury. As the body heals, the cells can swell, get warm, and become sore. One theory is that as HIV chronically infects the body, cells and tissues are destroyed and then heal, activating the immune system. That leads to an over stimulated immune system that can become burned out or weakened. So, even though a lab result may show a high CD4 count, the amount of inflammation in the body may be causing damage on a cellular level. And that can lead to heart, liver, kidney disease, and greater levels of bone loss."For more on HIV and inflammation, http://www.thebody.com/content/art57904.html?ic=700100.

What is oxidation?

Oxidation is a process of breaking food down into energy and involves a chemical reaction. Food breakdown is one of the many oxidative processes in our bodies. During this process, molecules called free radicals are produced. Free radicals are a normal part of the oxidation process. They can damage the membranes of the cells in much the same way that rust damages the body of a car.

During HIV infection, many researchers have observed an increase in free radicals (extra unpaired oxygen molecules, oxygen has two molecules as in O2, in its stable form). ARV and HIV infection both seem to cause an increase in free radical production in the body and this is currently believed to be linked with inflammation.What can you take to minimize oxidation? Increase the intake of anti-oxidants either with foods and/or supplements, and improve your breathing capacity.

Mitochondria, is located in the cells and is the energy production centre of the cell. They are tiny thread like organelles in living cells-they squirm, lengthen, and change shape almost continuously. Enzymes dissolved in the fluid within the mitochondria, carry out reactions in which oxygen is used to break down food. As foods are broken down, energy is released. Some of the fatigue reported in HIV infection, is related to mitochrondria toxicity. Mitochrondria is found in almost all organs, tissue, nerves, and bones muscles in the body. While ARV are important to control viral replication ,it also can damage mitochondria DNA and cells, and cause wide range of side effects including fat loss, peripeheral neuropathy, and high lactate levels amongst a host of symptoms.

The free radical production causes mitochrondia toxicity and cell death (apoptosis). Some research has associated free radical with side effects such as neuropathy, acid lactosis, pancreatitis (Dr. Jon Kaiser, 2003). Inflammation is an ongoing process as long as HIV exists in the body. The inflammation is directly linked with illness associated with aging such as bone loss, cardiovascular disease and decrease in cognitive functions.

What we do know is one potent antioxidant can decrease the impact of free radicals. It is called glutathione, and it is very effective as minimizing the oxidative process at an intracellular level in the cells. Our body in its inherent wisdom produces glutathione in the walls of our cells. Some foods can also minimize inflammation in the body. These will be discussed in Part 3.Translate