Battling HIV Naturally

[Sean Castleton]

Greetings. I recently read an interesting article about a lectin protein in bananas termed "BanLec" that has proven to block the propagation of HIV. Lectins in general, are present in a myriad of foods, but are most abundant in grains, legumes and potatoes, and now in bananas. They hinder HIV by attaching to the virus and blocking it's receptors from infecting T-Lymphocyte cells. Hoorah for mother nature! Being a HIV+ person, needless to say, I have been eating alot more of these foods lately.
Further, raw garlic is a powerful weapon against microbes that can cause the onset of the disease AIDS. Some believe that if eaten daily, it eventually kills the HIV virus or any other bad critter lurking in your body. The beauty of garlic is, unlike modern antibiotics, bacteria and viruses can not become immune to the antimicrobial chemical "allicin" found in it. It is important to note that when preparing garlic, you want to mince it and let it set for about 10-15 minutes before eating it. The reason is because the oxygen in the air causes a chemical reaction between the compound allin and the enzyme allinase, producing allicin. However, although proven to kill the virus in vitro, the verdict is still out as to whether it can have the same result in the human body.

[zach]

dude, you really missed the ball on your first post

your entire post is

bullshit

snake oil

false hope

dangerous

DO NOT ENTER

BEYOND HERE, THERE BE DRAGONS

[Sean Castleton]

dude, you really missed the ball on your first post

your entire post is

bullshit

snake oil

false hope

dangerous

DO NOT ENTER

BEYOND HERE, THERE BE DRAGONS

Zach, usually I do not respond to trolls, especially ones that believe in dragons and crystal balls and the like...All I can tell you is to book-up a little to present a logical debate before attempting to trash someone's blog. If eating food were dangerous, we would all be dead.

[mecch]

If you are HIV+, stick around and learn something.
So far there are no proven therapies that fight this virus besides pharma meds. None.
If you are HIV- , please go away.
Zach is not a troll.

[zach]

whatever man

you say you're hiv positive. then why don't you introduce yourself first, get to know us a little. you call me a troll, i've been here for a minute. you, not so much. i'm known, and yeah my rude attitude is known. we're both taking our chances getting spanked by the gods.

i sure hope you are on haart meds.

your first post is pushing pseudoscience, and you tell me to book up. hilarious

this thread is young, but i predict it is not going to go well. it was cumin last week, black seed a few weeks ago. we hear this shit on a semi regular basis.

dragons and trolls! i want to believe

Being a HIV+ person, needless to say, I have been eating alot more of these foods lately.

really? truthfully, i don't buy it. i call bullshit.

If eating food were dangerous, we would all be dead.

if we don't take haart meds, we would all be dead. eating garlic and bananas won't kill you, but it WON'T DO A DAMN THING for hiv.

[Miss Philicia]

Being a HIV+ person, needless to say, I have been eating alot more of these foods lately.

How long have you been diagnosed and are you on HIV medications or not?

[Jeff G]

Zach, usually I do not respond to trolls, especially ones that believe in dragons and crystal balls and the like...All I can tell you is to book-up a little to present a logical debate before attempting to trash someone's blog. If eating food were dangerous, we would all be dead.

Welcome to the forum . An introduction would be nice ... please tell us a little about your self and most importantly, do you have HIV ? . Please be aware that name calling is not allowed on the forum so please find other ways to express yourself .

The only thing that will save a persons life if they have HIV is HAART ... nothing else works and it really is just that simple . I'm asking for every one to bring the tone back down to civil ... these things usually don't end well but I will be watching .

[zach]

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec2001/niaid-05.htm

i'd suggest everyone take the time to do about five minutes of objective google research. be cautious of where you get your information. garlic can have a negative interaction with some hiv meds. a lot of supplements can. you should always speak to your doctor, and you'll find that most of the time they will advise against

[Buckmark]

Sean,

Welcome to the forums (though I'm sorry you have to be here, if you know what I mean).  I'm eager to learn about your history with HIV.  I think you'll find a lot of useful information and support here on the forums.  And lots of diverse opinions too (just like any other online forums).

As someone who has been dealing with HIV for 25+ years, I suggest you be wary of those proposing "natural" remedies for HIV.  Having had HIV since before effective medications were available, I have seen people try almost anything / everything to try to keep HIV under control.  And I have seen a lot of people die.  That didn't change until better anti-retroviral medications became available in the later 1990s.  You'll see lots of people claiming health benefits for almost every conceivable (and some inconceivable) treatments / foods / nutritional supplements.  You have to cast a critical eye on those, to see if the data really backups them up (just like you would cast a wary eye on all the financial advice out there).

Us "old-timers" do know a thing or two when it comes to treating HIV, and we're passionate about it because we remember when there were not treatments.  If you want to do your own investigation, I think the best way to "separate the wheat from the chaff" is to look for scientific studies.  It's hard to argue with clinical data, and studies encompassing hundreds / thousands of people with HIV.  And it's the only way to know if something really works effectively against HIV.

Regards,

Henry

[Jmarksto]

Sean; Welcome to the forums - a little more introduction about yourself would go along way to getting to know each other.

With regard to the banana thing, with a quick google search I came up with this:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20080975

Here is the take away from that study:

Based on these results, BanLec is a potential component for an anti-viral microbicide that could be used to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV-1

Keep in mind: 1.)That this was a lab study - not tested in any people; 2.) There are all kinds of molecules that kills HIV, but that does not mean it works (or is good) in or on our body; 3.) If this works as a microbicide it may negatively effect other important microbes in our body.

The distinction between a lab study and clinical studies as Henry indicated is really critical to understanding the science. Secondly, it is critical to read and understand the details of the studies before administering or recommending any treatment (natural or otherwise).

[Sean Castleton]

whatever man

you say you're hiv positive. then why don't you introduce yourself first, get to know us a little. you call me a troll, i've been here for a minute. you, not so much. i'm known, and yeah my rude attitude is known. we're both taking our chances getting spanked by the gods.

i sure hope you are on haart meds.

your first post is pushing pseudoscience, and you tell me to book up. hilarious

this thread is young, but i predict it is not going to go well. it was cumin last week, black seed a few weeks ago. we hear this shit on a semi regular basis.

dragons and trolls! i want to believe

really? truthfully, i don't buy it. i call bullshit.

if we don't take haart meds, we would all be dead. eating garlic and bananas won't kill you, but it WON'T DO A DAMN THING for hiv.

OK dude, sorry that I called you a troll and that I didn't formally introduce myself. You just seemed to come off that way. Anyways, here's the low-down on my situation...

Back in '92 I got a huge boil on my back and went in to Wishard Hospital here in Indianapolis to get it lanced and a nurse there asked me if I would like to get a blood test. cuz a large boil can indicate that you could have an underlying illness. so I did. Three days later a black dude shows up at my door with a glum look on his face and informs me that I had the virus. So I get on the meds. After awhile, I noticed that they were having an effect with fat displacement on my body. It sucked, because they were causing me to get a paunch gut and man boobs. I've worked out with weights for about ten years and maintained a tight bod and kinda proud of it, so I was getting pissed.

So, fast forward...

I had an apartment in Cleveland, OH and would go there for the holidays to visit friends. Well, the last time I went home I got into some heavier than usual partying at the clubs with my buds cuz I hadn't seen them in awhile and stayed there longer than I planned and as a result ran out of my meds. Ok, so my best friend Chris who is also HIV+  tells me not to worry, because all I needed was to eat plenty of foods that contained lectin proteins and I would be fine and he pointed to sources from recent medical journals online to support his claim. He said that he was off his meds for 6 months and felt great and was eating these certain foods as well as a bulb of raw garlic a day. I believed him because he looked fine. So I decided, what the hell, I'll give it a try and figured that if I got sick I would just get back on the meds.

And so, I come back to Indy and got on this heavy lectin diet along with the raw garlic everyday for the last 4 months. I feel great and got my form back and guess I won't be needin' that D-Cup bra. So far, so good...

Listen, I'm not tryin' to sell any snake oil and certainly not suggesting that anyone try what I'm doin' I'm just sharing knowledge, that's all. I got kind of excited about the recent BanLec news and have since been eatin' bananas like a monkey and thought I'd drop a line about it. I'll keep you guys posted on my condition. And my friend Chris is still healthy after 9 months.

Peace out, Sean. 

[Sean Castleton]

Oh, did I mention that I'm a bottom boy? heheheh

[Sean Castleton]

Sean; Welcome to the forums - a little more introduction about yourself would go along way to getting to know each other.

With regard to the banana thing, with a quick google search I came up with this:

Broken link removed by admin

Here is the take away from that study:

Based on these results, BanLec is a potential component for an anti-viral microbicide that could be used to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV-1

Keep in mind: 1.)That this was a lab study - not tested in any people; 2.) There are all kinds of molecules that kills HIV, but that does not mean it works (or is good) in or on our body; 3.) If this works as a microbicide it may negatively effect other important microbes in our body.

The distinction between a lab study and clinical studies as Henry indicated is really critical to understanding the science. Secondly, it is critical to read and understand the details of the studies before administering or recommending any treatment (natural or otherwise).

You must not have read the same article I did. BanLec is not only a potential microbicide during intercourse, but also a potential treatment.

A bit more about the mechanics...

I did alot of research on lectins in general. The way they work is, lectin proteins bind to carbs or sugars in your blood stream. Now, not all viruses have a sugar based shell or coat, many of them are just protein. But HIV has a sugar based shell. In fact, this sugar shell helps it to hide from your immune system, as your antibodies regard it as a carb, but it can't hide from lectins! What lectins do, is naturally adhere like a glue to the the sugary coat of the HIV virus and block it's receptors from being able to attach to and infect your T-Cells. There are many classes of lectin proteins. Soy beans for example, have a lectin that not only binds to sugar compounds, but also is a natural protease inhibitor. Wheat germ has a certain lectin and alot of them, and legumes, which includes peanuts by the way, has a certain lectin and so do potatoes. And so, if you were eating an abundance of these various foods, it stands to reason that they would have to have an effect.

You can read more indepth about it from the following link:

Broken link removed by admin

[mecch]

Well, the last time I went home I got into some heavier than usual partying at the clubs with my buds cuz I hadn't seen them in awhile and stayed there longer than I planned and as a result ran out of my meds. Ok, so my best friend Chris who is also HIV+  tells me not to worry, because all I needed was to eat plenty of foods that contained lectin proteins and I would be fine and he pointed to sources from recent medical journals online to support his claim. He said that he was off his meds for 6 months and felt great and was eating these certain foods as well as a bulb of raw garlic a day. I believed him because he looked fine. So I decided, what the hell, I'll give it a try and figured that if I got sick I would just get back on the meds.

A recipe for disaster, Sean, all folks.
You don't play doctor, you dont make decisions based on a few months experience. 30+ years experience on this disease, tens of thousands of hours by scientific minds, prove that the effective and life-prolonging, life-enhancing treatment of HIV is anti-viral combos provided by prescription from an MD.  Its that simple.

[mecch]

if you are having problems with adherence or living with side effects you must see a therapist and steel yourself emotionally or resolve the emotional difficulty with body changes.  Also, examine why you would trust your non-scientific mind to keep you healthy.  Why let delusion take over, after all these years.
It DOES happen, its a sort of fatigue and hopelessness.  The only way through is therapy, I would guess.  Pity that Cher isn't your friend to slap you across the face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY

[Sean Castleton]

if you are having problems with adherence or living with side effects you must see a therapist and steel yourself emotionally or resolve the emotional difficulty with body changes.  Also, examine why you would trust your non-scientific mind to keep you healthy.  Why let delusion take over, after all these years.
It DOES happen, its a sort of fatigue and hopelessness.  The only way through is therapy, I would guess.  Pity that Cher isn't your friend to slap you across the face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY

Mecch, are you always this cheerful? LOL. All I can tell you is that I have been off my meds and strong and healthy now for the past 4 months. My doc told me that if I were to go off my meds, that I would be deathly ill in as little as 2 weeks. Yet, here I am. Ain't no puny virus takin' this boy down, believe it. And I don't need a therapist, thank you.  And yes, I do play doctor now and then, as I have healed myself of some afflictions in the past and have a broad knowledge of holistic medicine. If you have the ways and means to heal yourself, why get in bed with big pharma? Oh, and if Cher were to slap me, I would turn the other cheek. I love that ole gal!!!

[mecch]

You might end up getting banned here for your viewpoints.
But my message is rational, based on personal experience. There are no holistic stops to an HIV infection and there are dozens of us older folks around who can relate that we helped our friends and lovers die before HAART when every and all holistic treatment failed. Everytime. Dead.
My message is neither angry nor sad or depressing.  The thing to do is take the proven treatment.  If there is something in your studies, then eventually professionals, including many professionals who are NOT employed by big pharma, and who have every interest in the least nocive, lowest cost, and most effective treatment for any disease, will help it get to us with a proof that it works. 
You are really in la-la land at the moment.  Your infection will rebound eventually so please do not exit the medical system, please continue to monitor your blood.  If your doctor told you what you quoted, he's an idiot but I highly suspect you invented that quote OR you have misunderstood.  Willful denial.
That's all I got.
"peace out"

[Sean Castleton]

Sean,

Welcome to the forums (though I'm sorry you have to be here, if you know what I mean).  I'm eager to learn about your history with HIV.  I think you'll find a lot of useful information and support here on the forums.  And lots of diverse opinions too (just like any other online forums).

As someone who has been dealing with HIV for 25+ years, I suggest you be wary of those proposing "natural" remedies for HIV.  Having had HIV since before effective medications were available, I have seen people try almost anything / everything to try to keep HIV under control.  And I have seen a lot of people die.  That didn't change until better anti-retroviral medications became available in the later 1990s.  You'll see lots of people claiming health benefits for almost every conceivable (and some inconceivable) treatments / foods / nutritional supplements.  You have to cast a critical eye on those, to see if the data really backups them up (just like you would cast a wary eye on all the financial advice out there).

Us "old-timers" do know a thing or two when it comes to treating HIV, and we're passionate about it because we remember when there were not treatments.  If you want to do your own investigation, I think the best way to "separate the wheat from the chaff" is to look for scientific studies.  It's hard to argue with clinical data, and studies encompassing hundreds / thousands of people with HIV.  And it's the only way to know if something really works effectively against HIV.

Regards,

Henry

Thank you for the words of wisdom. But it's been 4 months and running and I feel fine. Lectins are a fairly new discovery and your buds didn't have this knowledge back in the day. I was a bartender at an affluent gay bar in Cleveland (Mans World) and like you, I saw many of my dear friends pass, trying all types of alternative means, but they also partied like pigs to! heheheh, that certainly didn't help. You seem like a sweet guy and I do appreciate your concern. And if I were to see telltale signs that my health was failing, trust me, I am not foolish enuff to reject the meds.

[Sean Castleton]

You might end up getting banned here for your viewpoints.
But my message is rational, based on personal experience. There are no holistic stops to an HIV infection and there are dozens of us older folks around who can relate that we helped our friends and lovers die before HAART when every and all holistic treatment failed. Everytime. Dead.
My message is neither angry nor sad or depressing.  The thing to do is take the proven treatment.  If there is something in your studies, then eventually professionals, including many professionals who are NOT employed by big pharma, and who have every interest in the least nocive, lowest cost, and most effective treatment for any disease, will help it get to us with a proof that it works. 
You are really in la-la land at the moment.  Your infection will rebound eventually so please do not exit the medical system, please continue to monitor your blood.  If your doctor told you what you quoted, he's an idiot but I highly suspect you invented that quote OR you have misunderstood.  Willful denial.
That's all I got.
"peace out"

I wasn't suggesting that you view is irrational Mecch. Honestly, if I were to fall ill, do you really think that I wouldn't go back on the meds? Of course I would. There are warning signs and it's not like I am going to drop dead over night. And again. I am not suggesting that anyone attempt what I am doing. And I'm not disrespecting your opinion in any way. OK?

[mecch]

No you won't drop dead overnight. That is why the quote from you doctor is idiotic. 

Do not avoid regular blood testing.  Do NOT assume you will get a "warning sign" that things are not going well.  Too much of what you say seems to be proofed by "I feel fine", and we ALL know that can often be a poor way to measure the prognosis of an HIV infection.

LOL hahaha peace out blah blah - you aren't saying that I am irrational, I am saying you are in the deep end without a life preserver.

Cheery banal expressions dont mask the seriousness of your circumstances based on your cowboy choices, or completely dismiss the observation that your posts can read a bit snake oily. 

[mecch]

My perception is that you are doing a treatment interruption.  Your rational is an unproven, non expert hunch about holistic treatment. That is the snake oil part, from my perception.
There are ways to do treatment interruptions, for whatever reason one might do one, good or bad, and these ways to do a treatment interruption attempt to minimise damage. 
You don't have the right, in my opinion, to claim its about "battling HIV naturally".  My opinion is that you are doing this to meet some emotional need. 

[zach]

the apology was unnecessary sean

you're going down a dark and dangerous road, at the end there is a hospital bed waiting for you. hope you don't get more than you've bargained for.

goodbye sean

[mecch]

I was a bartender at an affluent gay bar in Cleveland (Mans World) and like you, I saw many of my dear friends pass, trying all types of alternative means, but they also partied like pigs to! heheheh, that certainly didn't help.

It's sloppy reasoning to think not partying would have saved them or would have helped alternative "means" to work against HIV.  They died because HIV kills.  Its a bit insulting to their memory.  Nowadays, there are HIV+ people who party a lot and their immune systems are not crashing because they take effective HIV treatment.

If you are having a problem with body changes, see a therapist. Change your HIV treating doctor and try to find any possible solutions or slow downs to body changes. 

If you want to do a treatment interruption, change your doctor from the one who seems unhelpful and find a more spiritual and holistic MD who will support you in your experiment, even if he/she advises against it. 

Do not remove yourself from regular contact with doctors and labs, even if you can't see eye-to-eye on their world views... 

[mecch]

If your plan IS to distance yourself from docs during your treatment interruption, it sounds like some sort of denial or delusion, but I am not a shrink!  Please do not wait for feelings or signs of things going off.

Continue regular labs at least, and it might be a good idea to step up the lab work, perhaps 3 o 4 times a year?  That would be a safer way to conduct your experiment.  If you have insurance and labs aren't breaking the bank, what would be the downside? 

[Almost2late]

Hi Sean, you started an interesting thread here.. I've been hiv+ for probably 10-13 years before my dx Jan.2014 with very low cd4's (13) and I remember when I turned 50, I felt I was in the best shape of my life, cycling 100+ miles, knocking out 150 pushups in 1 set, I felt great .. and all that time I was hiv+ but I didn't know it..Now I'm 54 and still got aids numbers and can't seem to come close to what I was capable 4yrs ago.. I guess what I'm trying to say is that hiv can really fool you if you don't take care of it.. If bananas was a treatment, I think insurance companies would have refused to shell out for $1000 haart and sent us to the produce section instead.

I think your getting some great advice from the members here, but don't just take their word for it, do the research.. There have been many denialist that have made the mistake of doing without meds and are dead now.

Hope you keep an eye on your numbers.. wish you luck.

If your plan IS to distance yourself from docs during your treatment interruption, it sounds like some sort of denial or delusion, but I am not a shrink!  Please do not wait for feelings or signs of things going off.

Continue regular labs at least, and it might be a good idea to step up the lab work, perhaps 3 o 4 times a year?  That would be a safer way to conduct your experiment.  If you have insurance and labs aren't breaking the bank, what would be the downside? 

This is great advice

[Jeff G]

The OP is is just plain wrong and misinformed … we all know that if you have HIV and you need treatment the only thing that will save your life is HAART therapy . This is an undisputed fact.

Sean . You have expressed your views in this thread so I am going to ask you to keep them in this one thread, meaning do not start or go into another thread and tell people you can eat your way back to health if you have HIV … if you do this you will be banned .

We are pretty tolarant around here but one of the cornerstones of the forum is about effective treatments and prevention and we will not tolerate inaccurate information to be dispensed from this forum . If you have come here for support then we will be there for you but if your purpose in joining us here is to spread the message you’re spouting in this thread you have come to the wrong place my friend … it will not happen . 

[Buckmark]

Sean,

It appears clear that no one here will be able to change your mind about the decision you have made to stop your HIV medications.  We long-timers are just trying to help and prevent you from becoming ill, because we've seen the situation over and over again.  But you're a long-timer, so you should have seen this too.  You won't become ill in weeks, or even months, it could be years, but you will become ill (unless you are an "elite controller", which I think your doctor would have determined by now).  You may not get any warning signs before getting ill.

As far as bananas and garlic go, there is not enough evidence to proclaim that they will battle HIV.  Scientific studies provide that kind of evidence, not articles or discussion or personal experience.  You say you are not promoting this to others, but you need to realize that just by posting your personal experience, others may read it and try to follow it.   

I know you are going to continue with this regimen.  Do I understand correctly that you will not also continue seeing your doctors or at least have regular labs?  That would at least provide some evidence that your bananas and garlic are (or are not) working.  If you do think you don't need medical monitoring, then you are in denial.

Lastly -- are you saying that your restored your physique and your moobs disappeared simply by stopping your HIV meds, and eating bananas and garlic?  No other physical exercise or dietary changes?  Which HIV meds had you been taking? 

And so, I come back to Indy and got on this heavy lectin diet along with the raw garlic everyday for the last 4 months. I feel great and got my form back and guess I won't be needin' that D-Cup bra. So far, so good...

[wolfter]

There are warning signs and it's not like I am going to drop dead over night. And again. I am not suggesting that anyone attempt what I am doing.

This is not always true.  many people present at the ER with full blown AIDS without ever having symptoms or experiencing seroconverstion.  Not all will recover and exit through the basement.  After being virually suppressed it can be even quicker (don't feel like finding any links at the moment).  The reactivated suppressed virus quickly replicates and rapidly multiplies.

There was a time I thought the molecules in white wine would keep the virus in check.  EPIC fail.     Now I realize it must be used in conjunction with HAART.

[Sean Castleton]

Sean,

It appears clear that no one here will be able to change your mind about the decision you have made to stop your HIV medications.  We long-timers are just trying to help and prevent you from becoming ill, because we've seen the situation over and over again.  But you're a long-timer, so you should have seen this too.  You won't become ill in weeks, or even months, it could be years, but you will become ill (unless you are an "elite controller", which I think your doctor would have determined by now).  You may not get any warning signs before getting ill.

As far as bananas and garlic go, there is not enough evidence to proclaim that they will battle HIV.  Scientific studies provide that kind of evidence, not articles or discussion or personal experience.  You say you are not promoting this to others, but you need to realize that just by posting your personal experience, others may read it and try to follow it.   

I know you are going to continue with this regimen.  Do I understand correctly that you will not also continue seeing your doctors or at least have regular labs?  That would at least provide some evidence that your bananas and garlic are (or are not) working.  If you do think you don't need medical monitoring, then you are in denial.

Lastly -- are you saying that your restored your physique and your moobs disappeared simply by stopping your HIV meds, and eating bananas and garlic?  No other physical exercise or dietary changes?  Which HIV meds had you been taking?

Buckmark,

To answer your question about lab work, yes I considered Mecch's advice and have decided to get regular lab work done.

Concerning my meds, I was on Truvada and Kaletra. There are several articles online about Truvada and how it causes abnormal  fat distribution in the body known as "lipodystrophy". Here is one such link:

http://www.aidsmeds.com/archive/Truvada_1584.shtml

Actually, greater concerns of the long term effects of Truvada and other related HAART meds is that they raise cholesteral levels and can induce stroke or heart attack. Of course, this can vary from person to person.

Also, garlic has had remarkable effects on HIV and viruses do not become immune to it unlike HAART meds over time. Here is a link to a german study:

http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/news/health/2011/10/18/1227.html

Another more recent and informative article on the effects of allicin in raw garlic:

http://www.investorsinsight.com/blogs/what_we_now_know/archive/2006/04/18/the-virus-killer-they-don-t-want-you-to-know-about.aspx

Also, the lectin "BanLec" is a recent discovery and I am actually more interested in Lectin proteins and their effects on pathogens in general.

Lastly, I am not in denial about my condition. I realize the gravity of it. I sincerely thank you all for your concerns and I am NOT suggesting that anyone try undertaking what I am doing. I repeat, I am not attempting to influence or coerce anyone into trying alternative/holistic remedies.

Thank you, peace out, Sean.

[Almost2late]

I will definitely be eating plenty of garlic and bananas with my hiv meds

[Sean Castleton]

I will definitely be eating plenty of garlic and bananas with my hiv meds

Well, hopefully you are not taking Saquinavir, as there are some claims that garlic can impede it's effectiveness.

[leatherman]

There are several articles online about Truvada and how it causes abnormal  fat distribution in the body known as "lipodystrophy".

less than 7% of truvada users report this side effect.  Kaletra users report a 2.2% percent rate of lipo. Maybe a change of perspective could help you think you might be in the 93+% of users who aren't affected by any lipo from these meds.  (disclaimer: I've been on truvada for nearly a decade with ZERO side effects except the one where it keeps my HIV suppressed.)

of course 1000s of people die every year from aspirin so I hope you don't ever take any nsaids either.

[Sean Castleton]

less than 7% of truvada users report this side effect.  Kaletra users report a 2.2% percent rate of lipo. Maybe a change of perspective could help you think you might be in the 93+% of users who aren't affected by any lipo from these meds.  (disclaimer: I've been on truvada for nearly a decade with ZERO side effects except the one where it keeps my HIV suppressed.)

of course 1000s of people die every year from aspirin so I hope you don't ever take any nsaids either.

Precisely leatherman, which is why I stated that it can vary from person to person. But keep in mind that the long term effects of any HAART meds are still unknown.

Concerning aspirin, you may want to reach for it in an emergency with sudden chest pain, but like you, I wouldn't suggest taking it on a regular basis. It really comes down to diet and prevention.

[leatherman]

But keep in mind that the long term effects of any HAART meds are still unknown.

trust me, I know. I've been on meds for about 25 yrs and, after just celebrating 31 yrs poz and still alive, I'm healthier than I've ever been. I would have never imagined when I was in the hospital decades ago, almost dying of AIDS, that they would develop meds that would help me regain this much health. Those unknown long term effects have been very good to me.

[Sean Castleton]

The OP is is just plain wrong and misinformed … we all know that if you have HIV and you need treatment the only thing that will save your life is HAART therapy . This is an undisputed fact.

Sean . You have expressed your views in this thread so I am going to ask you to keep them in this one thread, meaning do not start or go into another thread and tell people you can eat your way back to health if you have HIV … if you do this you will be banned .

We are pretty tolarant around here but one of the cornerstones of the forum is about effective treatments and prevention and we will not tolerate inaccurate information to be dispensed from this forum . If you have come here for support then we will be there for you but if your purpose in joining us here is to spread the message you’re spouting in this thread you have come to the wrong place my friend … it will not happen .

Hi Jeff,

I wasn't planning on starting any new threads. I am not on a campaign to convince anyone of anything. I am just sharing knowledge. I am certainly glad however, that you are tolerant. After all, free speech is a first ammendment right, at least in the U.S. anyway.

If I may, allow me to propose an extreme case scenario that is not completely out of the realm of possibilty;

Suppose that for whatever reasons, and there are many, that we were to lose our access to HAART meds? Would people not then want to have the latest breaking information on alternative medicine? In other words, I think that it is important to have an open mind about this and at least keep up on recent holistic research as a possible back-up plan.

What do you think?

Thanks.

[Jeff G]

Hi Jeff,

I wasn't planning on starting any new threads. I am not on a campaign to convince anyone of anything. I am just sharing knowledge. I am certainly glad however, that you are tolerant. After all, free speech is a first ammendment right, at least in the U.S. anyway.

If I may, allow me to propose an extreme case scenario that is not completely out of the realm of possibilty;

Suppose that for whatever reasons, and there are many, that we were to lose our access to HAART meds? Would people not then want to have the latest breaking information on alternative medicine? In other words, I think that it is important to have an open mind about this and at least keep up on recent holistic research as a possible back-up plan.

What do you think?

Thanks.

You free speech rights do not apply in this forum, there are more than a few things you could say that will get you tossed .

There are no alternative therapies that have any positive impact on the outcome of HIV . If a person does not have access to HAART and needs it they will die .

[Jeff G]

This is for anyone who is in denial about HIV and how to survive it . We lost a misguided member to HIV who could have been saved … this is partly why we do what we do, this is the sad story of Emery Taylor . 
http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=36980.0

[Dan0]

(disclaimer: I've been on truvada for nearly a decade with ZERO side effects except the one where it keeps my HIV suppressed.)

^^TRUTH

I get that the nausea, dizziness or fat re-distribution may not be some folk's cup up tea but the above is the best one-line I've read in days. And, really, why SHOULD someone suffer through some side-effects, whether they be a mild irritant or a life-style altering debilitation?  Thankfully, there are choices to be had with more choices coming down the pike!  Yes, I've switched meds to get away from the bad side-effects of the one, but never lost sight of the good side-effects of both.  Pills keep me alive and I KNOW that they keep me alive  - period. 

[leatherman]

which is why I stated that it can vary from person to person.

listen, I'm NO gambler.  I stay away from the edge of the cliff and always take the safe road. While you are certainly right in saying that it can vary from person-2-person, I'm a realist and will gladly take those 93+% odds any day of the week.

After all, free speech is a first ammendment right, at least in the U.S. anyway.

the idea of free speech in America does not mean that any speech is allowed. You cannot libel, slander, incite riots , yell "fire" in a theater or "hijack" on a plane, or speak treason without suffering the consequences. Hate speech is disallowed just as is misrepresentation of a product. And while someone people are allowed to say some rather crazy stuff, that doesn't mean that someone else won't come along to contradict that crazy stuff. 

In other words, I think that it is important to have an open mind about this and at least keep up on recent holistic research as a possible back-up plan.

while your alternatives may have beneficial properties, none of the things you have discussed get anywhere near close enough to viral suppression to stop HIV from progressing to AIDS. Only antiretrovirals accomplish that. Having seen my friends without ARVs die, and having been one of the many to actually overcome AIDS thanks to the ARVs, there are no alternatives, no back-up plan in your words, to continue living when infected with HIV and not die an early AIDS death.

Suppose that for whatever reasons, and there are many, that we were to lose our access to HAART meds?

not everyone has access now! :O

and every though you didn't ask me specifically, I'll tell you what I would do. I'd continue doing the advocacy and activist work that I've been doing for about 3 decades to make sure everyone has access to the only thing that does anything to suppress HIV - antiretrovirals. Give "How to Survive a Plague" a watch. You'll see exactly what people do when they are dying or don't have access to HAART. ..... and they don't turn to garlic or back-ups plan. They make things change!

[mecch]

Suppose that for whatever reasons, and there are many, that we were to lose our access to HAART meds? Would people not then want to have the latest breaking information on alternative medicine? In other words, I think that it is important to have an open mind about this and at least keep up on recent holistic research as a possible back-up plan.

What do you think?

Thanks.

Eek god you are naive.  How many tens of thousands dead in South Africa because of LACK OF ACCESS to available lifesaving tri-therapy. 

Loose access to meds - then you fight to get them back because otherwise you die.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_South_Africa#AIDS_denialism_in_South_Africa

[Sean Castleton]

Hi Guys,

Some lastest breaking info on the effects of the herb "Astragalus" against HIV, and a possible replacement for HAART meds.

Link: http://www.naturalnews.com/024799_hiv_astragalus_aids.html#

Best regards, Sean. 

[Miss Philicia]

Barbara, please -- an article from 2008? I'd think they would have figured out by now if it actually works.

[zach]

astragalus has been known on this forum for years, warning to all considering this, check interactions with any meds you may be taking. and the jury is still out on the safety of taking it with haart meds. DO NOT STOP TAKING YOUR MEDS


man just think, if that shit works out, it would work great in the vertigrow hydroponic systems i used to play with

i'm gonna be a millionaire, i knew gardening would pay off one day
 

[Jeff G]

I'm tempted to just remove Sean's post that link to junk science and keep him as a member so we can offer support when he gets sick but so far what he is offering is easy to ignore its so ridiculous . I personally think its obvious that he is here to be provocative and push an agenda and not here seeking support . I also think that many people do get taken in by  snake oil salesman so threads like this are a good reminder to new members and many of the others that come here to read and learn that they must beware .

I have to remind myself that what seems silly or absurd to me is something real to the gullible or people looking for an easy way out, if not for that I would file this whole thread under whatever and move on without a comment .     

[Dachshund]

Going on thirty years with da AIDS and I have heard of and tried a variety of "natural" and not so natural remedies to cure or contain God's punishment. Believe me when you're actually faced with a prognosis of an imminent, ghastly death drinking goat-dung tea doesn't sound so bad. I won't give you the blah, blah, blah, but you're stuck with being big pharma's bitch.

[mecch]

Let's just stay away from this rabbit hole shall we? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YtH2rjrfaI 


Monkey see, monkey do - I don't know why.
Rather be dead than cool - I don't know why.
Every line is a rhyme - I don't know why.
Less is more, love is blind - I don't know why.

Stay, stay away.
Stay away,
Stay away.

Give an inch, take a mile - I don't know why.
Fashion shits, fashion styles - I don't know why.
Throw it out and keep it in - I don't know why.
Have to have poison skin - I don't know why.

Stay, stay away.
Stay away,
Stay away.
I don't know why, I don't know why.

Stay, stay away.
Stay away,
Stay away.

Monkey see, monkey do - I don't know why.
Rather be dead than cool - I don't know why.
Every line ends in rhyme - I don't know why.
Less is more, love is blind - I don't know why.

Stay, stay away.
Stay away,
Stay away.
I don't know why, I don't know why.

Stay, stay away.
Stay away, stay away.
Stay away, stay away.
Stay away, stay away.
Stay away, God is gay.

[Miss Philicia]

This thread is very unhealthy to have on these forums if one considers how many "guests" there are that read these boards but do not participate.

Balancing the interests of one person against hundreds well... I know which side I come down on.

[mecch]

ditto

[Ptrk3]

On the other hand, I would be very careful to quash any discussion like this, in  order to get to the ultimate truth of the matter.  As Milton pointed out in his seminal essay against the licensing of the press, the Areopagitica, all ideas should be expressed, no matter how noxious, in order that they are within the "marketplace of ideas," where the poor products (i.e., bad ideas) would not sell.  It is far more dangerous, methinks, to hide these ideas.

https://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/reading_room/areopagitica/text.shtml

Don't get me wrong.  I do not believe that there is a natural cure or treatment for HIV/AIDS.  If there were, there would be no HIV/AIDS left.  We are all Big Pharma's bitches, now, to be sure, but let newbies use their critical thinking skills to shop the marketplace of ideas and find this truth out.  A truth learned on one's own is better than a truth taught.

However, the LTS's here and those of us with the critical thinking skills to look at all the evidence, can guide the newbies to the ineffable truth:  take your ART's and you will live!  Take only herbs and spices and you will die (but you might taste good to the grave worms).  The truth shall set you free and keep you well.

[Jeff G]

Miss P and Mecch, you guys are doing a great job telling the truth about HIV but maybe someone who is searching for a natural cure will read this and learn that HAART is the only thing that will save your life if you have HIV . I value both your guys opinion so I will ask both of you ... Do you think I should ban this guy from what he has posted so far ? I think its premature .

Also ... another member pointed out to me that by the OP's time line he was 11 years old when infected ... I have not read back to check it out yet but we shall see .