Diagnosis of HIV AIDS

Diagnosing HIV/AIDS

If you think you may be infected with HIV, the only way to know for sure is to be tested. Testing is voluntary and can be anonymous. Your results will remain confidential. You can be tested at your physician's office or at a sexual health clinic, many of which are run by local public health units.

HIV testing can involve two types of tests: a preliminary test that detects HIV antibodies and a final confirmatory test. If the rapid test, which requires a finger prick of blood, is reactive to HIV, a second laboratory-based test is required to determine whether someone is HIV positive. However, if the rapid test is negative, then no further testing is required.

If HIV infection is confirmed, your doctor will discuss treatment options as well as support groups and other services to help you cope. You should inform your sexual partners (past, current, and future) to protect them from developing HIV or help them get treatment if they have been infected. The laws about whether partners must be informed vary from province to province, but most provinces have developed services for notifying partners. Your doctor or provincial ministry of health may be able to help your partners get testing and treatment if needed.

Treating and Preventing HIV/AIDS

HIV is usually treated with HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), a potent combination of anti-HIV medications. HAART will not cure HIV, but it can reduce the amount of virus in the blood, improve the immune system, and slow the progression of the disease. At least three medications are used together. Using multiple medications that work in different ways helps prevent the virus from becoming resistant to the treatment. The risk of resistance increases when fewer medications are used, when too low a dose is taken, or when a medication is stopped, even if this only happens for a short period of time.

It is very important to take HIV medications exactly as prescribed. If you miss a dose, take less medication than you need, or take doses at the wrong time, the medication will not work as well. Timing the medications around your meals and daily routine can be difficult. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fit the medications into your day. They may also recommend that you use a beeper or a special medication container to keep track of doses.

Once people develop AIDS, they usually take a range of antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal medications that other people only take for a short time while they are sick. These medications help fight off opportunistic infections. People with "wasting syndrome" may be offered various treatments according to the cause of significant weight loss. Agents such as growth hormone, anabolic steroids, and appetite stimulants are examples of medications that have been used to treat this condition.

There is a great deal of research on new treatments for HIV. Treatment information changes quickly. To keep up-to-date, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You can also contact CATIE (the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) for free, current, and confidential treatment information. You can reach CATIE by phone (1-800-263-1638) or on the Internet (www.catie.ca). You can also check with your provincial Ministry of Health for information on provincial and local programs.

Anyone can become infected with HIV. Fortunately, it can be prevented. The main ways to prevent HIV infection are:

using condoms during sex (including vaginal, oral, and anal sex)
having fewer sexual partners
not sharing needles or other equipment to take illicit drugs

Unless you are in a mutually monogamous relationship (neither of you is having sex with anyone else), and you are sure neither of you is HIV-positive, make sure to use a condom every time you have sex.

In some cases, couples where one partner is infected may decide to risk infection of the other partner, especially if they are trying to get pregnant. If this is the case, talk to your doctor. Your choice of sexual partner is also important, since condoms do sometimes break or leak. You may know that you practice safe sex and that you haven't used dirty needles, but you must also know that your sexual partners and all their other partners do the same. Sharing needles is very dangerous – it carries a high risk of getting HIV.

People with other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as herpes are much more likely to contract HIV during sex, probably because of tiny breaks in their skin or vaginal lining. Keeping free of other STIs will help reduce your risk of HIV infection, but this alone will not protect you from infection. That's why it is important to use condoms.

If you have HIV and become pregnant, tell your doctor. The risk of infecting an infant during birth has been reduced dramatically through the use of medication and caesarean section when appropriate.

Natural Breasts Care

Herbs And Vitamins For Healthy Breasts

There are a number of herbs and vitamins for healthy breasts that show promise in the prevention of breast cancer and fibrocystic breast disease (non-cancerous breast lumps).

Cancer of the breast is the leading cause of death for women in the US where it is estimated that 1 in 9 women will get breast cancer before she is 85.

The inclusion of herbs and vitamins for healthy breasts, accompanied by a wholesome nutritious diet and exercise are important factors in maintaining healthy breasts.

One of the main contributing factors to breast cancer seems to be hormonal imbalance  in particular the hormone estrogen, which can promote abnormal tissue growth in breasts. However, there are a number of herbs that women can include in their diets which work to gently balance women's hormones and help in the promotion of healthy breasts.

Red Clover - This herb has been used by many different cultures in the treatment of cancer. Red clover contains isoflavones, a class of phytoestrogens that are structurally similar to estrogen.
In premenopausal women with normal estrogen levels, isoflavones have an anti-estrogen effect. In postmenopausal women with low estrogens, isoflavones act as weak estrogens.

Red Clover is also helpful in the prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women which is related to declining estrogen levels.

Furthermore, Red Clover is useful for relieving menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, reduced libido, and vaginal dryness. It should be noted, however, that women who are pregnant and breastfeeding should avoid taking Red Clover.

Green Tea - Several studies have proven that Green Tea is beneficial in the reduction of solid tumor formation and the risk of breast cancers in women. In fact, preliminary research suggests that flavonoids found in green tea reduce the risk of several different kinds of cancers including prostate cancer, colon cancer, and gastric cancer.

A recent Japanese study explored the green tea's protection against breast cancer. It was found that women who consumed more green tea had a lower number of tumor growth. And, in a seven-year study it was found that women with stage I or II cancer who consumed five or more cups of green tea a day had approximately half the recurrence rate of those women who consumed four cups or less.

Turmeric - Because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties, Turmeric may be a useful herb for healthy breasts. The medicinal properties of Turmeric have for millennia been known to the ancient Indians and its medical properties have been expounded in the Ayurvedic texts.

A recent study involving mice has shown that Turmeric slows the spread of breast cancer into lungs and other body parts. Other studies have shown that turmeric can be effective in fighting a number of STDs including Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.

In addition to herbs, there are a number of vitamins for healthy breasts that should be included in the diet as well. Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) for example, has been cited in a number of studies as important to healthy breasts and breast cancer prevention. Additionally, it is useful for the reduction of fibrocystic breast disease.
Iodine, a mineral which is commonly found in sea vegetables such as kelp is another nutrient that has been shown to retard the growth of fibrocystic breast disease.