AIDS & Medicinal Mushrooms

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

HIV compromises the immune system and makes it extremely difficult for the body to fight the organisms that cause this disease.

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

AIDS is a chronic condition and it is potentially life-threatening.

HIV virus can be transmitted through:

• contact with semen or vaginal fluids
• anal or oral sex
• from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding
• through infected blood.

Just as it is very clear how one can get infected, it is just as clear how one cannot get HIV / AIDS.

Though HIV is a virus, it is not spread through insect bites, through the air or water.

People cannot be infected while shaking hands, hugging, kissing, sitting next to an infected person, holding hands, dancing, playing sports, etc.

So, what happens when the person gets infected?
The HIV virus specifically targets and destroys the CD4 T cells. These are the enormously important white blood cells that play a huge role in helping the human body fight the infection. The fewer CD4 T cells are in the blood, the weaker is the immune system and the person is battling to fight the disease.

When the CD4 T cells count in the blood tests falls below 200 or there is a complication related to AIDS symptoms, the person is diagnosed with AIDS.

The symptoms of HIV and AIDS vary from one infected person to another. These symptoms can also be different depending on the stage of the infection.

There are 3 stages of the HIV progression:

• Primary infection (Acute HIV)
• Clinical latent infection (Chronic HIV)
• Symptomatic HIV infection

Primary infection (Acute HIV)
After being infected, it takes just a few weeks for most people to start experiencing the first symptoms that can last for several weeks. These signs can be easily overlooked because they can be very mild and seem to be most familiar flu-like symptoms:

• Headache
• Sore throat
• Painful mouth sores
• Swollen lymph glands, especially on the neck
• Rash
• Fever
• Muscle pain
• Joint pain
• Fatigue

Clinical latent infection (Chronic HIV)
During this stage the HIV virus remains in the infected white blood cells. Some people might have no symptoms, or any signs of the disease and others might have minor symptoms such as persistent swelling of lymph nodes.

Generally, if the person does not receive the antiretroviral therapy, the Chronic HIV infection lasts for about 10 years and sometimes, even if the infected person is taking the treatment, the infection lasts for several decades. Unfortunately, some people suffer more severely than others when the HIV infection progresses much faster and more acutely.

Symptomatic HIV infection
After a few weeks of the initial infection, some of the flu-like symptoms would be gone and the disease progresses to AIDS.

Now a new set of symptoms start creeping in alongside the old ones adding to the spectrum:

• Fever
• Nights sweats
• Weight loss
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Oral yeast infection (thrush)
• Recurring infections
• Shingles (herpes zoster)

Progression of HIV infection to AIDS
Most people with HIV that undergo the rigorous antiviral treatments do not develop AIDS. In those infected people with HIV that do not take the drugs, HIV progresses into AIDS in about 10 years.

At the stage when the HIV infection progresses into AIDS the person’s immune system is severely damaged. The mildest infection that would not cause much trouble for a person with healthy immune system, in this case can be a devastating one.

These are just some of the symptoms occurring in this stage:

• Recurring fever
• Soaking night sweats
• Unexplained and persistent fatigue
• Unusual lesions in the mouth / on the tongue
• Persistent white spots in the mouth / on the tongue
• Skin rashes or bumps
• Weight loss
• Chronic diarrhea

Though there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, there are specific types of medications that can make a huge, life-saving difference to the infected person. These drugs can slow down the progression of the disease, prolong life, prevent secondary infections and the complications, improve the quality of life, thus reducing the number of deaths caused by AIDS.

If HIV is not treated, then it progresses into AIDS in about 10 years.

It is absolutely essential to take the antiretroviral therapy or ART and be in close contact with your medical professional.

When infected with HIV, the immune system is severely compromised.

Medicinal mushrooms tremendously boost the immune system, help fight the secondary infections, increase the energy level, help overcome the fatigue, improve the general wellbeing, and fight the side effects of the antiretroviral drugs such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

A high dosage of each of the five MediMushrooms products is recommended:

• Cordyceps
• Lion’s Mane
• Maitake
• Reishi
• Shiitake

Please do not hesitate to contact me and discuss your health issues or any of our MediMushrooms products.

I am here to help,
Dr Alla.