HIV AIDS
MEANING:
Acquired Immune deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is a deadly disease that affects the human immune system. Caused by the HIV virus, this malaise progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals prone to infections and tumors. HIV disease becomes AIDS when the immune system is seriously damaged.
CAUSES:
The exchange of HIV-infected body fluids leads to the development of AIDS. A person carrying the virus can transmit it to another person if there is an exchange of body fluid either through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk.
The most common ways HIV is passed on are:
- Generally, having unprotected sex with several partners increases the possibility of contracting AIDS
- Sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment
- From an HIV-positive mother (to her child) during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding (but with effective treatment and care the risk of transmission can be greatly reduced)
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:
- Pain in the muscles
- Red rashes all over the body
- Swelling of the lymph and nodes of the affected individual
- Fever accompanied by throat pain
- Recurring skin infections
- Drastic weight loss and intermittent cold and cough
One way to measure the damage to the immune system is to count CD4 cells in the blood which form an important part of the immune system. Healthy people have between 500 and 1,500 CD4 cells in millilitre of blood. If the CD4 cell count goes down to less than 200 then the body becomes incapable of fighting the other germs (opportunistic infections) that may enter the body and this phase is called AIDS. Repeated infections by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites can lead to serious weight loss, brain and skin cancer, and other health problems. Without treatment, these opportunistic infections can be lethal.
AIDS is different in every infected person. Some people die soon after getting infected, while others live fairly normal lives for many years, even after they “officially” have AIDS. A few HIV-positive people stay healthy for many years even without taking anti-HIV medications.
There is no cure for AIDS. Last month there was a report of one individual in UK who had cured himself of the disease which is the first case ever reported in the medical literature are drugs that can slow down the HIV virus, and slow down the damage to immune system. There are other drugs that can prevent or treat opportunistic infections
YOGA FOR HIV –AIDS
What can yoga do for these subjects?
Prevention is better than cure. Healthy habits of practice of sex in the right way prescribed and accepted by dharma can eradicate this problem. Yoga takes us to the fundamental question of why does man go in for sex? It is for getting the thrill and happiness as this is the best of the sense pleasures known to man.Tattiriya upanisad goes to the extent of saying that whenever we are in a state of happiness due to any sense pleasure we touch the source of silence within us which is nothing but the divinity that is dormant in all of us. Hence one shall enjoy sex as a manifestation of divinity with reverence and a feeling of worship which will take away all wrong practices of sex.
Also for addiction to substance abuse yoga has a message. By seeing the divinity even in that pleasure, the youngsters who are drawn to these wrong practices may use these dangerous drugs only to experiment this truth with reverence and never end up becoming an addict.
Prevention of this disease is centered around educating professional sex workers in our country which is a big problem because of the associated illiteracy.Yoga can be a great boon to these girls as they need to have mastery over their life style ( their mind ) to function as a responsible individual in the society.
Yogic cure:-
[1] Shatkarma {Purificatory techniques}
{a} Sutra-neti {Nose wash by string}
{b} Jalaneti {Nose wash by water}
{c} Kapal-bhati {Lungs and brain wash by breathing}
{d} Trataka {Eye gazing for focussing, purifying mind}
{e} Sankh-prakshalana {Mouth to anus gut wash}
[2] Yogasanas {Posture}
{a} Siddhasana {Perfect}
{b} Shavasana {Corps}
{c} Padmasana {Lotus}
{d} Vajrasana {Adamantine}
{e} Matsyasana {Fish posture}
{f} Mayurasana {Peacock}
{g} Gomukhasana {Cow-head}
{h} Makarasana {Crocodile}
{i} Dhanurasana {Bow}
{j} Bhujangasana {Cobra}
{k} Yod nidra {Yoga sleep}
{l} Padangusthasana {Hand &toe}
{m} Majriasana, {Cat posture}
{n} Matsyendrasana {Spinal twist}
{o} Sirshasana {Head stand pose}
{p} Sarvangasana {Shoulder stand}
{q} Yoga-Mudra {Yoga}
{r} Halasana {Plough}
[3] Pranayama {Body-mind energising breathing practices}
{a} Anulome-vilome {Alternate nostrilar pranayama}
{b} Sheetali {Beak-tongue pranayama}
{c} Bhramari {Humming bee pranayama}
{d} Kapalbhati {Lungs &brain wash by breathing}
{e} Bhasrika {Bellow pranayama}
[4] Bandhas:- {Bands}
{a} Moola bandha {Anal lock}
{b} Uddiyan-bandha, {Abdominal lock}
{c} Maha bandha
[5] Mudras: {Finger –posture}
{a} Ashwini mudra { Horse gesture}
{b} Vajoli mudra
{c} Shaktichalini mudra
{d} Yog mudra
{e} Maha mudra
{f} Vipreetkarni mudra
{7} Yogic diet:-
Diet is an important factors,
Include fresh fruit nut, cereals, green vegetables, milk, honey etc.in your diet.
Avoid smoking, alcohol, tea, coffee all processed canned refined and denatured foods especially white sugar and white flour and products made from them.
[8] Fasting
Scientific appraisal in favour of yoga:-
Can yoga help HIV infected persons?
We under took a research project last year in collaboration with university of sanfransico and studied the role of yoga to help persons with HIV who attend a service organization in Bangalore called ‘ ‘samraksha’ which is doing yeomen service to these individuals. THEY WERE TAUGHT SIMPLE SATKARMA,YOGASANA, PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION WITH DEEP RELAXATION TO THE MIND BODY COMPLEX. The results showed that their CD4 counts had increased and the viral load had decreased after two months of practice as compared to those who continued with the conventional supportive therapy at samraksha. The results also showed reduced stress levels and better quality of life with a feeling of well being. The reports of individuals who participated in this program was that they benefited a lot in their self confidence and were able to cope much better with their demanding life situations and the social difficulties they had to face. This shows that even when the immune system is disturbed by the dangerous virus one has the capacity to strengthen and increase their immunity by giving deep rest to the cells and coming out of stress through yoga practices. We are continuing this service to even the AIDS patients who are very sick.
Further suggestion:
People who carry the HIV virus in their body need to stay healthy at all times and can benefit from performing creation exercises and postures. Yogic practices have been found to be effective in healing some of the ailments caused by the virus in the body. Since AIDS is mostly transmitted by sexual means, people need to practice safer sex to keep it at bay. While using injections and syringes, a person should make sure they are properly sterilized and not shared by others. An HIV infected person can lead a healthy life by sticking to a balanced diet and keeping the body fit.
Yogi Yoganand
