Surviving HIV

In the early and mid-1980s the general opinion on treatment and survival options for HIV/AIDS were often bleak. The available medical protocols were often highly toxic, suspect, or lost efficacy as the virus became resistant. With the advent of current effective prophylactic and anti-retroviral therapies such as protease inhibitors, people with HIV/AIDS are living longer, more productive lives; often experiencing dramatic reductions in viral loads, and significant increases in T-cells. Now, more than ever, it's important for people managing HIV disease to pay close attention to factors which support and enhance whatever treatment options they pursue. Holistic health care and complimentary therapies have been quietly helping to preserve the health of people with HIV/AIDS. The goal of holistic health care is to create a sense of wellness: a state of being, or a state of mind in which people are in harmony with themselves, their environment and their bodies. Many people are familiar with holistic therapies like acupuncture, massage and chiropractic care, but what often goes unsaid are the basic ideas behind holistic care: the factors that drive human behavior.

Wellness is a choice we make to abandon high-risk and/or self-destructive behaviors, and to adopt lifestyle habits which nurture and enhance our lives. These choices can include moderating or giving up alcohol and/or tobacco, changing our nutritional habits, or incorporating physical conditioning activities into our lives. Wellness is a personal responsibility. Making rational, well-informed choices becomes our responsibility, not that of an entity, such as a physician, agency, friends or family. When we allow someone or something else to take responsibility for our lives, we lose our power to choose. Wellness is a commitment which enables us to continue despite any setbacks we may encounter. Making a commitment to wellness is a conscious decision to do something different. Wellness is a process; it's not something that happens all at once. It unfolds, develops, and changes as we progress to each new level. It is the natural order of things. The process requires that we be willing and flexible to modify our beliefs or behaviors as our life changes. The end-point of goals become progress, not perfection.

At the HIV Wellness Center, the mission is to create community partnerships to preserve the health of people living with HIV through education and holistic health care. If you, or someone you love, is HIV+ and interested in learning more about how a personal wellness plan can effectively manage HIV/AIDS, call HWC at 467-0088.