I know that you usually find me in my "Nutrition & HIV" articles but I wanted to offer you a little advice on holiday coping skills. Ever since the September 11th attacks, our fear of flying has been replaced by fear of opening the mail and being exposed to anthrax spores. The war in Afghanistan wages on and the media is telling us that the likelihood of further terrorist attacks is almost certain. Meanwhile, government officials are urging us to live our lives normally but remain on alert at all times. Little wonder that the resulting fear and anxiety have taken their toll on the health of millions -- far more than the actual number affected by the attacks themselves. In Maine alone, the heart attack rate nearly doubled in the week following the attacks. Healthcare centers all over the US have seen dramatic increases in such conditions as insomnia, anxiety, depression, allergic reactions, and infections.

Despite the current uncertainty, we each have more power to stay healthy than we think we do. I want to give you some concrete advice for staying healthy and keeping your immune system functioning at its full capacity. With HIV we are already at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to our immune systems, so keeping them stable is very important. If ever there was a time when each of us needs to learn the skills for creating health daily, it is now. Here goes:

Skills for Creating Health Daily

1. Put strict limits on your news consumption. Many people admit that they've become addicted to the news recently. You needn't worry about missing anything important. The media are good at saying the same thing every 20 minutes or so but making it sound a little different each time to keep you "hooked." It is also the media's job to keep your interest. Reporters do this by focusing on the worst and most unusual stories they can find. Though we daily hear about the dangers of anthrax, for example, only a few people have died, despite the fact that hundreds have been exposed. The risk from anthrax for the vast majority of us is extremely low. But the risk of immune system depression (and enhanced susceptibility to illness due to HIV) from staying glued to TV news has been well-documented! Dr. David McClellan at Harvard, for example, studied the immune systems of medical students after they watched movies of war and found that their immune systems (measured as salivary IgA) significantly dropped.

For those who are exposed to anthrax or anything else, the best first line of defense is already living inside your body. It's your immune system. Keep in mind that there have always been survivors of every major epidemic, including smallpox and the plague, long before we had antibiotics. And there are many long-term-survivors of HIV/AIDS. What they all had in common was a strong immune system. With HIV the word "strong" means that their immune systems, while compromised, were functioning at their utmost capacity, whether they had two T-cells or 1000.

2. Resolve to live your life as normally and as joyfully as possible instead of waiting until the outside world changes. This is the only way to achieve biochemical balance. Our bodies were designed to stay in states of "fight or flight" only for short periods of time, just enough time to run away from danger, or face it. When we stay on hyper-alert for hours, days, or weeks, we're subjecting our bodies to prolonged levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Over time this results in all the well-known side effects that you see when someone is on prednisone: excess body fat, water retention, thinning skin, increased susceptibility to infection, decreased muscle mass, and thinning bones! The doctors will tell you that it's "just the virus", but I believe that's too high a price to pay for conditions outside yourself that you can do little to change!

3. Don't feel guilty for allowing yourself to feel hope, happiness, or joy. Staying positive and healthy doesn't mean denying what's going on. Instead, it means that you'll actually have something of value to contribute to any situation that may arise. It's easy to remain positive. Look at all the profoundly moving things that have happened since September 11th: the national and global unity that makes us truly feel as though we are all one planet, a feeling that enhances immune system functioning; and the fundraising concerts such as The Tribute to Heroes and the Concert for New York City on October 20th. As I watched this on TV, I realized that Bin Laden and his thugs don't stand a chance compared to the humor, freedom, joy, and goodwill that are pouring out over our planet from this kind of joint effort.

4. Use prayer, meditation, and visualization to increase your energy and tap your inherent positive creative power. This helps you and everybody else. Here's why: Thoughts have a tendency to become their physical equivalent. In other words, all events begin first as energy, and then they become physical -- not the other way around. In fact, the French physicist Bernard d'Espagnat once said, "The doctrine that the world is made up of objects whose existence is independent of human consciousness turns out to be in conflict with quantum mechanics and with the facts established by experiment. The great physicist Max Planck supported this when he said, "I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as a derivative of consciousness. Dozens of studies have documented the fact that our thoughts do, in fact, impact others. Over 180 studies on prayer show that this form of thought has a positive effect on plants, humans, and even yeast cells. On a much larger scale, several intriguing studies have demonstrated what has become known as the Maharishi Effect. When a critical mass of meditators (about 1% of the population of an area) were brought together to practice Transcendental Meditation in various areas of the world, there was a measurable decrease in the number of violent crimes, terrorist acts, suicides, and even international conflicts.

Here's what this all means and why it s so critical to understand right now. When you are tuned into your inner wisdom, Higher Self, or God in whatever way you understand God, your energy lightens up and your vibration literally changes. And this lifting of energy also helps others rise as well. You know the old saying: When the tide rises, all boats are lifted. It's the same with energy. When we raise our energy through concentrating on those things that are positive and joyful, we raise the energy of ourselves and everyone. Not only that, we connect more fully with our Inner Guidance (or Inner Counselor) which provides intuitive answers and solutions to our concerns. That's the little voice inside your head that sometimes tells you to do or not to do something. And it is usually right!

Here are some other suggestions that I've personally found very helpful:

1. Continue to exercise, eat well, and take care of your precious self; your own life and health are the parts of the planet that you can influence the most positively and directly.

2. Use immune-system-enhancing supplements: Though many different herbs and vitamins, such as garlic and vitamin C, positively affect the immune system, there are two herbal preparations that I've found especially helpful at this time. One is known as Samento, which is a very rare form of the Peruvian medicinal plant commonly known as Cat's Claw. Samento is a much more biologically effective type of Cat's Claw that has a remarkable ability to help restore immune system function. Samento works by enhancing the immune system directly. It doesn't fight specific germs or bacteria. Its effect has been attributed to a series of alkaloids in the product that stimulate immune function, e.g., the ability of white cells to engulf and kill bacteria. Anecdotal reports and preliminary clinical trials of Samento have shown that it helps lower blood pressure, helps prevent the spread of tumors, reduces inflammation, helps block fluid retention, helps overcome viral infection, and even enhances mood and sleep in many. I even had one patient whose menopausal symptoms went away completely with Samento when nothing else worked! Samento is harvested in a completely sustainable way and a portion of the profits is used to improve the lives of the local Peruvians (e.g., building and maintaining schools and orphanages). Usual dose is 1-4 extra-strength capsules per day for 2-3 weeks. After that, use one capsule per day of the maintenance strength. If you can't find Samento at your local pharmacy or health food market, you can use regular Cat's Claw.

Kan Jang is a combination of Chinese herbs that have been shown to decrease the incidence of colds. The dose is two tablets in the morning and two at night, the minute you start coming down with a cold. It's kind of like echinacea, but doesn't have the "build-up" issues associated with the latter herb (see my "herb" issue -- November 2001 -- for more details.) Many people take it daily during the winter months to prevent colds in the first place. This herb has helped hundreds of people with sinusitis and chronic upper respiratory infections.

3. Use full-spectrum light every day. With the clock turned we have entered the darkest days of the year. For many people in the northern hemisphere, the lack of light is associated with seasonal affective disorder (sad) and worsens PMS even in the best of times. Switching to full-spectrum light bulbs such as Chromlux bulbs, available at most natural food stores, or using a light box, can significantly help or prevent sad. Or do it the old fashioned way, go out into the sun for at least 20 minutes every day. Just remember that although it's wintertime, we still can burn from the sun, so use your sunscreen.

4. Take a moment to uplift yourself and the world by imagining the following: Imagine the entire world coming together in unprecedented ways that are, right this minute, uplifting and healing all of us. Imagine a circle of "light beings" (or whatever you choose to call them) surrounding the heads of all of our leaders (George Bush, Jr., Colin Powell, all the Special Forces of the military, the FBI, all policemen and firemen, etc.). Visualize these messengers of light whispering wisdom into their ears to help guide their actions during the coming months. Imagine an enormous ray of light shining down from the Heavens onto the United States and from there spreading to the entire planet and back out into the universe enveloping all of us with clarity, peace, love, and joy. Imagine this ray of light illuminating all the dark places on the planet whether they be caves in Afghanistan or dark areas in human hearts. Imagine the spirits of all of those who died in these attacks assisting us from the other side, just a thin veil away, letting us know that they are okay and that we can still be in contact with them simply by thinking about them and sending them our blessings. Know that the Light is always more powerful than the Dark, and that those of us who are attuned to the light are infinitely more powerful and effective than those who are in the dark.

5. Finally, cultivate inner peace. See yourself as a source of peace. Radiate that peace outward to your family, town, place of business, and to the whole planet as you go forth each morning. And send that peace forward into your dreams as you lie down to sleep each night.

Some of these practices may seem a bit odd for you, especially if you do not currently have a "faith" or belief that you employ on a daily basis, but that's okay; just do whatever you feel comfortable with and let it go freely out into the Universe. You'll be amazed at the difference you will personally feel and the improved energy you will have available to you as your immune system continues to work at its highest capacity, whatever that may be. And, if you experience a profound change in your feelings, behaviors, thoughts, actions or moods over these holidays and would like to share them with me you can write to me at my address, or call (see "Nutrition & HIV" article), and I might even include them in a future article (with your consent). May you have a joyous and happy holiday and an enthusiastically hopeful New Year!

011201
BA011202

Copyright © 2001 - Being Alive. Permission granted for noncommercial reproduction, provided that our address and phone number are included if more than short quotations are used. Subscription lists are kept confidential. Being Alive, 621 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069 TEL: 310.289.2551; FAX: 310.289.9866; Email: BeiAlive@aol.com  http://www.beingalivela.org/

AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, iMetrikus, Inc., the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2001. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2001. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.