Courtesy - Daily News - Chelliah Thuraiappah D.Y.T. Consultant Yoga TherapistThere are approximately 3,000 HIV patients in Sri Lanka, 1,250 of them have been clinically confirmed HIV positive cases. According to the statistics there are 40,000 sex workers in Sri Lanka. They serve over 200,000 men daily and each of them caters at least five to six clients per day. In addition there are 40,000 drugs addicts and 20,000 beach boys. This has paved way to add at least one HIV patient daily to the records. The present trend of flourishing tourism industry in Sri Lanka aftermath of the cessation of the war will further increase the number of HIV positive patients manifolds.
This has prompted the Global Fund to battle HIV/AIDS to allocate a huge sum of Rupees 3,550 million for two projects of proposals of Sri Lanka for HIV prevention and strengthening of the health service in Northern province by controlling AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
As we all know the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is perhaps the most dreadful disease that spoils our immunity and gradually takes charge of all body systems. The culprit behind the disease is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that decreases the efficiency of the immune system gradually and leaves individuals prone to infections and tumors.
Signs and symptoms of AIDS include severe muscular pain, skin infections and rashes with redness all over the body, sores and inflamed lymph and nodes of the patients, severe throat pain with fever and skin infections that do not go away and appear again. Severe weight loss and intermittent cold and cough are two prominent symptoms.
Different symptoms of AIDS may appear in different persons, but they become prominent within six weeks of infection by the virus. Unfortunately, most of the patients are unable to recognize the symptoms in time and the symptoms become chronic thereby making the treatment difficult. However, in most of the cases the symptoms of AIDS are not manifested after the person contracts HIV infection. The manifestation of the initial symptoms may differ from patient to patient. Body’s metabolic rate and immunity generally affect the manifestation of the symptoms. The tenure of appearance of symptoms can be anything from one to ten years in the affected people.
The transmission of HIV – infected body fluids from the affected person to a healthy person is responsible for transmission of AIDS. A person carrying the virus can transmit it to another healthy person if he exchanges body fluid with that person. The most common culprit is the unprotected sex with several partners that increases the chances of contracting AIDS. The intravenous drug users become easy prey to HIV infection.
Body fluids that transmit HIV include blood, semen, pre semen fluid, vaginal fluid and breast milk. HIV can enter the body lining of the anus or rectum, lining of vagina or cervix, opening of penis, mouth that has sores or bleeding gum, cuts and sores, needles (Syringe).
Medical fraternity does not suggest any effective remedy for AIDS, however, Ayurvedic practitioners claim that Ayurveda recognized AIDS 2000 years ago. Named as the king of diseases or Rajayakshma and is defined in Ashtanga Hridayam. To improve body strength and induce appetite, preparations like Indukantham Ghritham and Ajamamsa Rasayanam are recommended. Rasasindoor, a mercury preparation, is given to the patients to increase internal strength.
If the symptoms start diminishing and patients recover, shodhana (Cleansing) techniques are recommended to flush out toxins from the system. This is done through purgation, emesis and enemas. Once the signs of improvement are seen, the patient is given medications that purify the blood. Patients are recommended to consume special non-vegetarian diet to boost strength. Bathing with cold water and application of sandalwood paste is also recommended.
Ayurveda advises rejuvenators and tonics to enhance immunity level of AIDS patients. Healthy and safe sex is what can prevent AIDS to become an epidemic as AIDS is mostly transmitted by sexual means. Condoms are easy way for protection during sexual intercourse. While using injections and syringes, it must be ensured that they are properly sterilized and not shared by others. Though the disease is not curable but practically an HIV infected person can lead a healthy life by choosing a balanced died and maintaining health and body fitness by practicing Yoga.
Constant changes
Modern medicine undergoes constant change, theories alter by minute. Terminologies are modified in each national or international conference. Newer drugs are being discovered to tackle old and new illnesses, old illnesses are vanishing and new ones like AIDS taking their place.
The most effective way to slow down the spread of HIV/AIDS is through changing the sexual and infecting drug risk behaviors that transmit HIV from individual to individual. Drinking alcohol significantly increases the risk of these behaviors in a complex manner. Drinking alcohol encourages adolescents to engage in risky behaviors of unprotected sex. Hence, delaying the initiation of sexual activity and dissuading young adults from using alcohol and drugs are important HIV prevention strategies. Yoga therapy enhances your abilities, makes you give up bad habits and more effectively develop healthier habits. This helps prevention of AIDS transmission to a great extent.
The relation between the psyche and Soma is harmonized by the Yoga Therapy. Drugs may cure illnesses but the basic inner foundation for achieving health, the harmonization of inner psyche, is not established. Yoga Therapy is of more value in this. The fact that Yoga Therapy can prevent and cure many illnesses including AIDS is well-known. Yoga Therapy has never been very easy to define, largely owing to the length and breadth of the subject. Yoga Therapy aims at the holistic treatment of various kinds of psychological or somatic dysfunction inducing ones that could not be managed by Allopathic Medicine. A number of studies have proven the effectiveness of Yoga Therapy. There are various steps like postures (asanas), pranayama (Breathing exercise) and Meditation etc. in Yoga Therapy that contribute for overall well-being.
Depression
When a person is made aware of AIDS he shall experience fear, hopelessness and depression. Yoga Therapy can greatly help in handling and counseling this stress. So as a result when practised regularly it helps cope with stress and building up inner strength bringing about self-awareness through meditation.
”Keep fit and stay healthy” that’s the mantra for the people who are carries of HIV virus. Some specific postures are beneficial in maintaining health. The good thing is that these postures can be easily performed at home not incurring any expenses.
A set of postures tone up the muscles and internal organs. They revitalize system, create overall awareness of the body and its function and help tranquilize the mind. They also energize and stimulate body’s major endocrine glands (ductless glands). By toning up internal organs, they also prevent and cure many illnesses.
They include head stand (Sirasana), supported bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana), simple cross leg (Sukhasana), supported plough (ardha halasana), supported head/knee forward bend (Janasirasana) and corpse (Shavasana). When these postures are practiced regularly they help in improvement of immune system increasing immunity.
Corpse (Shavasana) is a relaxing posture, a process designed to soothe both mind and body. Yoga Therapy holds that “Tension is a disease (a state of unease) and relaxation is health.” To this end shavasana contributes a lot. Shavasana enables you to communicate directly with your subconscious mind to enhance your abilities, more easily give up bad habits, feel less pain, more effectively develop healthier habits. This help AIDS patients to fight with it.
Pranayama
Whenever we think of the term Pranayama, the only thing appears in our mind is that it is a breathing exercise. But, Pranayama means a lot more than just breathing for relaxation. Pranayama is a regulation of incoming and outgoing breath coupled with retention. Cosmic power dominates and controls our body. Pranayama prepares us for the stillness and meditation to come. It helps us control ourselves mentally and physically, attaining purification of body, soul and mind. Purification of Nadis – subtle nerve channels 72,000 in number in subtle body and the result is healthy mind and to its high. Prana in Nadis enhances body’s immunity thereby prevents and cures various chronic diseases including AIDS.
Meditation is an unique technique used to stabilize the mind, increase concentration and willpower, balance cellular and Chakra energy and develop one-pointedness. Doctors are suggesting meditation option as an alternative therapy to improve condition of people suffering from various chronic diseases.
Medication is now considered as a flexible approach towards combating anxiety, stress, depression and other medical conditions arising due to stress from day-to-day activities which steals the inner calmness of an individual. During the meditation the mind gets purified as all other distracting thoughts are removed from the mind. Medical professionals who were unable to attain maximum results in their treatment of stress related health conditions, found meditation to be a valuable too. Today, the value of meditation is being realized worldwide.
Recent studies have indicated that meditation plays an important role in an individual’s physiological and psychological well-being. The reason behind this is that through meditation the mind is drawn to a state of consciousness which promotes healing.
Benefits of meditation
Meditation is found to be beneficial in lowering the heart rate, lowering cortisol level that causes stress, reducing the free radicals that cause diseases in the body, reducing hypertension, reducing cholesterol levels, treating TB that causes death to AIDS patients by improving air flow into the lungs while inhaling, reducing ageing by increasing DHEAS as low levels of DHEAS is correlated to ageing.
Research has conclusively proved the connection between DHEAS (Dehydroeplandrosterone) level and diseases such as diabetes, lymphoma (a cancer that arises in the cells of the immune system) as well as a decreased lifespan. Meditation significantly enhances DHEAS level. DHEAS deficiency contributes to common age related diseases and diminished longevity.
Meditation increases the consistency of the brain wave pattern. In addition meditation decreases stress and anxiety, depression and irritability and increase memory, enhances vitality, emotional stability and promotes self-realization. All these play a significant role for fast recovery from AIDS.
Meditation is being practised in certain hospitals around the world for improving immune function during health conditions like AIDS, cancer etc.
More and more physicians have now begun considering meditation as a key element in health programs and meditation is recommended as part of treatment for a number of health conditions.
