I used to think that the word disease was simply dis + ease mixed together to explain what you were feeling. So, what is the root of disease? Well, next I thought maybe it comes from Latin (60% of English words come from Latin – many of them came indirectly through French). Wrong again! The Latin word for disease is morbus; which translates to morbid. So, the funny thing is, dis is a Latin word that means “not.” And, ease comes from early French and is originally believed to translate to “elbow room.” So, does disease mean “no elbow room?” HAHA! That rocks!

Next I moved on to Greek (which is where a bunch more of the English words come from) … Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.

All of that obfuscation, and I think we are back to square one … What the heck does disease mean, and where is its origin from?? I guess the simplest answer is that it is derived from French.

Cool tidbit: While investigating the origin of the word disease, I came across several references to Nosferatu. COo.oOL

Where were we? Oh yeah … We were defining the word, disease. So, because it is so cool, let’s agree that disease means “no elbow room.”

(:

All of this banter about such an elusive word is the perfect segue (pronounced like the little “green” scooter that has become so popular) into our topic of the day … Being sick! Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Flu
The flu is a viral respiratory infection. Approximately 1 out of 1,000 people die from the common flu. If you think about the odds of winning the lottery, or being struck by lightning, these odds are kind of scary.

So what does “flu” entail? Basically, the common flu is influenza, but there are many others including H1N1 (swine flu), H5N1 (avian/bird flu), H2N2 (Asian flu), and many others. Did you ever wonder what the “H” and “N” mean? Well, the flu is considered a “type A” virus, and they are divided into subtypes based on two viral surface proteins called hemagglutinin (the H) and neuraminidase (the N). There are 16 H subtypes and 9 N subtypes. Surface proteins can occur in many combinations, hence the H-N title. Obviously this categorization was created and compiled by someone way smarter than me!

The flu is easily transferred, because it’s airborne (transmitted by coughing and so on). It is caused by an RNA virus (tidbit: RNA viruses are also the cause of Hepatitis C).

Symptoms include fever, cough, headache, sore throat, enervation, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It ain’t pretty!

That’s about the extent of my knowledge on the subject, so if you wanna deeper dive, go to medical school!

Cold
Unlike the flu, the common cold is a viral upper respiratory tract infection. More than 200 viruses are known to cause the common cold! Kids in Elementary can experience up to a dozen colds per year, and an average adult gets about three per year.

Did you know that the common cold is the most frequent illness and number one cause of sick days? I dig tidbits.

Symptoms include nasal stuffiness, sore throat, cough, sneezing, and sometimes a fever or headache.

A popular myth is that cold weather can cause the cold. This is simply not true. However, cold temperatures and winter weather can affect your immune system, which in turn would make you more susceptible to illness. I think that there is also a direct correlation with holidays. Think about it, at Thanksgiving we eat and drink WAY too much. Not to mention that we need to hang out with our family (and that stresses the hell out of us)! We get overly stressed about the upcoming holidays and having to buy gifts and send out cards. All the way through New Year’s Day we continue to overindulge in food and drink. Think about your poor immune system during all of this! Face it - that is why you are sick, not because you took the trash out traipsing bare footprints in the snow in only boxer shorts (am I the only one who does that?)

Allergies
Not sure why I decided to include allergic reactions in my virus post … But, there are a bunch of similarities. When you are experiencing allergies, you often get congestion, sinus stuffiness, and a sore throat. Not sure what else to say about these, except that severe allergy reactions can cause infection. And they SUCK!

Fun tidbit: Arizona used to be a haven for allergy suffering folk. However, due to the increasing number of people who moved there and brought plants from their hometowns, the allergy levels have risen to nearly the same as everywhere else! Also, scientists attribute some of the allergy problems in AZ to increasing pollution and rising temperatures.

Pneumonia
There is a plethora of types of pneumonia, and I do not know much about them. A long time ago, when my immune system was shot, I got pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). So, I know a little bit about it. Basically, what I know is, it ain’t pleasant!

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs. It can come from both bacterial and virus infection. Essentially the lungs fill with fluid and it becomes difficult, sometimes near-impossible to breath.

Symptoms include coughing, shaking/chills, chest pain (sometimes very sharp), fever, difficulty breathing, and loss of appetite.

Shingles
The medical term for shingles is "herpes zoster." It is a painful (sometimes extremely) rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. If you've had chickenpox, the virus remains inactive and in certain cases can become active again, causing shingles. Under normal circumstances, shingles affects older people. However, there are plenty of cases of young adults getting them as well. HIV+ people are famous for getting shingles, because it's more likely to affect someone with a suppressed immune system.

I had shingles when I was 20 years old. It was very painful and lasted for several weeks. My scars from that encounter have last since then. Because this is a nerve related issue, they often only appear in quadrants that are split up by the nervous system. In my case, I only got them in the top left of my face (apparently the face nerves are split into quadrants).

After the excruciating pain subsides, you get to endure a good bit of time with extreme itchiness. On top of that the sores are horrendous looking.

Flu and Pneumonia Shot
Get the flu shot every year. PERIOD.

Bacterial vs. Viral
This is a good time to talk about bacterial versus viral infections. Many people mix these two up. Unfortunately, even doctors are known for confusing them. This can lead to some issues related to antibiotic usage and the possible resistance build-up. Let’s tackle this subject briefly.

There is a lot of confusion surrounding antibiotics and when to use them. So, let me try and demystify it a bit. In its pure form, an antibiotic is ONLY used to attack bacterial infections. However, recently, folks have obscured the delineation between bacterial and viral. When people say “antibiotic” these days, it almost seems that they are actually talking about an anti-infection medicine.

It is possible for you to build up a resistance to antibiotics, that is why you often here your doctor saying that if you don’t have a bacterial infection, they will not prescribe you one. I have often gone in to see my doctor with a severe sinus infection, and she says, “This isn’t a bacterial infection, so we are simply going to wait this one out.”

In reality, you aren’t building up the resistance, the bacterium your body is dealing with is building up the resistance by mutating. This is all WAY to complex for me to explain (because I have no freaking clue what I’m talking about), so if you are sincerely curious about this, ask someone who knows more than me (pretty much everyone, including my five year old daughter!)

One point to make is that colds (as we discussed earlier) are viral. Therefore, antibiotics will not work fighting them. You simply have to bite the bullet and fight through it.

How to Avoid Getting Sick
Like I know the answer to this!! WTF do you think I am, a miracle worker? Okay, I do know a few things you can do to ensure you will avoid most of these things … But you ain’t gonna like it:

- Don’t smoke;
- Don’t drink;
- Eat healthy foods;
- Take a daily multi-vitamin;
- Drink plenty of water;
- Workout with weights;
- Do some form of cardio workout;
- Don’t stress (at work or home);
- Laugh;
- Get plenty of rest.

So now that we know it is pretty much impossible for you to do those things, let’s come up with two you can do. Vitamins and laugh. Pop a vitamin and read my Blog! Done …

What to Do When You Get Sick
This one is just a hair easier to answer. REST!

Not sure if this entry was helpful, but it was fun for me to write. I hope you enjoyed my banter. Stay safe, and stay healthy!

Until next time, this is your faithful friend, Vaughn, signing off!

This post is rated PG-13 ... It contains sexual inuendos, devious acts, and plain old dirty talk ... If you are easily offended, you may want to consider skipping this one. On the other hand, if you are like me, grab a glass of water, your glasses, and an old T-shirt and read on...
Consider yourself warned!

Remember, this part of my Blog (“the Secret”) pertains to HIV+ people. However, like most of the previous posts in this category, I think that this post is relevant to most of us (yes, I’m talking to you!)

This was a particularly hard subject for me to discuss. The funny thing is that I am a very sexually driven man. I think much of that stems from the fact that I have always had to have protected sex. And, I spent much time abstaining from it. I am not one to beat around the bush, and my friends know that I am usually the one to tackle the risqué subjects. Sex is my favorite! However, it felt weird sitting down and typing about it. Enough about that … Let’s talk about everyone’s favorite subject to whisper about … SEX!!!

There are plenty of things besides HIV and AIDS that are out there affecting us. Not the least of which is unplanned pregnancy! How about other STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases)? What about your poor liver and ear drums? I’m just throwing this out there, because I want people to realize (which I know that you guys already do), that these topics affect much more than the HIV+ community.

Par for the course ... My standard DISCLAIMER is in full effect for this post. Obviously I am not a medical professional, and I do not know much about any of the stuff I spew forth. I am simply utilizing this Blog as a means to share my life experiences with people around the world (all three of you who read my posts). The ideas presented here are merely guidelines to help you on your path to longevity. I strongly urge (and insist) you to seek the help of a professional doctor or sexual surrogate before attempting ... Well … Anything!!! If you follow any of my hair-brained schemes and ideas, you do so at your own risk! Sorry for that ridiculous pronouncement, however, it is there to protect what little butt I have left.

Condoms and Other Protection Ideas
This section is to tell you what I’ve learned over the years. So, here goes nothing.

I remember years ago there was a product called nonoxynol-9. When it first became popular, it was being dubbed as a cream (or gel, or whatever) that would prevent the spread of HIV. Now, I am not sure if it’s still out there, I bet it is as long as it is still making someone money. However, I bet that it no longer makes that high-and-mighty claim of being the HIV deterrent. I seem to recall that it was actually bad for condoms, and I think that is part of the reason we hear much less about it. Charlatan panaceas like this are all around us. So, you must be diligent in your investigation before trying anything to protect you or your partner from the spread of disease.

Before I tell you how important using a condom is, let me say that from my understanding a latex condom is the only safe way to prevent (99% of the time) the transmission of STD’s. There are products out there that aren’t made out of latex. The most popular one is made from lamb membrane, and is called Lamb Skins. These condoms have been shown to be more porous, and there is a contingent that believes that even though they can stop sperm and prevent pregnancy, they may not protect against STD’s including HIV. So, make sure you do the prudent thing, which is to use latex condoms!

This section of our fun read is titled, “Condoms and Other Protection Ideas.” This might lead you to believe that I am going to delve into all manner of birth control. I ain’t. Except to say that things like the pill, diaphragms, feminine condoms, and other tools of the trade WILL NOT protect you from the transmission of STD’s! So, don’t even think about only using one of them. Also, “pulling out” is the most (or at least one of the most) asinine things an HIV+ person can do! If you want to know the one tried and true way to protect your partner, it is to abstain from having sex. Plain and simple. That said, I think it is silly to expect everyone to stick with abstinence, so that is the last time you will hear me say it.

The bottom line of this section is that you MUST wear a condom (and wear it properly) to ensure the highest amount of safety for your partner. There are enough sites out there that can detail how to wear a condom, so I’m not gonna touch that one. However, just know that the condom needs to be worn entirely prior to penetration in order to be most effective. What does that mean? you ask. Do not insert your penis into the vagina without a condom on it. Even if you intend to put one on soon after (and way before you finish). It is simply not safe to do this, and you are putting someone at risk by doing so.

I have heard of people who wear two condoms and other things. I already HATE condoms with a passion, so I can’t imagine what wearing two must be like. I feel that a single condom, worn properly is ample protection. Do what you want to do, but remember that you are protecting someone else’s health and wellbeing. Always use caution and ALWAYS think with your bigger head!

Oral Sex
Once again, nothing is foolproof. It is possible to transmit diseases when performing oral sex. I have spoken with many doctors on this subject and have come to my own conclusions. Basically, I believe that oral sex is considerably safer than actual sexual intercourse. There are inherent dangers with actually finishing while getting oral sex. Also, things to think about, like cavities and mouth sores. But, I feel that oral sex is a safe route. I am not recommending it to anyone. And, I think that each case is different. For me, I dig it, and I do it. I never finish, or even get close to finishing while doing it though. I have been together with my wife for more than 24 years now, and we have done this countless times. She is not HIV+, and I attribute that to our safe sex and level-headed practices.

We go through stages where I wear a non-lubricated condom during oral sex. We even found some very nice flavored ones. This is probably the safest route to take, but we go without more often than with.

Kissing, Petting, and Otherwise Getting Down
Let’s cut to the chase. Masturbation is what this section is about. I mean honestly, I think that transmitting HIV through kissing was dispelled back in the 1990’s. So, let’s jump right on hand jobs. Obvious things come to mind again … Are there cuts or abrasions on the hand? If so, I think that the best policy is to skip the session and wait for healed wounds.

I think that hand jobs and fingering are safer than sex and even oral sex. Once again, it must be stated that you do not finish (ejaculate) during the procedure (God that sounds medical). The way that my wife and I do it is she does for me until I am close to coming to completion and then I take over. Was that graphic enough?? I think I blushed while typing this section.

Illegal Substances
Drugs. Smoking, snorting, shooting, swallowing, and so on and so forth. The intake of drugs is a risky business. I do not need to detail the risks associated with sharing needles! However, I wonder if you have ever considered the dangers involved with other drugs. There are many to think about:

-Driving while under the influence of any drug is inherently dangerous to you, your passenger, and anyone else on the road (and sometimes sidewalk) around you.
-Your judgment is impaired while under the influence. This means that you might perform some unsafe sexual acts (among other things) while drugging.
-It is illegal. This has many implications, not the least of which is you going to jail!
-Drugs can be very bad for health (take it from me). Your immune system can take a serious hit from most (if not all) illegal substances.
-Many drugs can be extremely addicting.
-Most drugs are expensive, and will raid your bank account at odd hours of the night.
-I’m sure there is a plethora of other things to list here, but I lack the concentration to include them … Besides, my ADD is kicking in … ew, look at that shiny thing.

Alcohol and Tobacco
Alcohol and smoking almost fall into the previous section. And, there are many similarities. However, one area that they differentiate is that this category is legal (as long as you are over 21), and the previous one isn’t. That said, many of the same truths about illegal drugs cover these too. I’m not going to say abstain from these, especially because that would make me a hypocrite. But I will tell you to use good judgment and even moderation when partaking of these sinful delights.

I smoke anywhere from one to six cigarettes each year. My reasoning behind this might shock many of you. I quit smoking more than 22 years ago. But, I quit in a different way. I saw the people around me quitting repeatedly. Falling on and off the wagon, if you will. I decided to attempt to quit in a different way. Instead of saying I quit cold turkey, I simply said, I will smoke less. And when I said, “less,” boy did I mean it. I decided that I would only smoke two cigarettes per year: One on Thanksgiving, and one on another occasion, which I could choose each year. For the most part, I have stuck with that plan, and I have never smoked more than six cigarettes in any one year. That has worked for me. Plus, it is actually kind of cool. You would be amazed at how amazing nicotine is, when you haven’t had any for a half year or more!

Alcohol on the other hand, is a bit more tempting to me. This temptress has a firm grasp on me. Most of the time I am a social drinker, but once or twice a year I will drink myself silly. I don’t condone this behavior, I simply live it.

I mostly wanted to point out that both alcohol and nicotine (like the previous drugs) are addicting, bad for your immune system, and potentially dangerous under some circumstances (think drinking and driving, or smoking and pumping gas as examples). I know that I am light-hearted often. And, I crack jokes fairly frequently. But, the truth is, alcohol impairs your decision making, kills brain cells, and can destroy your liver. We do not need to list the hundreds of things that cigarettes do to you, but suffice it to say that they are bad!

Music
I’m just kidding about including this one in here … But, I will say: Listen to Rush!

Moderation
“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.”
—Oscar Wilde

This is one of my all-time favorite quotes … The funny thing is that it’s actually wrong. As much as I want to say that being extreme and hedonistic is the best policy, the truth is that modern medicine and science have proven time and again that moderation is the key to a healthy life.

Essentially, moderation is the opposite of overindulgence or excess. And, that may sound boring to many of you. However, before we jump to conclusions, let’s look at the deeper meaning of what I’m saying here.

I am talking about the keys to the kingdom (I do that often). You can have your cake and eat it too. You simply shouldn’t eat it on a daily basis. I am a huge fan of the diets that have you following a strict regiment for six days and then let you cheat for a day. I think that is a success driver. Think about it, which is easier to say, “I will NEVER eat pizza again.” Or, “I will not eat as much pizza.” The answer is simple … As is the premise. Following moderation can include a number of facets. Follow me here … How about eating less steak (red meat)? How about drinking less beer? How about taking fewer chances with your life (if, like me, you are an adrenaline junkie)? How about (you knew this was coming) having less sex and risky behavior? Any number of things in your life can be brought before the moderation thought process.

I hope I didn’t scare a bunch of folks away with this topic. It was a tough one for me to decide to write it. However, I feel that it is a necessary part of “the Secret” to HIV longevity; which includes the safety of your partner(s).

Until next time, practice safe sex, and enjoy yourself!

Your friend, and inspired Blogist,
V

Personal hygiene is often overlooked as a simple way to stay healthy. When you ask most people to list some easy ways to maintain health, they immediately shoot back with fitness or diet. The funny thing is, that hygiene and simply washing your hands has more than doubled our life expectancy over the last 100 years!

On top of longevity, hygiene has been proven to prevent or control a ton of easily curable conditions, including: dandruff, chronic halitosis (bad breath), ear wax, body odor, perspiration, head lice, urinary infection, pinworms and athlete’s foot to name but a few!

Staying Clean in General
It might not surprise you to know that a daily shower will do wonders for your body odor and even add to your good looks. It’s no secret that good looking people groom more than non-lookers. Does this mean that you will become Brad Pitt by following some simple guidelines of cleanliness… Nay! However, you are almost certain to be more appealing to the opposite sex (or same, if you dig) if you routinely take good care of your hygiene and grooming.

Hands
UNICEF is on a mission to teach the world to wash their hands. Statistics put out by UNICEF show that simply washing your hands at certain times during the day (right before eating and just after using the toilet) can reduce diarrhea rates among children under five years old by almost 50 percent and respiratory infections by 23 percent.

One of my pet peeves is people who use the bathroom and don’t wash afterward. I witness this on a regular basis at the restroom in my office.

Because I work on a computer all day, I feel like my hands are exposed to tons of germs from the keyboard and mouse. This is particularly true when sharing office equipment with co-workers. I think it is a good idea to wash your hands once and a while when using a keyboard. Because I run to the restroom so often, I get in a good dosage of hand-washing throughout the day.

When washing your hands, you should use hot water (as hot as you can safely stand) and make sure to scrub everywhere including your fingernails. Remember to use a paper towel to turn off the water (at work and public places) and to open the bathroom door.

At the very least, make sure that you follow the UNICEF guidelines and wash your hands prior to any meal or snack and after using the bathroom.

Hair
It is said that you should wash your hair with shampoo at least once per week. I personally wash my hair every day. Perhaps I am overdoing it and drying my hair and scalp. I dunno what the proper timing on this is, but obviously when your hair is getting overly oily and obviously dirty, it is time to do some scrubbing!

I have dandruff (perhaps due to the fact that I wash my hair everyday!) and easily control it with specialized shampoo. I like to alternate between a dandruff shampoo (I dig on Selsun Blue) one day and then an ordinary shampoo (American Crew for this head) the next day. I find that damdruff shampoo alone can dry my hair out more than normal… Plus on dandruff duty days, I do not use a conditioner, so the “normal” shampoo day goes a long way to help moisturize my locks.

Skin
Skin was mostly covered with the piece on showers above. I thought it deserved a section of its own however. Once again we are tasked with answering the age old question, how often should I shower? I think that this varies from person to person. Some people who perspire very little and do not build up noxious odors may not need to bathe as often as those of us in the less appealing side of things… However, I think it is common knowledge that you should take a bath or shower after a good solid workout. And, as was mentioned above, at least once per week.

Don’t forget to put on clean clothes (you would be surprised at how many people overlook this rule) after you shower!

Teeth and Gums
Twice a day is generally recognized as the minimum times that you should brush your teeth. First thing in the morning and last thing at night. Many people throw in a brushing after each meal to boot. I have been blessed with a very tough enamel and have no cavities. For this reason, I find that twice a day is perfect for me. Also, I use a battery powered brush (Sonicare) and find it invigorating to say the least! Also, I have found that it does a better job of cleaning my teeth in a shorter period of time.

Flossing is still held with high regard. As far as I know, dentists are still recommending this as a routine activity. I wouldn’t know, because I haven’t been to see a dentists in more than five years. Instead of flossing, I use a water pic device and find that it does a very good job.

I would suggest that you go to a dentist more often than me!

A Clean House
On top of bodily hygiene, your house is a potential haven for all kinds of germs (and worse). You should regularly: vacuum, wash counters, clean sinks and toilets and dust. Along with these cleaning chores, don’t forget to change your bedding sheets and clean or replace your furnace/AC filter(s).

Those Around You
You can pick your friends… And, you become much like the people you are surrounded by… Surround yourself with like-minded folk!

Pets
This subject is way to large for my tiny Blog… Suffice it to say that your pets should be clean too!

Closure
I know that I only touched on a miniscule piece of this huge topic… However, it is clearly (proven by thousands of doctors and scientists) a contributing factor to our health and longevity. I recommend that you evaluate your current hygiene procedures and see if you can’t improve upon some areas!

Cheers,
Rip

Let’s talk about food! after I go over the rules of engagement: DISCLAIMER - the ideas presented here are merely guidelines to help you on your path to enlightenment. I strongly urge (and insist) you to seek the help of a professional nutritionalist and doctor before attempting to make changes in your diet. If you follow any of my hair-brained schemes and ideas, you do so at your own risk!

Oxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element. By mass, it is the most plentiful element on earth. It is also the third most abundant chemical element in the universe. Often overlooked by healthy people, Oxygen is the most important thing that our body takes in.

Among other bodily functions that are affected by oxygen, ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is one of the biggies. 40% of ATP, or the high energy molecule, is made up of oxygen. Cutting through the obfuscation, ATP is a key part of our metabolism and muscular restoration.

What does all of this mumbo-jumbo mean? You ask. I bring it up, because for the most part we spend our day worrying about how much water we drink and the quality and quantity of food that we eat. But, we often overlook the most important element that our body needs… Oxygen.

Breathing Exercises are a great way to increase oxygen levels in our body. There are manifold ways to increase your oxygen levels two of my favorites are:

Those are just some of my reasons for staying in shape, but you get the point… Now, I want to address some of the more popular ways to achieve this so called strength and physical fitness level.

Anaerobic
In it’s simplest description, anaerobic training is bursts of high activity that trigger anaerobic metabolism and result in lactic acid creation. One of the most famous forms of anaerobic exercise is weight lifting. Athletes and fitness buffs use anaerobic exercise to strengthen and/or increase muscle. Basically, you work yourself until ample lactic acid builds up in your targeted muscle group and they fail.

For strength training, most people will try to do between four and eight repetitions of exercise in each set. By doing eight or fewer repetitions, you are primarily targeting the fast twitch (power) muscles. It is essential that you bring the muscle group to complete failure (sometime beyond failure with advanced techniques like negatives, stripping, etc.)

For mass training (think bodybuilding), most weight lifters will shoot for muscular failure between eight and twelve reps. This allows the fast and slow twitch muscles to be a part of the exercise and gives the most overall growth potential.

Endurance training (and/or trimming) usually entails doing more than 12 repetitions, as this will primarily use slow twitch (or endurance) muscles. And, fat is burned as you keep your heart rate high for an extended period of time.

Aerobic
The jury is still out on what type of aerobic activity is better than another. I use aerobic exercise like running to burn fat. I shoot for three days per week (with rest days between each session). During each daily activity, I try to workout for 45 minutes and get my heart rate into a target area of 75-90% of my maximum predicted heart rate (MPHR = 220-your age). I should mention that I do not believe in this formula, because I am 42 years old and have had my heart rate up to 192! Your true MHR can be determined by a physician using a standard Stress Test.

Walking
Except to get from point A to point B, I don’t walk much. I find it boring and it takes forever to get what I want from it. Instead, I will run or use the elliptical. I should mention that I do walk before and after my runs as a warm-up and cool down.

I know that many people swear by walking, so I didn’t want to leave it out… However, it ain’t my cup of tea. To reiterate, I do walk a good distance each day, but not for exercise, I use it to get from point A to point B.

Swimming
I swim a couple of times per year. If I had a heated pool (or indoor) I’m sure I would do this on a regular basis. I think that swimming may be the best way to get a serious aerobic workout. If you do this, good on you!

Stretching
Stretching is great to help relieve muscle aches after workouts and runs. It’s also keeps you flexible, renews energy and helps to avoid injuries. For this reason, I believe that stretching should be a part of everyone’s workout plan. I stretch on my aerobic days. I stretch large muscle groups by slowly (never go fast, bounce or jerk) moving into the stretch and holding it for 22 seconds. Near the end of my 22 seconds, I strive to stretch just a little bit deeper. Also, I only stretch after my workouts, as I have found that cold muscles do not stretch nearly as well and you might even invite injury or pain while stretching cold.

HIT and HIV!
Have you heard of HIT (high intensity training)? It is incredible! Essentially, it consists of lifting weights two (or fewer) days per week. Each workout is a full body workout and it only takes 27 minutes to complete.

I know what you’re thinking, How can you get a full body workout in fewer than 60 minutes per week? I’m here to tell you that it works. I have been doing HIT for more than a year now and I have made steady strength and mass gains since starting. For the first time in my life, I am relatively injury and pain free. If you wanna give HIT a try, start by checking out Dr. Ellington Darden’s HIT forum:
http://www.drdarden.com

Also, I would suggest picking up his book: The New High Intensity Training.

That’s it for exercise… If you would like to learn more, simply drop by my forum and checkout the Fitness board here:
http://www.vaughnripley.com/forum/index.php?board=14.0

Cheers,
Rip

WARNING (in case you missed the first one): Working out and exercise can be dangerous. You can be seriously injured, crippled or killed. The opinions, stories and ideas presented here are my own and do not constitute a recommendation of or endorsement for any particular or general use. You should seek a professional medical evaluation before starting an exercise program. If you choose to workout, you do so at your own risk.

Here are many of the side effects that I am currently experiencing, or have experienced in the past:

Diarrhea
This is a battle that I deal with on a daily basis. My gastro-Dr. prescribed Pamine Forte, which I took for a while. This appeared to subside my … ahem … issues. However, it was a pain to get the pills refilled, because my doc wanted me to keep visiting him. Juggling life is painful and throwing in frequent visits to a gastroenterologist wasn’t at the top of my list. So, I take Immodium AD (over the counter) and it seems to work just as well.

My daily regiment includes drinking a fiber supplement (Konsyl) every morning and every night. I know that most of you are like, doesn’t fiber loosen your stool? Well… Yes… But, it also helps to regulate and control your bowels. For whatever reason, I have found that it is better to have regularity… At least than I can predict my outcomes.

Also, I carry two Immodium pills in my pockets at all times. I have found that you can easily find yourself in remote places without a proverbial pot to piss in, and this helps curb things. In addition to the ones in my pocket, I keep a bottle of the little green gems (Immodium) in: my backpack, desk drawer at work and glovebox of all of my vehicles. Call me a Boy Scout, but I feel the need to be prepared

I think that’s enough talk about the runs.

Peripheral Neuropathy
In case you don’t know what it is, peripheral neuropathy is extremely painful and disturbing. My experience was tingling in my feet that feels similar to your foot falling asleep. Along with this, my toes became so sensitive that a simple stub against a shoe or something else on the floor would drop me to my knees in pain and anguish.

One of the worst experiences of my life was when I was sent to a neurologist to figure out my foot problem. He inserted long thick needles into my foot, ankle, calf and shin and then sent electrical shocks through my muscles to determine if nerve damage had occurred, and/or what my problem was.

Unfortunately, all of this severe probing didn’t uncover anything, but it did teach me to fear neurologists!

Dry Eyes
Over time, my eyes have become dryer. I’m not sure if this is purely allergy related, or if it stems from some of the medicine that I take. That is one of the many problems associated with HIV related side effects… Some of them could be happening for reasons other than medicines, etc.

I have found that eye drops help a lot with this problem, if I use them on a regular basis. Better than the old school Visine dropper, the newer single-serving droppers seem to be better for me. They don’t have any preservatives that you will find in a typical bottle. I use drops morning and night. During the day, if my eyes are bothering me I will dose them. For this reason, I keep eye drop packs in my desk drawer at work.

Sensitivity to Sunlight
This one comes and goes. When it comes, it comes with a vengeance… I am talking to the point of not being able to keep my eyes open while outdoors. I usually attack this problem by having extra dark sunglasses that cover a big area. Wrap-around style are very nice and eliminate some of the Sun creep that you get in the sides.

I would like to darken the tint on my vehicles, but Maryland has strict laws about this… I am currently looking into having an eye doctor write me a waiver so I can tint the truck and minivan…

Rashes, Hives and Other Skin Problems
Itchy skin comes and goes for me. I think that I have naturally sensitive skin, so it is tough to say what comes from what. I sometimes get little sections of hives that are itchy and bothersome. I also get dry skin, mostly during the winter.

Depression
This one may or may not be related to medicine… I mean, life is tough enough as it is… Throw hemophilia into the mix with HIV, medication and everything else associated with my health and you get a depressing combination. In the past I have occasionally been so depressed that I considered suicide. I always fought through it and looked toward a brighter day. For the most part, I consider suicide a weak solution. I love a challenge and when life is getting me down, it is no exception.

I’ve never taken anti-depressant, and I can’t imagine doing so. I’m not a proponent of all of these drugs that have been introduced to help depressed folks… I’m sure that there are many of you who would disagree with me on this point. I’m not knocking people who take them, I’m simply saying that I choose not to.

Vomiting and Nausea
This is a tough one. I think that everyone experiences this one from some degree or another… With DDI I was vomiting out of control. Sometimes, to this day, I vomit when I am taking medicine. Mostly I am able to hold it back. I will occasionally be coughing and it turns into a violent cough that ends with a vomit reaction.

Dunno how to cure this one, but I find that willpower and concentration can help.

Random Aches and Pains
Muscle soreness… Arthritic feelings… Joint aches…

More than likely, these come more from my active lifestyle and past mistakes.

Sleep Problems
I rarely experience this, but I have had some rough nights. Sometimes you simply can’t sleep. This is probably related to something other than medicines, but I included it none-the-less.

I like chamomile tea at bed time and this helps me to go down nice and easy.

Nightmares
I love nightmares. Seriously! Some of my medicines have given me some extremely realistic and vivid nightmares. I dig it. Even though I love them, I thought I would include this as a potential side effect… Especially because not everyone enjoys them as much as me.

Night Sweats
One of my old medicines (I can’t remember which) really gave me horrible night sweats. These days, I get them once-in-a-while, but they are far and few between. Plus, they aren’t nearly as bad as they were in the past.

Night sweats can be so terrible that you can’t sleep. Plus, the bed gets all stinky and impossible to sleep in. Horrible!

Trouble Waking in the Morning
Who doesn’t have this problem? I mean… Some mornings are simply tougher than others to get out of bed! Is it a side effect of medicine or life? Who knows…

Loss of Fat in the Butt and Cheeks
This one has bothered me in the past… I mean, every guy wants a little meat in his behind. Chicks look at your butt… That’s a fact. I want something there to see.

As far as my other cheeks, it is similarly painful to see the gaunt fatless features of my face. I think that most of this problem came from my hepatitis medicine that I was on years ago. It rid my body of Hep-C, so it can’t be all bad… However, it also stripped the fat, which gave my face definition, etc. Now I look like a wasting-away human being and this bugs me, because I am more healthy now than I have ever been in my life!

Excess Fat in the Belly and Upper Back
As if it wasn’t bad enough to take the fat from my butt, the medicines seem to have put it in my belly! WTF?? Just like butts, chicks dig abs. I pride myself in a fit and strong body, yet my distended abdominal region is a rascally sucker that pisses me off! I do a lot of hard work on my abs (1,200+ crunches per workout) and they still poke out some.

One thing that I have found useful, is working the transverse abdominis muscle. This is a muscle that wraps around your core underneath your abs and obliques. You can work it out by doing stomach vacuums and 2-point bridges among other things. I have found that the more effort that I put into this muscle region, the better my abs look and the more pulled in they become. Give it a go!

Gas and Bloated Belly
Gas might simply be a side effect of the Immodium. I dunno about you, but I get the farts a couple of hours after I take Immodium.

Sore Throat
Many mornings I wake with a sore throat. Usually it is minor and goes away after breakfast. Sometimes it is more serious and I take a couple of sprays of Chloraseptic to help soothe it. That’s about all there is to say about that…

Excess Phlegm
Who knows why I included this… I would swear that I have copious amounts of snot that shouldn’t be there. Does that mean it’s from HIV or medicine?? No… But, I just thought I would mention it.

See ya next time!

I started out on AZT (Zidovudine) like most of the HIV+ folks. I also dabbled in DDI (Didanosine or Videx); which gave me projectile vomit fits and peripheral neuropathy among other things. Since then I have tried most of the medicines available today... My latest drug cocktail consists of:

• Sustiva (efavirenz) is in the category of HIV medicines called non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Sustiva prevents the cells from creating new virus and reduces the amount of virus in your body. Sustiva is used in combination with other drugs to treat HIV (hence drug cocktail). Normally, it is combined with two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (called NRTIs or "Nukes").
• Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is a NRTI (nucleotide as opposed to a nucleoside) type of medicine used in combination with other medicines. VIREAD blocks HIV reverse transcriptase (enzyme) that is needed for HIV to multiply. VIREAD lowers the viral load.
• Epivir (amivudine) is also an NRTI (nucleoside) prevents HIV from altering the genetics of T-cells. This prevents the cells from producing virus and lowers the viral load.

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About AIDS Medication
Instead of writing a long dissertation on medicines that are available, I decided to point you in the right direction... This web site covers more than you ever imagined about HIV medicines:
http://www.aidsmeds.com/

Importance of Daily Medication Ingestion
I'm sure you've heard it all before... "You MUST take your medicine on a regular basis!" But, most of us lead lives where this is hard to do sometimes. As you know, your body can build up a tolerance to some of the HIV medicines available today. Most of the tolerances are enhanced by taking time off from the drug. Even worse, some drugs (like Sustiva) stay in your body longer than other ones and can be dangerous without the additional drugs from your triple drug therapy.

In order to enhance your drug experience and to make sure that you are making the most of medicines you ingest, make sure that you take them on a regular basis that is laid out by your prescribing doctor.

The easiest way that I have found to make sure that I always take my medicines is to keep a pill fob (small metal or plastic cylinder) filled with one days dosage. Gone are the days of 22 pills and or horse-sized pills. With today's small dosages, you can easily fit them into a single fob. I also keep a weekly vitamin container (that you can pickup at GNC or pharmacy store) for times when I go on "overnighters" or vacations. If you don't dog on fobs or medicine containers, Zip-Lock makes a snack-sized bag, which is a half-height sandwich bag. Get a box of those and use one for your medicines.

The key to taking your pills day-in-day out is to always be prepared. If you sometimes stay out all night without warning, then you should carry a dose with you at all times! Easy-peasy!

Vomiting and How to Control It
Many of the medicines that we have to take taste terrible and/or make us feel like vomiting. Over time, I found that you can control your vomit reflex by remaining calm and focusing on avoiding it. The main key is to stop telling yourself, Oh God, I'm gonna throw up! Try to avert your thoughts and think about something different. You may find this hard to do in the early stages, but just like anything else in your body, your brain can improve and strengthen with practice.

Remember that vomiting is simply the bodies reaction to a message from the brain. Calm yourself before taking your medicine by breathing deeply and meditating. Once you have reached a calm state, take your medicine with a focus on good things. By controlling your body and staying calm you can avoid vomiting.

Think! While Taking Your Medicine
I can't reiterate enough how important positive thinking is while enduring HIV. I have found that a good mental attitude is just as powerful (if not more so) as a top-notched doctor and good drugs. In the past I would take my pills thinking, this is prolonging my inevitable death. Then I would question why my CD-4 counts weren't improving. Looking back, I realize that I was taking 22 pills approximately every four hours of the day. So, five or six time each and every day I would chant the death mantra. Finally, I realized that this was part of my problem. I decided to do a test and start thinking more positive about my drug ingestion. I turned my death mantra into a life mantra.Every time that I took pills, I followed this procedure:

1. Calm myself with breathing and meditation;
2. Focus on the good side of the drugs;
3. While taking each pill, I would chant things like, "This pill is making me stronger and healthier."

After a while of doing this, I noticed that I was feeling better and healthier. My levels went up and I reduced my vomiting. All-in-all, I had created a better me and the medicines were working! Try it out for yourself.

I should mention that in later years, I adapted this process and created what I consider to be an even more robust life mantra. You can read more about this in one of my upcoming Blogs titled, "The War of the Body."

I’m Vaughn Ripley. I was born with a blood disorder called, hemophilia. I get injections of Factor VIII (pronounced factor eight) to stop severe bleeding that comes from my hemophilia. The blood products that I get to save my life bring lots of baggage with them... Along with a plethora of viruses and sicknesses, I have gotten Hepatitis C and HIV from tainted blood.

I was diagnosed as HIV+ back in December of 1986. For this reason, I’m one of the longest living HIV+ people on the planet.

I have dealt with many sicknesses through the years and tons of side effects of HIV medication.

My recent blood work revealed that my T-cell count is greater than 550 and my viral load is undetectable. I attribute much of this to my talented doctors and medicine intake. However, I also feel that much of my wellness comes from a powerful mental attitude and stringent focus on a health-filled fitness program.

My experiences and challenges have amalgamated to make me the right person to write this Blog... Read on and hopefully you will agree!

If you would like to find out more information about me, visit my personal web site at:  http://www.vaughnripley.com

More than 22,000,000 people have died from AIDS.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) web site an estimated 40,000,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS as of the end of 2003. And, approximately 1 of every 100 adults aged 15 to 49 are HIV-infected. An estimated 5,000,000 new HIV infections occurred worldwide during 2003 (that is approximately 14,000 new infections every day).

In 2003 alone, HIV/AIDS-associated illnesses caused the deaths of approximately 3,000,000 people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as of 2003 nearly 950,000 United States residents are living with the HIV infection.

According to the National Hemophilia Foundation, the estimate for the number of people in the United States with hemophilia is approximately 20,000. They approximate that 50 percent of the hemophilia population in the United States contracted HIV in the 1980’s! They also estimate a total number of HIV+ hemophiliacs at somewhere around 10,000. It is estimated that over 4,200 members of the HIV/hemophilia community have died since the onset of the crisis; this leaves approximately 5,800 of us still “alive and kicking” and hoping to stay that way until a cure comes along.

Quite a while ago I decided to write a book about how I have managed to live so long with this deadly disease. My book was going to be titled, Longevity Despite HIV - The Secret to Living a Long, Healthy and Happy Life In the Face of HIV or AIDS. It didn't take me long to change my mind about a published book. My next idea was to make it an e-book and make it available for free to the world. This idea lasted a little while and I completed my outline and compiled some ideas and information... Until recently, that was the direction I was going with this project. The more that I thought about it, the more I realized that I had to do this in a Blog environment.

Blogging is new to me, even though I have been writing all of my life. In addition to my writing, I contribute a good amount of posts to many online discussion forums. I figured it was time to start a Blog.

My decision to Blog comes from the fact that I have more to talk about than simply my book idea. So, I decided to create the Blog and make a category called, "The Secret." Under this category I will fulfill my dream of writing my book about longevity. While I am working on this project, I will continue to put my other ideas relating to HIV into written word on my Blog.

That's it in a nutshell... I hope you dig it!