Helping Yourself Heal During The Holiday Season

Holidays are often difficult for anyone who has experienced the death of someone loved. Rather than being times of family togetherness, sharing and thanksgiving, holidays can bring feelings of sadness, loss and emptiness.

Love Does Not End With Death
Since love does not not end with death, holidays may result in a renewed sense of personal grief a feeling of loss unlike that experienced in the routine of daily living. Society encourages you to join in the holiday spIrit, but all around you the sounds, sights and smells trigger memories of the one you love who has died.

No simple guidelines exist that will help you better cope with your grief during this joyful, yet painful time of year. As you read through this article, remember that by being tolerant and compassionate with yourself, you will continue to heal.

Talk About Your Grief
During the holiday season, don't be afraid to express your feelings of grief. Ignoring your grief won't make the pain go away and talking about it openly makes you feel better. Find caring friends and relatives who will listen without judging you. They will help make you feel understood.

Be Tolerant Of Your Physical and Psychological Limits
Feelings of loss will probably leave you feeling fatigued. Your low energy level may naturally slow you down. Respect what your body and mind are telling you. And lower your own expectations about being at your peak during the holiday season.

Eliminate Unnecessary Stress
You may already feel stressed, so don't overextend yourself. Avoid isolation, but be sure to recognize the need to have a special time for yourself. And realize that merely "keeping busy" won't distract you from your grief, but may actually increase stress and postpone the need to talk out thoughts and feelings related to your grief.

Be With Supportive, Comforting People
Identify those friends and relatives who understand that the holiday season can increase your sense of loss and who will allow you to talk openly about your feelings. Find those persons who encourage your to be yourself and accept your feelings both happy and sad.

Talk About The Person Who Has Died
Include the person's name in your holiday conversation. If you are able to talk candidly, other people are more likely to recognize your need to remember that special person who was an important part of your life.

Do What Is Right For You During The Holidays
Well meaning friends and family often try to prescribe what is good for you during the holidays. Instead of going along with their plans, focus on what you want to do. Discuss your wishes with a caring, trusted friend. Talking about these wishes will help you clarify what it is you want to do during the holidays. As you become aware of your needs, share them with your friends and family.

Plan Ahead For Family Gatherings
Decide which family traditions you want to continue and which new ones you would like to begin. Structure your holiday time. This will help you anticipate activities, rather than just reacting to whatever happens. Getting caught off guard can create feelings of panic, fear and anxiety during the time of year when your feelings of grief are already heightened. As you make your plans, however, leave room to change them if you feel it is appropriate.

Embrace Your Treasure Of Memories
Memories are one of the best legacies that exist after the death of someone loved. And holidays always make you think about times past. Instead of ignoring these memories, share them with your family and friends. Keep in mind that memories are tinged with both happiness and sadness. If your memories bring laughter, smile. If your memories bring sadness, then it's all right to cry. Memories that were made in love no one can ever take them away from you.

Renew Your Resources For Living
Spend time thinking about the meaning and purpose of your life. The death of someone loved created opportunities for taking inventory of your life past, present and future. The combination of holiday and a loss naturally results in looking inward and assessing your individual situation. Make the best use of this time to define the positive things in your life that surround you.

Express Your Faith
During the holidays, you may find a renewed sense of faith or discover a new set of beliefs. Associate with people who understand and respect your need to talk about these beliefs. If your faith is important, you may want to attend a holiday service or special religious ceremony.

As you approach the holidays, remember: grief is both a necessity and a privilege. It comes as a result of giving and receiving love. Don't let anyone take your grief away. Love yourself. Be patient with yourself. And allow yourself to be surrounded by loving, caring people.

By Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D
Frontline, Fall 1997

Through BABES, the Pet Project is able to donate food, flea products, and other pet care items for dogs or cats.

Just let Laura know that you have a pet and your pet's age and gender and we will put you on a list to receive free stuff as we get it!!

The program is run on donations, so brands and items will vary according to what The Pet Project has available.

A visit to a Cuban AIDS sanatorium

Hi, everybody! Some of you know me. For those of you who don’t, my name is María Lindsey and I am the person who usually translates the articles in this newsletter to Spanish. Previous to my present employment I worked for about eight years for POCAAN. I am still very interested in AIDS, especially AIDS research. During the last two weeks of October I went to Cuba as part of a Woman to Woman tour sponsored by our denomination. Since I insisted that we should talk to someone working in AIDS in Cuba, one day our entire 20 woman delegation visited an AIDS sanatorium.

It was located in Ciego de Ávila, one of the eastern provinces. The sanatorium is just a few small buildings in the countryside. We were received by Dr. Orlando Paez, Director; Lic. Marisel Vizcay, Sociologist for the sanatorium; Lic. Aida Hernández, psychologist, and Lic. Hortensia García, Head of Nursing.

They met with us at about noon, and all of these medical personnel’s white coats bore the mussedness that comes only from direct patient care. It was observable that they were already tired, and, nonetheless were happy to receive us. This clinic was started in 1989. It can serve up to 22 persons, currently has 12 patients. The institution guarantees all meds and foods for these patients – but protease inhibitors and antiretrovirals are not available due to their high cost. They teach their patients how to live with AIDS, how to care for their own health, and for that of others. Teaching the patients is important not only for their own health, but because in Cuba the philosophy is that it is the responsibility of the person living with HIV/AIDS to make sure that they don’t expose anyone else to the virus. Once a patient is admitted they do have the possibility to pass to outpatient status, get work, continue their normal lives in the community. If, however, it is seen that the patient is engaging in behaviors which put the community at risk, the patient will be asked to return to the sanatorium. They will put that patient again through the same training they received at diagnosis, and then the patient may go back into the community. They will do this three or four times, after which they will admit you to the sanatorium and you might have to stay there quite a long time. The doctors are very aware and very sensitive to the criticism they have received regarding violation of human rights but their philosophy is entirely different. I met many doctors in Cuba, a doctor in Santiago whom I also spoke to about AIDS summarized their views as: “Yes, they’ve said we violate the patients’ human rights. We feel that in your country, the human rights of the entire community are being violated. And we also feel that if in your country the government had gotten busy right away trying to combat the epidemic, this model might have been used. But your government waited until politics rather than epidemiology was the driving force in how AIDS would be treated.”

We were given an opportunity ask questions, here are those questions and answers:

Question: What is life expectancy from AIDS diagnosis to death?
Answer: 10 to 12 years

Question: Is there stigma to AIDS here?
Answer: At first, with new illness, ignorance, but now patients are being well accepted in society.

Question: What part of the population are your patients?
Answer: Mostly homosexual at this point.

Question: How many people do you estimate there are in the general population but not identified as having HIV/AIDS?
Answer: Because of national health care system it’s considered that hidden illness is very low.

Question: Can anyone get tested for HIV?
Answer: Yes, one can ask for HIV test freely.

Question: Are there many drug users with HIV/AIDS here?
Answer: Drug addiction and drug use are not a major problem in this country.

Question: What is the age range of your patients here?
Answer: 20 to 25 years old.

Question: Are you using herbal medicines and acupuncture in the treatment of AIDS?
Answer: The country is developing a whole range of herbal medicines, we are beginning to use them. We don’t acupuncture because of the risk of transmission from the needles. [This is where we found that they can’t afford disposable needles, injection needles are being re-sterilized and re-used and acupuncture is not being used].

Question: Are there babies with AIDS in this country?
Answer: Yes, there are, but not in this center.

Question: Are you equipped for surgery at this center, and how much does it cost?
Answer: We are equipped for minor surgery. If we cannot do it here in the institution, it is done at the hospital. And all health services in Cuba are free.

At this point we might have visited with some of the patients, unfortunately our American tour organizers decided we had run out of time, and so we had to leave.

Health Corner

In Part I of this article I reviewed some basic information about Cholesterol and triglycerides, what to watch for on lab results and some dietary and life-style changes to begin to think about. In this article I want to give information of the specific alternatives that can be incorporated. Garlic and onions both lower blood lipids, specifically they lower the LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides while raising the HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. They will also lower high blood pressure. If you eat one clove of garlic a day or half an onion per day it will lower total cholesterol by 10 to 15 percent in most people, some will require more. It is best used raw, but even cooked will give some of the beneficial effects. Because these are natural antibacterial and antifungal agents they act as a broad-based prophylactic agent. Ginger has cholesterol lowering action. This herb/food acts as a heart tonic and stimulates peripheral circulation which increases blood flow to muscles and joints.

Lecithin in its natural form is present in nearly all beans, and is especially high in soybeans and mung beans. In addition, lecithin can be found in lentils and peas. These natural sources of lecithin are beneficial when it comes to breaking up deposits of fat and lowering cholesterol. A primary component of lecithin is choline, a lipotrophic agent that controls fat metabolism. Lecithin can be bought in a liquid or granular form than can be added to your food, it is also available in capsule form.

Several types of mushrooms have the effect of lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as building and protecting the body from disease: Reshi (Ganoderma Lucidum), Maitaki (Grifola Frondosa), and Shiitake (Lentinula Edodes). All three of these mushrooms have been used to fortify the body and studies (mostly in Japan) show effects against HIV. Powders are available that can be added to food, or used in cooking.

Niacin, or vitamin B3, is used in Germany by doctors to lower blood cholesterol levels. It is not used commonly here because the dosage required causes symptoms than need to be monitored by a doctor, and doctors here are not trained in alternative approaches. The upper dosage used to lower cholesterol is one gram three times a day and the side effects of this high dosage could include: flushing of the skin, stomach irritation, diarrhea, ulcers, liver damage, fatigue, hypotension, and ocular side effects. Taking a timed-release dosage can reduce the skin flushing reactions. If self treating, the form of niacin that is safest to use is inositol hexaniacinate, which is available in health food stores. This is

the form commonly used in Europe at dosages from 600 to 1,800 milligrams per day. One suggestion to guard against the undesirable side effects of high dose niacin is to use a lower dosage and to combine it with Chromium (see below). It is advised if you have experienced any blurred vision, dry eyes or any other eye problems not to use this as a primary treatment. Gugulipid is the standardized extract of the mukul myrrh tree that is native to India. It is used in the Ayurveda system of healing which riginated in India. This cholesterol and triglyceride lowering substance is without side effects, and has a similar effect to western medications. It has been proven safe and is even usable duringpregnancy. It works by increasing the liver's metabolism of LDL cholesterol. A 25 milligram tablet three times per day is effective and it can be taken at higher doses.

Pantethine is the stable form of pantetheine, the active form of vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid. It is specific for lowering triglyceride levels; it is a component of an enzyme that transports fats to and from cells, and it helps our body use fats to create energy. The standard dose of 900
milligrams per day reduces serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels while increasing HDL cholesterol levels. No toxicity has been found.

A deficiency of chromium or vitamin C will lead to elevated cholesterol levels. Supplementation will correct this deficiency. Vitamin C has been shown to be effective at lowering cholesterol when consumed at the level of two grams per day.

Vitamin E at the dosage of 400 IUs daily, has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of coronary disease by 40%. A study by Boston's Brigham and women's Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health determined this finding. It is also necessary for B and T cell production, for wound healing and for tissue repair. Many people living with AIDS who are using Protease Inhibitors are using an assortment of supplements, diet tips and exercise which are listed below.1

SUPPLEMENTS:
-Strong, high-end multivitamin with vitamins A, D, E, chromium and calcium -L-glutamine (HIGH DOSE:10-15
GRAMS or more/day)
-Alpha lipoic (thioctic) acid: at least 300-600 mg/day -NAC 2000-4000 mg/day
-Chromium GTF (or chromium polynicotinate or picolinate 1000 mcg/day) -Strong B complex
-EPA fish oils -Carnitine (prescription version is called Carnitor) 3-4 gm/day -Cottage Cheese (1st choice) or Whey
protein powder drink (2nd choice)

DIET:
More protein and less simple (high-glycemic) carbohydrates (less sweets). On the list of carbohydrates to avoid is the sugar called fructose, which is known to promote insulin resistance, and raise cholesterol. (listed on ingredient panels as fructose or high fructose corn syrup). Moderate the intake of carbohydrates that release into the blood stream quickly (pasta, breads, and processed grains); If you want to include grains in your diet cream of rye, oatmeal and brown rice have a relatively lower glycemic index than most wheat products, but be careful to moderate the amount of these high calorie starch sources. Increase the intake of complex carbohydrates from vegetables, which are more nutrient dense and less calorie dense. Good carbohydrate sources are beans, yams, green peas, and whole fruits like oranges, grapes, apples, pears and cherries. Reduce any excessive intake of fats. Not necessarily a "low fat diet", but a reduction in excess saturated fats, while trying to maintain a healthy moderate intake of essential fatty acids with plenty of omega 3 fatty acids, like those found in fish. Diets high in the sulfur-containing amino acids (cysteine, methionine)

EXERCISE:
Weight-bearing (especially), aerobic (but, not if you are losing lean body mass) You may or may not be familiar with some of these alternatives. I'll give a brief statement on some of them. Because a deficiency of chromium will lead to increased cholesterol levels some are using it to ensure it maintains. Chromium is deficient in populations that consume a high carbohydrate diet, especially diets high in simple sugars. A form that is used is Chromium picolinate, it is a non-toxic form of elemental chromium that has been chelated to picolinic acid which has a higher absorption rate. It has been used by athletes to burn fat and helps the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and branched chain aminos.

L-glutamine is the pure powder form of Glutamine, it acts as an antioxidant. Glutamine is the most common amino acid in the body and is essential to metabolism and maintenance of muscle tissue. It is the primary fuel, or energy source for the immune system and is necessary to DNA synthesis, cell division, wound healing and tissue repair.

Alpha lipoic (Thioctic) acid is a liver protecting coenzyme. It functions as an antioxidant and helps improve intracellular gluthathione. It helpslower liver enzymes that are raised due to pharmaceutical drugs. NAC short for N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine indirectly increases cellular levels of glutathione which is critical to prevent disease prevention. NAC may also block tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and inhibit the growth of HIV.

Chromium GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor) is involved in the metabolism of glucose and is needed for energy. It maintains stable blood sugar levels through proper insulin utilization in both the diabetic and hypoglycemic. Super EPA (NOW), is a cholesterol free fish oil that is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The use of a rich supply of essential fatty acids will reduce excessive free radical release. Other good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids would be to introduce flax seeds into the diet.

Carnitine usually sold as L-Carnitine is an amino acid compound that is essential in the intercellular transfer of energy, and necessary to fat metabolism and the utilization of fatty acids for energy. It prevents It helps to move fatty acids into and within cells. It also is helpful to lower triglyceride levels. Your doctor can also prescribe it for you, its prescription name is Carnitor and it is used at the dosage of 330 mg three times per day, it comes in tablet form. This drug is nontoxic and will inhibit disease-progressing immune messengers. State medicaid programs will pay for the medication.2

Whey protein powder comes in several brands. Whey has the ability to restore the integrity of the gut so the body can adequately utilize nutrients being consumed. In test tube studies undenatured whey inhibited both HIV production and cell-suicide (apoptosis), one ingredient, lactoferrin, showed anti-HIV activity. It helps weight gain and has very little lactose. (Some brands include: Optimune, Designer Protein by Next Nutrition, Met-Rx Protein Powder, Immunocal3, and OSMO Whey Protein Powder4). Whey protein powder is available very cheaply at some health food stores.

1. The original posts are from Michael Mooney (mmooney@internetconnect.net, website: http:// www.medibolics.com) and Chester Myers (private post) (cdm@canadian-agra.com "A Rationale for NAC", available within the website <www.catie.ca>, by searching for "myers".) Where the dosage was not given, it is supplied from Lark Lands' (larklands1@aol.com) recommendations.

2. DAAIR Buyers' Club has an information package that contains the original research on L-carnitine in HIV/AIDS, if your doctor needs more information you can request a copy be sent to your doctor. Call 1-888-951-LIFE. (I am not sure if you need to be a DAAIR member for this service.)

3. Hotly contested due to its high cost.

4. Sweetened naturally with Stevia, no additives.

Disclaimer: Please be advised this is a sharing of information that is not meant to be used to replace medical treatment and your own intuitive sense of your body and what it needs. Please see your medical provider (Dr., Naturopath, Acupuncturist, etc.) to follow up on suggestions.