Natural medicine and HIV/AIDS – fighting together

I know that there is as yet no cure for HIV/AIDS through Western medicine, and so wanted to learn more about research into Traditional medicine, and whether the two combined can find a breakthrough.

I understand that nutrition and excersize lead to a stronger body, and that this does fight off infection and illness in all of us, so it stands to reason that with HIV/AIDS patients it should have similar advantages. I know that modern Western medicine is a must in the later stages of the diseases, and that it does keep people alive a lot longer. So where does and can traditional medicine fit into the equation?

I found an article on a site dedicated to Credo Mutwa, a world renowned Zulu Shaman, about Sutherlandia frutescens, a plant that is found mostly in the drier areas of Southern Africa, and has been used for a long time by the different cultures of the region as a multi-purpose medicinal plant.

In trying to understand HIV/AIDS, I have to ask questions about all the information that is thrown at me, to be able to grasp what is available and working for people, who want to combat it.

The Sutherlandia website says that it gives HIV/AIDS “…patients a new lease of life, thanks to the use of a range of herbal medication, most importantly Sutherlandia, which has shown incredible results on patients staring at a slow and ghastly death.”

“Sutherlandia frutescens is regarded as the most profound and multi-purpose of the medicinal plants in Southern Africa. Because of its efficacy as a safe tonic for diverse health conditions it has enjoyed a long history of use by all cultures in Southern Africa.”

“Improvements in appetite, weight-gain, sleep, exercise tolerance, anxiety and overall sense of well-being can be expected. Researchers anticipate that there will be a delayed progression of HIV into Aids, and actual remission of the disease is hoped for.”

This is just one example of the wealth of natural remedies available that should be fully explored for their medicinal qualities in preserving a longer quality of life. It is not implied that this type of medicine takes the place of Western medicine, or that it will cure the disease – we still have much research to do before that will happen.

But will that medicine contain ingredients already known to ancient cultures? Is there enough research been done to investigate this? I’ll let you know what I find.

Advertisements