Natural medicine is by nature holistic, meaning that it treats the whole individual, rather than a specific disease or symptom. It addresses not only the physical aspect of the patient but also the mind and spirit. Natural medicine believes that each individual possesses an innate healing capacity. The goal of East West Center for Natural medicine is to reinforce this capacity and restore strength and balance to weakened systems using a variety of natural modalities. These modalities include detoxification, diet, nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy and Mind body therapies. All of these options are tailored to the individual patient’s specific condition and constitution.

The key to effective treatment is detection and intervention. Many of treatments offered aim to strengthen the immune system, help patients reduce stress, and maintain good nutritional practices with appropriate exercise regimens. After participating in and receiving the alternative therapies described below many patients report beneficial results. Taking an active role in any disease is an important adjunct to treatment. The use of alternative therapies in conjunction with conventional medicine can offer people living with HIV/Aids the additional opportunities for be proactively involved in their treatment. The therapies listed below are offered by the professionals at East West Center for Natural Medicine. They are by no means the only therapies available to the individual diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

 Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

 Acupuncture and Herbal medicine has become one of the most commonly used alternative therapies for AIDS. Its use has become so widely accepted in some states that several alternative Medicine Clinics in have been awarded contracts through their Health Department's AIDS Office to provide treatment to people with HIV. California is the most notable one. Most people in California with HIV who use acupuncture and herbal medicine do so in conjunction with western medicine. There are also some people who use it as their principal form of medical treatment. The medical professionals at East West Center for Natural Medicine strongly advise that it be used only under the supervision of a knowledgeable experienced practitioner in conjunction with conventional medical treatment. This seems to result in the best outcome for the patient.

The practice of Acupuncture and Herbal medicine dates back over five thousand years, making it the oldest medical system of treatment in the world. Where western medicine is derived solely from scientific method as a means of treating disease, Natural medicine is based on a holistic view of the mind-body's inherent ability to maintain and to heal itself should illness occur. This approach is the result of many thousands of years of accumulated experience. Rather than treating a particular component of the body, as western science advocates, the natural medicine approach is one of balancing and healing of the organs and systems as a whole. This promotes a dynamic balance of energetic polarities in the body which maintains its health and well-being. In other words, if it is aligned properly it runs properly.

Central to the philosophy of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine is the concept of ch'i, or qi, which can be loosely defined as the vital energy of the universe.  Ch'i circulates thru the body in an identifiable pattern or life force if you will. Yin and yang are the active and passive sides of this life force. An illness is viewed as either an excess or deficiency in either the yin or yang components of ch'i. Ch'i is believed to vitalize the body by its movements along the pathways which are known as meridians. The "meridian theory" of Chinese Medicine is not accepted in western medicine because it has never been physically measured. The circumstantial evidence of its existence however is undeniable. Experiential evidence has shown that acupuncture points along these “meridians” have been used successfully to treat illness for thousands of years.

A study of the medical records of HIV patients has identified seven HIV-related conditions which appear to be most responsive to Acupuncture and Herbal medicine. These seven conditions are: weight loss; diarrhea/loose stools; abdominal pain; nausea; headaches; enlarged lymph nodes; and neuropathy.

Recent laboratory experiments have found that certain herbs inhibit HIV and other viruses. Other herbs have been shown to act as biological response modifiers that enhance certain immune responses. In addition, a study using acupuncture to treat HIV infected individuals was conducted a few years back. It reported that individuals receiving appropriate acupuncture needling had notable increases in their CD4 counts after only a brief course of therapy. This pilot study demonstrated the need for further research into this discovery.

Some human efficacy studies of Chinese medicine for HIV disease are currently underway. Chinese herbs may be a rich source of therapeutic agents for AIDS and its related illnesses. It is essential that people with HIV have all the information they need to select the treatment options most suited to their own needs and dispositions. Acupuncture and herbal medicine offers promising options which are safe and appear to be effective and affordable to most.

Homeopathy

      Although no single therapy will help every HIV+ person or everyone with AIDS, homeopathy is beginning to develop a reputation for helping people in varying stages of this debilitating disease. In order to understand what homeopathy offer, it is first necessary to learn something about the different approach homeopathy takes in order to fight infectious disease. Homeopathy does not simply attacking a pathogen in the manner western drugs do.  Homeopathic medications are extracted from minerals, vitamins, and animal products, and other natural substances. They are given in very low doses. Homeopathy is based on the principle that "like cures like".  This means that substances that would in large doses cause adverse symptoms will, in a very small dose, treat those same symptoms. Homeopathy is highly individualized to a patient's symptoms.

The treatment of people with HIV or AIDS requires an experienced professional health care provider with a familiarity of the unique problems and symptoms associated with this disease, even when their ailments are seemingly minor.

Diet & Nutrition

The role of good nutrition in the management of HIV/AIDS is of primary importance. Medical research has shown that nutritious food is one of the most powerful weapons available to fight the effects of AIDS. It has been clinically confirmed that malnutrition is the fatal manifestation of AIDS for many. People living with AIDS usually require up to twice the normal daily caloric intake just to protect themselves from the dangers of HIV-related malnutrition. This includes heightened immunosuppression, muscle wasting, and outright starvation due to malabsorption. Most HIV patients also have problems with abnormal metabolism of nutrients. The prescription of appropriate dietary modifications can significantly reduce both the side effects of medications and the symptoms of the disease itself. It can also reduce the likelihood of opportunistic infection that is related to AIDS.

Proper diet and nutrition takes on an added importance when one considers that diet has a key role in the absorption of certain medications by the body. New conventional medications combined with complimentary and alternative therapies are prolonging the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. As the number of long-term survivors of this disease grows an increasing the number people benefit from proper diet and nutrition.

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements are commonly prescribed by the heath care providers at East West Center for Natural Medicine in an effort to naturally boost the critically weakened immune system of HIV/AIDS patients. Nutrients are derived from food and non-food dietary supplements such as garlic, Chinese bitter melon, and turmeric, shark cartilage or blue-green algae just to name a few. Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are also used in an attempt to boost the immune system.

Supplements are an adjunct to a well planned and executed diet. Supplements are not a substitute for the vitamins and nutrients found in the food you eat. If you'd like to start taking supplements, consult with a Health care specialist who is experienced in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. A nutritional evaluation of your unique health concerns by a qualified practitioner will help you develop a supplement regimen that meets your needs.

Essential Oils & Aromatherapy

Essential oils and Aromatherapy have a therapeutic effect on the body, relieving the stress, anxiety and depression that many HIV and AIDS patients live with. Essential oil and Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils extracted from plants that are applied in various ways to the body and environment of the patient giving relief to their particular condition.  Many Essential oils used in aromatherapy have been found to have anti viral, antibacterial and antifungal actions that are very important in the treatment of secondary opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS. Tea Tree, Rosemary and Lavender are just a few used to teat these conditions.

There is scientific evidence pointing to essential oils and aromatherapy as a valid means to help treat not only specific conditions but the psychological effects associated with medical conditions as well. Living with HIV/ AIDS has many negative effects on the mind as well as the body. People living with AIDS are viewed by some as the 'untouchable outcasts' of society. Resulting in a patient and person who is seldom touched by others. The very act of applying essentials and aromatherapy to one self and others is the therapy of “contact”. Aromatherapy is an excellent example of the mind and the body both being treated.

Massage

Massage therapy has been found to have positive effects on circulation, immune function, digestion, the nervous system. When applied properly it is a safe and effective means to help treat the physical and physiological ailments that accompany HIV/AIDS.

There is evidence that massage has many benefits for the HIV/AIDS patient. Massage therapy is a viable and beneficial health option that helps to alleviate pain, discomfort, stress and many chronic conditions associated with this disease. Massage can help people with HIV/AIDS relieve chronic muscle tension and ease the mental and emotional stress that accompany the illness. Some of the massage techniques that are being used to treat HIV/AIDS include, the Alexander technique, deep muscle massage, polarity therapy, Shiatsu (Japanese), T’ui Na (Chinese medical Massage) Rubenfeld Synergy, Swedish massage, and therapeutic massage.

Mind Body Techniques

Mind-body approaches such as meditation, visualization and  interactive guided imagery cannot will away HIV/AIDS but one can use any of them to make living with your condition easier and reduce your susceptibility to AIDS-related infections.

Meditation & Visualization

Meditation uses deep breathing and other focusing techniques to enable a person to center his or her thoughts. Meditation is used to reduce tension, fatigue, anxiety and stress. The practice of meditation works to increase resistance disease and promote mental well being. Removing or decreasing the mental stress and clutter  out of your life may help you resist infection and  better enable you to handle the situations that come from living with HIV/AIDS.

Visualization is a process by which a person is directed to see themselves in a happy healthy physical, emotional, or spiritual state. Patients are guided to imagine themselves in a state of vibrant health and the organisms that cause their condition as weak and destructible. Through these mental images patients direct their mind- body and immune systems to fight the virus. Other mind-body techniques available to people with HIV/AIDS include hypnosis, humor therapy, biofeedback training, and listening to inspirational or relaxation audiotapes.

Inter Active Guided imagery

Inter Active Guided Imagery is a process in which the patient is asked to focus on images that have been selected to help achieve certain goals. Some of the many applications of this therapy include relaxation, relieving pain and physical symptoms associated with disease, reducing distress from surgery and other medical procedures, stimulating the healing responses of the body, and enhancing memory and learning.

It is particularly benificial technique that helps the patient to discover and improve their health. It effectively helps the patient to take an active roll in their recovery. In this form of imagery, a trained guide helps the patient discover and work with personal imagery involving their particular illness and clarifing any issues that may be involved. The patient learns to use their mind to support and enhance their own healing.

Other mind-body remedies such as Bach Flower therapy, hypnosis, progressive muscle relaxation, laughter therapy, color therapy, biofeedback, sound and music therapy,  neurotherapy (a form of acupuncture) could also relieve HIV/AIDS patients.

Ultimately, the power of positive thinking simply cannot be overstated in the battle against a disease cripples the mind and infects the body.