December 1, 2010 was World AIDS Day, a project initiated to increase awareness of the growing AIDS epidemic around the world as well as to promote equality for those inflicted with HIV/AIDS. Currently over 42 million people are living with AIDS/HIV and last year the number of Americans tested for this disease reached a new high. Agencies like the Centers for Disease Control are urging doctors to test patients for HIV through routine blood work; however the response to this push has been weak. Sadly the majority of individuals who have been infected only get tested once they fall seriously ill, because of this; it is likely that they have infected others without knowing.

One of the key elements of the World AIDS Day project is equal treatment for individuals who are infected. In 2007, infection rates were 2.7 times faster than the rate of individuals who were receiving treatment. In addition to pharmaceutical treatments, there are a number of Naturopathic modalities that can be used as complementary treatments. Herbal medicine has been used extensively in hopes of improving immune system function and to reduce symptoms. Acupuncture has been used to alleviate symptoms associated with HIV such as fatigue, neuropathy and pain. Dietary counseling is an important part of treatment, as many HIV/AIDS patients suffer from nausea, vomiting, malabsorption and infections that affect fat storage. There are 5 million new HIV infections every year and it is crucial that we raise awareness and educate the public about HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, I feel that the time has come to push towards incorporation of alternative therapies in treatment protocols because these are the types of treatments that can improve the quality of life for HIV/AIDS patients.

References:
http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/
http://www.yale.edu/yaw/world.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/health/02aids.html?_r=2&ref=health
http://www.aegis.com/pubs/cdc_fact_sheets/1994/cdc94033.html