Many people, after having just been diagnosed with HIV, automatically see a death sentence hanging in front of them. This may have been the case several decades ago when there was little research on the disease, however, that is no longer the case.

There are many conventional and alternative treatments that can be prescribed to fight against the disease and slow its growth. Although many people feel as though alternative treatments are healthier, HIV or AIDS should not be fought with alternative medicine alone. There are many conventional medicines that are necessary to slow the disease and using these in combination with alternative medicines can prove very effective.

Antiretroviral medications are the conventional treatments most often used to control AIDS. These medications come in four groups and any combination of the four different medications is called HAART, which can slow the progression of the disease. HAART stands for Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. When using these treatments, three of the four medications are generally combined to create a “cocktail” of medication.

The HAART medication comes in four classes: Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs) to slow the progression of the HIV cells reproducing themselves; Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs), which mimic the type of cell HIV needs to reproduce itself but unlike the working cell, these cells are defective; Protease Inhibitors (PIs), which also disallow the HIV cells to reproduce themselves and Fusion Inhibitors, which block the HIVs entrance into the cells. The combination that needs to be taken and the number of pills will depend on the doctor’s assessment of the patient however, the cocktail is most effective when three or more groups are taken.

In addition to conventional medicine, there are many alternative treatments that can be used to complement these medications. Herbal medicine can be used to treat any complication resulting from HIV and there are also many that can be taken to help strengthen the immune system. These herbal medicines include St. John’s Wort, Echinacea, licorice, and ginseng.

Another alternative for those suffering from HIV or AIDS may be to speak with a nutritionist who can provide them with adequate support when it comes to determining what would be the best diet. In order for a body to function properly, it needs proper vitamins and minerals. This means eating well has never been so important. In addition, the body will be less able to absorb fat and distribute nutrients properly, making the body go into a vicious cycle of weight loss and not having the proper nutrients or strength to fight illness when it comes. Although eating well is obvious, this is one of the best things that a patient with HIV or AIDS can do for themselves.