General Health Advice

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.

What comes in your mind when you hear about the word AIDS?
AIDS full form is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS comes from the HIV virus, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. What does all this mean? HIV is a virus. When people say you've contracted AIDS, you really have contracted HIV. Then HIV develops into AIDS. But what is AIDS in any case? Well, AIDS is a disease that breaks down your Immune System, the part of your body that fights off colds, the flu, strep throat and other sicknesses. When AIDS breaks down your Immune System so much, it cannot fight off very simple things likes colds, you die.

Nowadays there are so many frightening things about AIDS, on the news, in the paper, in the internet and all over you look. 14 million people just in America are living with AIDS each day, and about 3 million of those Americans die every year. How can you prevent the contraction of AIDS?

If you want to be 100% convinced that you will not get AIDS or any other sexually-transmitted infection (STI), be abstinent (decide to go without from all sex). If you cannot go without, always use a condom unless you are in a long-term, committed relationship and your partner has been tested. Don't have sex with people who have several partners.

A lot of people are unaware that they are infected with HIV. Less than 1% of the sexually active urban population in Africa has been tested, and this proportion is still inferior in rural populations. In addition, only 0.5% of pregnant women attending urban health facilities are counseled, tested or receive their test results. Yet again, this proportion is even lower in rural health facilities. As a result, donor blood and blood products used in medicine and medical research are screened for HIV.

There are a lot of ways to get your hands on cheap or free syringes and needles. Unclean needles do more injure to your skin and veins, and HIV, hepatitis and lots of extra diseases can be transmitted when two or more people share the same needle.

If you ever require a transplant, whether it is organs or other body parts, like cells, it would be safer to be familiar with where they come from. If you're having a kidney transplant, try to get one from a family member. Since the human body has two kidneys, and you only need one to live, kidney transplants can be taken from living people who you know. Other transplants, such as cell transplants, can also be taken from agreeable family and friends.

The symptoms of AIDS are mainly the result of conditions that do not usually develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. Most of these circumstances are infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that are usually controlled by the elements of the immune system that HIV damages. Opportunistic infections are common in people with AIDS. HIV affects nearly every organ system. People with AIDS also have an increased risk of developing various cancers such as Kaposi's sarcoma, cervical cancer and cancers of the immune system known as lymphomas. Additionally, people with AIDS often have systemic symptoms of infection like fevers, sweats (particularly at night), swollen glands, chills, weakness, and weight loss.

For a lot of people, abstinence is something they're not eager to do. That's why it's very essential to have safe sex. Safe sex is just what it sounds like - sex in a way that limits your chance of getting AIDS or other STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).
Even though this is an unusual way of contracting HIV, avoid coming into contact with other people's blood. If you are a health care worker or other individual who is frequently exposed to blood, do not rush about and be stringent about taking all necessary precautions. As above of everything your health comes first.