Lean Tissue and Muscle Mass Loss

Were you active and athletic or sedentary? The more lean tissue you have  throughout life, the  better you will be.

As we age we tend to be less active, lose muscle and put on fat. Start exercising again today. Testosterone decreases. What about menopause? 

The virus takes lean tissue and fat in weight loss, and more fat is gained back than lean tissue compared to an uninfected person. Can this be changed? Testosterone decreases. 

Drug Interactions and Reactions

Did you pop pills (any kind, over-the-counter, prescription, or street)? Did you use dope of any kind? Alcohol? Methadone? What was in that dope you bought in the street? What was it cut with? Does it interact with your medication? 

As we age we tend to use more medication. At what point does the negative drug interaction start? Who is paying attention? Does any one provider monitor all of our medications? Who is going to win the prize for the most meds taken in one day? 

Who is going to be sainted for enduring the most side affects? And the latest ones? Lipodystrophy, breast enlargement, diabetes, heart disease and osteonecrosis. Can anyone help with these horrible skin disorders?

Eating Habits

Were ketchup and mustard your vegetables? Did your vitamin C come from French fries? Were you on the SAD diet (Standard American Diet)? Were you constipated often? Did you have a hard time with certain food, such as milk? Did you know how your food was prepared? Malnutrition impairs immunity. 

Idiopathic bowel disease may come from a life-long habit of not eating enough vegetables and fruits. Our stomach acid gets weaker as we get older, making digestion less efficient and preparing the way for H. pylori and reduced amounts of Vitamin B12. Combine this with a loss of muscle tone in our GI tract and we wind up with gastro-intestinal problems. 

HIV likes to live in our gut. This has a negative impact on digestion. A low T cell count paves the way for various parasites to become established, and for H. pylori to grow in our stomachs. Combine this with a decrease in stomach acid and one of the results is we have to compete with the bacteria for the Vitamin B12 produced. 

Family History

Did they fight for what they wanted?

Genetic factors? We don't know.

Genetic factors? We don't know.

Illnesses

Were you ill often? Do you have any chronic illnesses? Any structural problems? Obesity?

Cardio-vascular disease, cancer, hypertension, vision problems, skin problems, diabetes and Kaposi's sarcoma increase as we get older. 

Don’t confuse AIDS-related dementia with Alzheimer's. Are opportunistic infections age-related, HIV- related, or a combination of both? End Stage Liver Disease is the number one killer today. What contributes to this?

Medical Issues

Base line measurements; e.g., cholesterol, triglycerides, PSA, Pap smear, mammogram, sugar levels, liver enzymes, kidney function, bone density, BIA, blood pressure, eye exams. dental care, vaccines. 

How have these test results changed through the years? How about macular degeneration? Glaucoma? Did you ever get baseline measurements done? Were they thought to be unnecessary or too expensive? 

How does HIV/AIDS alter these test results? Have you been tested for Diabetes? Bone Density? CMV Retinitis? Hepatitis? Genotype and phenotype? Ultra sensitive viral load? 

Psycho-social Issues and Stress

Class, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, education, neighborhood, and job all impact on how you relate to the world and how the world treats you. Do you love who you are? Do you have enough money to live? 

Aging is gentler when you are rich and healthy. Stress and hypertension are exacerbated by racism in people of color. Feeling "old" is more closely related to social attitudes and personal feelings than to age. 

Are you depressed? Has sex become dangerous? Are you a pariah and expendable in the eyes of society? Do you hide out? Are you desirable? Do you look better with your clothes on or off? 

Sex Drive

Use it or lose it. Practice safe sex all the time. Do you compare yourself or your mate to the false images in our TV commercials and magazines? Do you fall short of perfection? The entire human race falls short. Do you feel guilty about your sexual desire? 

We don'’t describe our elders as sexy. "Dirty old man" or "little old lady" is what we say. Hormone levels do go down as we get older. Other problems such as Lariche syndrome may be the cause of impotence or decreased sexual interest in men. Are you attractive? 

Hormone levels do decrease. Vaginal secretions decrease. Anemia , wasting and liver disease may add to fatigue and lack of sexual interest. Is a Viagra driven HIV upsurge possible? Is safe sex important only for youngsters or people who are negative?

Smoking

The longer you smoke, the worse it gets. Smoking and drinking alcohol makes the ill effects of both drugs worse. 

Smoking is a systemic poison. The list of illnesses made worse by smoking gets longer every day. Stop completely, or at least cut down. 

Smoking is a great way to help the virus kill off your immune system. Stop smoking today, or at least cut down. Were you told you had six months to live 20 years ago?

Vitamins, Minerals and Phytochemicals

Did you eat enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains or take a vitamin pill? On a junk food mission? Somewhere in between? 

As we age we tend not to get enough Vitamin B12, Folate, E, Selenium, protein, calories, Calcium and Vitamins A and D. What about phytochemicals? Is there enough food at home? Do you skip meals? 

If you are HIV+ you need more Vitamin B12, Folate, E, Selenium, protein, calories, other B vitamins, C, Zinc and Iron. What are the best sources? Can you cook? Do you have cooking facilities? Food?