EIL Intercultural Learning

I am a great believer in alternative medicines. Anyone that knows me, knows my stance on the pharmaceutical industry. I am a nutritional therapy student, who believes in homeopathy, herbal remedies... I could go on. However, the introduction of ARVs has been instrumental in the treatment of HIV & AIDS.

Unfortunately though, not enough people have access to the medications.

Within my current Master's in Humanitarian Action (in UCD), I am considering undertaking my thesis on the effects that certain foods have on the immune system, in an effort to not only help the people with access to medication, but also, and especially, for those who do not. I do believe that there is a lot that a healthy diet can do for a HIV+ person's CD4 count....and by healthy I mean cutting out things like sugar and animal protein - immune suppressing foods (I am following this myself by the way - how can I recommend such changes if I have not made them/experienced them for myself?).

Problem: The one issue I have come across in my nutrition studies is that 50% of sick people will do anything (eat whatever I recommend etc. in order to get well) and the other 50% just could not be bothered...how to overcome that is something I would love to know!

Problem two: Food security in developing countries.

Another problem: I do not want to be seen as another 'Dr. Beetroot' (Manto - ex South African health minister). She recommended garlic, lemons and beetroot as an alternative to ARVs and as a result scores of people came off their medication and subsequently died. But I do believe that nutritional changes can help people before they need medication and while they are on it.

There are a lot of people out there doing really positive things in the area of HIV & AIDS research, in fact they have devoted themselves and they may not be taken seriously (in my humble opinion) because of the unwielding power of the pharmaceutical industry. Look at Dr. Roger Short or Jim Humble to name but a few....I have a lot more research to do, but I intend to use my expertise and research to HELP HIV+ people to live as well as they can for as long as they can. Witnessing a person die from AIDS is devastating and if I can help to relieve or delay that...

I am going back to SA this summer to do an internship and to write my thesis (and hopefully take a HIV & AIDS course in UWC). In a few weeks I will also be undertaking a Certificate in HIV & AIDS with AIDS West and Ciara is going to join me - and if it is anything like the training that Aine Costigan gave us via Dtalk, which was excellent and totally inspiring, then I cannot wait.