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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE DECEMBER 10, 1993

AIDS IN A SECOND-TIER CITY

Alternative therapies help relieve side effects

Continued from Page 1

Where Western medicine, with its focus on disease isolation and "cutting out the problem" had failed Zak, Chinese medicine and its emphasis on recognizing symptoms and providing the body with the strength to heal itself seemed a viable alternative. And one that worked.

"The doctor said what I had was damp spleen syndrome, a build-up of bacteria in my spleen. He said he could cure it, that it wasn't a problem. He gave me a mixture of Chinese herbs, flowers and bark and said that it would get worse before it got better.

After five days I was ready to give up, but he said to try it for another five, that it was cleaning out my system. By the eighth day it was working."

Since July, Zak has maintained daily doses of the herb mix with ginger root tea. His spleen functions normally, no bacteria, no more problem. "This stuff works, I don't know why, but it does. I was a little nervous at first. I mean you gotta take your clothes off and this guy's gonna stick needles in your body. Give me a break. But what's the alternative?"

Zak's experience with Chinese medicine is typical, rather than unusual. While alternative therapies have not provided a cure for AIDS, they often are successful at relieving the side effects from Western medicine, like the nausea and vomiting associated with AZT and chemotherapy. They are also useful in addressing quality of life issues, for instance easing stress, increasing appetite and helping provide a full night's sleep. Limited increases in T-cell counts have even been demonstrated with Chinese medicine. Optimal benefits from alternative therapies are best experienced when

used alongside traditional Western approaches.

Though Chinese medicine is not the only focus of alternative therapy, Asian cultures are the source for much of what is being tried. An explanation of some of the more common therapies might be useful:

Acupuncture has been practiced in China for over 5,000 years. Chinese philosophy is centered on the idea of yin and yang, opposing poles of energy in unequal parts that are found in all life throughout the universe. The two are always in a constant interplay.

Another key element in Chinese philosophy is the Qi, or Chi, the vital life energy flowing through all life. The Qi flows along paths, or meridians, throughout the body. An acupuncturist observes a patient's emotions, voice, body structure and responses to temperature, pressure, colors, seasons and time of day. Based on this information, the practitioner inserts thin, sterilized needles along the meridians, releasing blocked energy and restoring proper flow. Acupuncture has been used with success in treating addictions, sleeping and eating disorders, allergies, infections, depression and pain.

Shiatsu is similar to acupuncture, but without needles, Shiatsu is a form of acupressure that applies deep finger pressure along the meridians, stimulating energy flow and releasing blockages. Nuat Thai is another form of acupressure which additionally focuses on the emotional state of the patient, releasing emotional problems as tension is worked through.

Reiki, pronounced RAY-key, is an ancient Japanese healing art that was lost through the centuries but re-discovered in the 1800s. It involves channeling the natural healing energy that surrounds us, direct-

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ing it to the source of pain, or spreading the energy through the entire body. A useful analogy is the healing that can be seen when a finger is cut; through time the body heals itself. Reiki accelerates the healing the body does naturally.

A Reiki practitioner uses light hands-on touch with a variety of hand positions to stimulate and direct this energy while the patient is in a relaxed state. No substances are applied to the body, no special equipment is needed. The practitioner will apply touch to many areas of the body for general well-being and may spend extra time on isolated areas to address specific concerns. A warm, tingling feeling is usually experienced during the session. Its benefits can be either subtle or dramatic. It has proven effective both as a prep for surgery and in the recovery stages following surgery, speeding healing without the use of drugs. It can also reduce stress and revitalize.

Herbal Therapy: The use of healing herbs in China extends back to ancient times. Research has shown conclusively that the polysaccharides found in Chinese herbs can restore immune system functions that have been depressed by drugs or medical treatment, like chemotherapy. Since the focus is on each individual patient and their symptoms, rather than looking for the larger disease picture, an herbalist can design a mixture that is tailored to specific need. Zak's case is a good example of applied herbal therapy.

Herbs can be very potent and should only be taken by the person for whom the mix was designed. Some of the more prevalent herbs in use include astragalus, ginseng, lonicera and peony. Herbs are effective at raising energy levels, reducing symptoms from HIV infection (like night sweats, diarrhea and lymphatic swelling), and speeding recovery from opportunistic infections.

More than 2,000 people have been monitored in HIV treatment programs using herbs in a variety of tests sponsored by the Institute for Traditional Medicine. Improved energy, reduced symptoms and faster recovery from opportunistic infections are the norm and can be expected in 50 to 70 percent of those using an herb therapy. Less dramatic results can be seen in 20 to 30 percent, while little to no results are experienced by 10 to 20 percent of herb users. Though research conducted in China, the U.S. and Japan has proven the efficacy of Chinese herbs and the polysaccharides they contain, no pharmaceutical (synthetic) versions have been developed in the U.S. Conversely, Japan has successfully developed a drug from these sources called Krestin, the major selling anti-cancer drug there.

There are many other viable alternative therapies currently being explored as AIDS/ HIV therapies. These extend to experimental use of steroids, nutritional and dietary supplements, marijuana, massage, chiropractic and many more beyond the range of this article. The key to all of this-beyond the frustrating need for the equivalent of a medical degree just to process and understand the vast amount of information that has steadily grown over the past several years-is the need for further research and wider public awareness of the existence of alternative therapies.

Chinese medicine occupies a precarious position since there is a demand for more research based on the positive results already demonstrated by its use, coupled to a lack of funding to support such research. And, as is usually the case with anything new or experimental or linked to specific cultures, the availability of complementary therapies is limited to larger urban centers. A brief look at two major alternative healing centers in San Francisco and Chicago is instructive.

Quan Yin

The Quan Yin Healing Arts Center in : San Francisco is a good example of a focused treatment center specializing in Chi-

nese medicine. Since 1984, HIV treatment has been a primary concern for Quan Yin, as well as chronic hepatitis, PMS, menopause, stress reduction and addictions. Quan Yin services include acupuncture, herbs, chiropractic, and psychotherapy, all in conjunction with Western doctors.

For patients with HIV or AIDS, Quan Yin uses a combination of acupuncture, herbs and moxibustion (soothing heat applied to the skin in order to stimulate the flow of the Qi) to relieve digestive disorders, fatigue, insomnia, night sweats and fever, as well as opportunistic infections like CMV and Kaposi's sarcoma. Treatment can also reduce the symptoms of chronic hepatitis, like abdominal pain and swelling, fatigue and digestive problems.

To Clevelanders, the idea of acupuncture may still be as unusual as pierogis probably are to Californians. But for San Franciscans it's old hat. "There's always been a bit of curiosity about Chinese medicine here because of Chinatown," says Quan Yin staffer Joe Browning, confirming the wide acceptance of acupuncture. "Once the Bamboo Curtain came down in 1974 there was an explosion of people going to China to study Chinese medicine."

Because of this and the general California willingness to try new things, state insurance laws provide for easy access to Chinese medicine. It isn't the availability of practitioners or the ability to pay that keeps people from coming to Quan Yin. Says Browning, "As people progress through HIV, they may come to Chinese medicine too late." Chinese medicine works best when it is applied early as a means of maintaining health. A recent Quan Yin study on Chinese herbs and HIV proves the point.

In a random, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 30 people with at least two HIV-related symptoms and T-cell counts of 200-500 (emphasizing the need for early intervention while T-cell count is relatively high), 15 people were treated with an herbal mix while 15 received placebos. Subjects took 28 pills per day for 12 weeks. Results indicated that those receiving the herb formula experienced an increased general wellbeing (improvement in gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms and renewed energy levels), while the placebo group did not. There was no change in T-cell counts. Not surprisingly, the results indicate the pressing need for further testing.

Closer to home

The AIDS Alternative Health Project in Chicago is a useful contrast to Quan Yin, proving that the Midwest hasn't been completely asleep at the wheel. Where Quan Yin specializes in Chinese medicine, AAHP has a broader range, covering many different alternative therapies. Services provided include Chinese medicine, craniosacral therapy (applying gentle pressure to the skull in order to correct abnormal cranial bone motion, thereby relieving headaches, stress and chronic pain), chiropractic, massage, energy therapies like Mari-El (an outgrowth of Reiki with the addition of imagery) and Jin Shin Jyutsu (releasing tensions which can be the source of physical pain), Neuro Linguistic Programming [NLP] (restructuring language and belief systems in order to change a patient's outlook and thereby affect changes in habits and patterns that lead to illness), nutritional counseling, ocular screening, Reiki, and a variety of workshops designed to further self-healing. This place does it all.

"AAHP started as a loosely structured small group of 'body workers' (acupuncturists, massage therapists)," says AAHP staffer Lotte Langer. "Over the past four years we've really expanded. As things grew there was a need for more structure. Three years ago no one was doing energy work, like Reiki. Now that's become a big part of our focus."

Over 50 volunteer practitioners (all appropriately certified within their disciplines) provide the services. Treatment follows the

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