page 1 of 5
contents
of issue 75
back
issues
the
gazette
recipes
small
ads
contacting
us
weblinks
Exercise
Most of us know that doing moderate and regular exercise strengthens the
heart and lungs and greatly benefits the immune
system. Exercise improves the way we feel and look but also helps us
relax, sleep better and aids digestion.
Now research is showing that exercise can help counter some of the horrible
side effects of anti-HIV medications as well as improve muscle wastage
for those suffering from lipodystrophy and lipoatrophy. Regular exercise
improves insulin resistance as well as helping the natural breakdown of
fats and cholesterol, and increasing CD4 counts.
It's anti-retrovirals of all classes, and not just the protease inhibitors,
that cause the breakdown of body fats and possibly dangerous elevations
in the bloodstream. The worrying irony now is that you might survive the
ravages of the virus only to succumb to diabetes or coronary heart disease.
Lipodystrophy expert Dr Graeme Moyle, of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital,
told a National Aids Manual (NAM) forum in November that regular cardio-vascular
exercise, combined with some weight-training reduces the body's insulin
requirement
as well as the level of triglyceride fats in the blood and the amount of fat in
