Reducing HIV Levels Across the World

Various campaigns are created to stop the spread of HIV infections that run rampant, especially in countries like Africa. It is disappointing when an initiative fails to yield the expected results, as was the case with a study that spanned three years in several Zimbabwe communities. Researchers were hoping a program which offered free condoms, peer-to-peer education for the entire community and counseling sessions along with treatment of STD's aimed at women in the sex industry and their male counterparts would have an impact on HIV infection rates amongst the sex industry as well as the whole community. However, the study determined that this initiative to impact those people who had much higher risk of being infected with HIV (sex workers and clients) did very little in reducing the rates of HIV infection in the general population. While this initiative actually succeeded in lowering the number of infections of HIV in men, it did not reduce that risk for women. Those researchers participating in this study for three years were optimistic that by targeting the men and women involved in the sex industry, the rates of infections in the entire community could be lowered. A reason for this is that sex workers who spend much of their time prospecting at bars are a prime reason HIV infection rates are so high throughout the community. In targeting these women and men, the researchers felt an impact on the community as a whole would be made. In addition to the condom distribution and clinical services, this initiative went a step further by offering loans that were interest-free to female sex workers along with training in the management of small businesses. The reason for this is so these sex workers could learn skills that would stop them from being financially dependent on the sex trade. Despite these efforts geared towards the female sex workers, only male participants in this study saw any benefit: decrease in rates of HIV infection, fewer symptoms of STD's and a lower rate of unprotected sex.Many researchers in this study feel this initiative proved to be largely unsuccessful because of financial reasons. The male participants in the study were impacted more because they started using condoms more efficiently and consistently and may have stopped visiting sex workers. Female participants, despite loans and training, may have found it difficult if not impossible to find any other means of making money. Some female sex workers may also have taken an increased payout from clients who did not want to use the condoms provided. A lead researcher of the initiative, Dr. Gregson, had this to say about the disappointing results: “Targeting smaller high-risk groups didn't have the effect we had hoped and in addition, we weren’t able to reduce the incidence of HIV in women in a way we had anticipated. We wanted to reduce women’s reliance on sex work through our micro-credit scheme but this did not work, partly because of the sharp economic downturn in Zimbabwe.” He also states that the initiative would have proved much more successful if it targeted a larger population and if it had focused more on skills training that would impact the entire community and help to stem poverty.

How To Lower Your Cholesterol Levels

Getting Down high cholesterol levels will lengthen your life and raise the quality of life because it reduces the hazard of heart disease and stroke. Whenever possible it's safest to control cholesterol points without medicine, first. Constantly consult with your primary care physician about this. Even if you feel yourself demanding medicine to lower cholesterol, you may ask less if you can reduce the degrees about without medicine. The methods to get down cholesterol without medicine: 1. Diet 2. Working out DIET Diet exchanges can be hard and challenging, but once you develop recent eating usage and begin feeling healthier, it will bring fewer attempt. The methods to switch your food eating habits to aid in decreasing cholesterol levels : Eliminate and cut foods that are higher in cholesterol - some suggest that cholesterol that occurs from food should be fewer than 300 mg per twenty-four hours. For those with high cholesterol who wish to take down their cholesterol may need to keep down the amount to 200 mg. Foods which have high cholesterol levels: 1. Eggs (mainly the yolk) 2. Chicken 3. Liver 4. Beef 5. Hotdogs 6. Butter 7. Sponge cake 8. Ice cream 9. Processed and deep fried foods Limit foods that take trans fat or saturated fats- your human body will produce cholesterol from both saturated fats and trans. The government has intervened and implemented rules regarding trans fat. Most fast food eating places adopted voluntarily with the recent guidances while others were forced to. Some needed a little longer due to the desire to have exchanges but didn’t desire to convert the taste of their products. The head requires some fats for proper function, so be certain you don’t wipe out every fat from your diet. Upgrade soluble fiber- it binds with fatty acids and gets the stomach to empty more slowly so that the rate of sugar release and absorption is prolonged. Soluble fiber shrinks the cholesterol that is absorbed in the intestines. Sources of soluble fiber: 1. Oats/bran 2. Nuts 3. Barley 4. Fruits 5. Vegetables 6. Flaxseed Increase healthy foods to take down your fish, cholesterol-fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and lean meats will aid cut cholesterol. Converting the direction you eat may get the beneficial side impact of weight loss. This is advantageous because sometimes even a 5-10 lb weight loss can take down cholesterol levels. Decreasing cholesterol too drastically will cause the body to produce its own cholesterol and that is more complicated to control and often will take medication. Cholesterol is wanted for the following : 1. Fixing cell and broken tissue 2. Antioxidant properties 3. Part of every cell 4. Necessary for correct brain use and memory 5. Bile (aids in digestions) portion 6. Shaping of hormones 7. Keeps inflammation 8. Portion of vitamin production Consume a high protein immune globulin supplement – a report released in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005 81 (4) p 792) discovered that men and women who carried reasonably high cholesterol, between 210 and 270 whole calculate, experienced a 6% drop in all cholesterol after only 3 weeks of having an immune globulin supplement. Of importance to mark, the LDL cholesterol point dropped 7% while the HDL cholesterol degree stayed constant. EXERCISE HDL (positive cholesterol) raises with exercise and will contribute to taking down high cholesterol degrees. Doing exercise at least 4 days out of the week- when the workout is mild activities ; it's advisable to strain to do it every twenty-four hours. Conventional exercises, weight lifting, and running aren’t the only exercises you can do to aid reduce cholesterol; the following activities can be part of cholesterol taking down workout habits: 1. Walking 2. Gardening 3. Chores 4. Dancing Exercise at least thirty minutes per twenty-four hours- the minutes can be separated into lesser workout sessions as long it amounts thirty minutes by the end of the day. Life-style exchanges like eating right and exercising take time to become portion of a daily act. Stick with it and the benefits will be valuable. When efforts to take down your cholesterol haven't been successful, your doctor may decide to put you on medication to take down your cholesterol levels.

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