HIV is a deadly virus that directly attacks your immune system. The destruction is beyond repair. People often confuse HIV with AIDS. However, AIDS is the ultimate stage of an HIV infection. So being infected with HIV virus doesn’t mean that you have AIDS.
Basically, there are two kinds of HIV
HIV-1 – This is the one that is responsible for AIDS, and has become a threat to the entire world.
HIV-2 – This causes a condition that is similar to AIDS. It is generally uncommon.
The HIV virus undergoes its own life cycle inside your body. This life cycle has seven stages. For better understanding about how the virus infects your immune system, you must know all these seven stages.
Stage 1 – Binding
The HIV virus attaches or binds itself to CD4+ cells. These cells are a kind of white blood cells and are responsible for a body’s natural defense. There are certain receptors on the wall of the CD4+ cells and the HIV virus binds to those receptors. In this stage, CCR5 antagonist medicines are used to stop further infection.
Stage 2 – Fusion
After binding to the receptor on the wall of the CD4+ cells, the envelope of HIV and the cell membrane of CD4+ cell fuse together. This fusion allows the passage of HIV virus into the CD4+ cell. Certain fusion inhibitors are prescribed by the doctors when the patient reports to them at this stage.
Stage 3 – Reverse transcription
After the HIV cell is inside the host cell, it uses the enzyme reverse transcriptase, which is released by itself, to transform its own RNA to DNA. For this, the virus enters the nucleus of the cell and utilizes the cell’s machinery. At this stage, the doctor prescribes non-nucleoside and sometimes nucleoside inhibitors to stop the infection.
Stage 4 – Integration
Now the HIV virus releases an enzyme with the help of which it can insert its own DNA into the DNA of the host cell inside the nucleus. Integrase inhibitors are used to stop the infection at this phase.
Stage 5 – Replication
After the virus is integrated into the host cell machinery, it starts the replication process. It makes long chains of HIV proteins. When enough protein chains are created, the HIV virus is complete.
Stage 6 – Assembly
After adequate proteins have been accumulated, the proteins and HIV RNA rise up to the surface and assemble the portions together to form an HIV virus.
Stage 7 – Budding
When the formation of new HIV virus is complete, it comes out of the host cell. It releases an enzyme called protease. After it has retained stability, the protease breaks the protein chains that were made from the past immature virus. When these smaller broken proteins begin to mature, they combine to produce a single mature protein.
You should start taking medication at the moment you find out that you have HIV. The medicines may not be able to stop the entire process, but they can definitely slow down the progress and help manage the symptoms.
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Essential food items for a Type-2 diabetic patient
Read moreTo maintain your blood sugar levels, you need to have a proper balanced diet and exercise regularly. Therefore, you must know about which food items you should include in your meal plan and which you must exclude. Food products that have a lower value of the glycemic index (GI) are suitable for diabeticas well as pre-diabetic. The type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients have a different diet. Here is a list of food items that help reduce blood sugar for a type 2 diabetic patient.
Almonds: Almonds are reported to have very low levels of carbohydrates, but that is precisely not the reason why it is helpful for a type 2 diabetic patient. The reason is the presence of magnesium. Magnesium controls two very important aspects in our body in addition to many others “ it control the blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Almonds can, therefore, be an essential component of a high blood pressure diet.
Almonds are reported to have very low levels of carbohydrates, but that is precisely not the reason why it is helpful for a type 2 diabetic patient. The reason is the presence of magnesium. Magnesium controls two very important aspects in our body in addition to many others “ it control the blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Almonds can, therefore, be an essential component of a high blood pressure diet.Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate is highly rich in cocoa and cocoa contains flavanols. The cocoa in dark chocolate improves the insulin sensitivity in our body. But your dark chocolate should be labeled as containing more than 85% of cocoa.
Dark chocolate is highly rich in cocoa and cocoa contains flavanols. The cocoa in dark chocolate improves the insulin sensitivity in our body. But your dark chocolate should be labeled as containing more than 85% of cocoa.Green coffee and green tea: Do you know what green coffee means? It is that in which the coffee beans are unroasted. The main component of green coffee that is very helpful in many cases is chlorogenic acid. Research has shown that chlorogenic acid is highly successful in controlling blood sugar levels. Green tea is even better when it comes to treating diabetes. Green tea contains polyphenols, which help in promoting the glucose metabolism in your body.
Do you know what green coffee means? It is that in which the coffee beans are unroasted. The main component of green coffee that is very helpful in many cases is chlorogenic acid. Research has shown that chlorogenic acid is highly successful in controlling blood sugar levels. Green tea is even better when it comes to treating diabetes. Green tea contains polyphenols, which help in promoting the glucose metabolism in your body.Fenugreek: Fenugreek has also been proven to help reduce blood sugar. It has a plant protein compound known as 4-hydroxyisoleucine. This compound either restricts the sugar absorption in your blood or promotes insulin sensitivity. If a person can consume 1 gram of an extract of fenugreek daily, then insulin sensitivity of that person can increase up to 53%.
Fenugreek has also been proven to help reduce blood sugar. It has a plant protein compound known as 4-hydroxyisoleucine. This compound either restricts the sugar absorption in your blood or promotes insulin sensitivity. If a person can consume 1 gram of an extract of fenugreek daily, then insulin sensitivity of that person can increase up to 53%.Salmon: Fishes like salmon, tuna, and herring have omega-3-fatty acid, which are extremely helpful in keeping your blood sugar levels under control. They have lean protein, which is the ideal food for diabetic patients.
Fishes like salmon, tuna, and herring have omega-3-fatty acid, which are extremely helpful in keeping your blood sugar levels under control. They have lean protein, which is the ideal food for diabetic patients.Whole grains: When you choose grains for your diet, make sure you choose whole grains. Whole grains include wild rice and quinoa and they are very beneficial for diabetic patients.
When you choose grains for your diet, make sure you choose whole grains. Whole grains include wild rice and quinoa and they are very beneficial for diabetic patients.Cinnamon: The medicinal properties of cinnamon are known to all. Cinnamon is reported to contain certain compounds that help in slowing down the process of digestion by interfering with the effective digestive enzymes. Thus,it slows down the glucose absorption. This means less amount of sugar will get into the bloodstream. Cinnamon also improves the effect of insulin.
The medicinal properties of cinnamon are known to all. Cinnamon is reported to contain certain compounds that help in slowing down the process of digestion by interfering with the effective digestive enzymes. Thus,it slows down the glucose absorption. This means less amount of sugar will get into the bloodstream. Cinnamon also improves the effect of insulin. -
The lift chair demographic today
Read moreWhile it’s generally been the aging baby boomers that have been the primary target audience for lift chairs, the trend is changing. Today, manufacturers of lift chairs, massage chairs etc. are gaining traction with other demographics who are interested in buying lift chairs not only for comfort but for taking care of wellness and health issues as well. Read on about the lift chair demographic today:
Elderly and disabled people
The traditional users of lift chairs, who continue to be so today, are the elderly and the disabled. Lift chairs are essentially regular chairs which possess a safety mechanism allowing the person to lower/raise the chair in order to easily sit down, stand up, or move around on their own. Lift chairs give them a myriad of benefits including the independence that they crave for, the opportunity to remain at home rather than in a nursing home or a hospital, the ease of mobility, reduced risks of injury as well as the comfortable space which is more than that of a regular chair.Caregivers
Lift chairs have been proven to be greatly beneficial to caregivers as well. For one, it frees up a lot of time for the caregiver. For instance, if someone is being taken care of and that person is able to use a lift chair, then it will free up the caregiver’s time, allowing him/her to finish of incomplete chores or just enjoy a little ‘me’ time. The second advantage is that caregivers avoid getting seriously injured. A recent study found that close to 54% of caregivers experienced injuries simply from helping assist the person they take care of. Caregivers undergo a lot of physical strain, thus putting not only their health in jeopardy but also the health of the one they’re taking care of. It is important for caregivers to take care of their health too, so if the person they’re taking care of doesn’t really need a lift chair but can navigate and use it on their own, they should do so, as many are doing it today.Younger generation
Today, it’s the younger generation that is increasingly turning to lift chairs as an outlet for stress relief and due to desiring a healthy lifestyle, given the fact that in the end, lift chairs are medical chairs. Today, lift chairs are being sold not only at health retailers and drugstores but also in furniture stores, electronics stores, etc. wherein younger customers are buying lift chairs complete with built-in speakers and USB ports!