Customer Reviews

Immune Power: A Comprehensive Healing Program for HIV

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While I am sure this was an ewxcellent reference when it was written, the medical advances in HIV treatment in the last four years, render this book virtually useless. It is time for a revised edition of this well thought out book.

As a person who has been HIV+ for 15 years, I can vouch for the program Dr. Jon Kaiser recommends. It is a holistic program and so encompasses vitamins, minerals, herbs, spiritual/emotional work, exercise, supplements and nutrition as well as conventional medication. His book specifically recommends affordable, high-quality vitamins, minerals, supplements and suppliers for verifiable high-quality herbal combinations with high bio-availability. Wisely, he also encourages patients to avoid or greatly decrease the use of immune-suppressing substances such as which tobacco, alcohol, and white sugar and flour. I found his program to be reinforcing of my own experience in dealing with this disease, particularly of his emphasis on taking responsibility for one's own health, utilizing a holistic approach which uses all components of the body's immune response to combat this disease. The most remarkable part of the book is the presentation of results for patients in this program compared to patients only taking conventional medication. His program can verify, with double-blind studies, that over 90% of their patients, over a five-year period, either retain the same level of CD4 cells or increase their CD4 results with no opportunistic infections or with a healing of those infections if ongoing when entering the program. And these are results PRIOR TO the availability of Protease Inhibitors. If his program had been patentable by pharmaceutical firms, it would be advertised everywhere. A holistic approach involves more than popping pills and so requires responsibility and commitment from patients and physicians. It is a worthwhile pathway to follow, but it is not an easy one.

Dr. Kaiser's perspective on micronutrients and their importance in building a solid immune foundation for people living with HIV was way ahead of its time.

And, while a reviewer complains Dr. Kaiser has a limited view as a "medical doctor," that's sort of like complaining that your apple isn't satisfying because you can't peel it like an orange. While it is true that psychology plays a role in people's well-being, so does being plagued with painful opportunistic infections and cancers due to weak immunity or a faulty hormonal balance. Jon's contribution was to make sure people had the best physical health possible, which is (most would agree) a big chunk of your overall well-being.

The proof that Jon was right has been demonstrated in the most practical way: He went on to create a multivitamin for HIV+ people called K-pax, which in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial presented at the 2004 CROI meeting was found to increase T-cell counts 26%--in people ALREADY taking anti-HIV medicines. As an internist specializing in HIV care, I routinely recommend K-PAX to patients who can afford it. If you want more information on Dr. Kaiser's work, see his website.

Knowledge in the HIV medical field turns over about every 18 months; therefore, it is important to get the latest information possible. Non-electronic media such as books thus are usually not the best way to get information on living with HIV. Try The Body website for a good first place to start.

Dr. Kaiser's book presents information that has existed for many years prior to the onset of Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The book does a marginal job in reflecting information however, it lacks current research data to support his theoretical construct. The book does however, serve to provide a rudimentary understanding of pathologoical issues connected with the disease process. In my opinion, the book needs to be more centered on the psycholological issues that are as a direct result of multiple physiological problems associated with the disease process.

In my opinon, readers should understand the author is a medical doctor and as such presents his information from a medical model and apparently lacks Clinical Psychological training in the field of Health Psychology to support his findings.

David Wayne Doyle, II M.A.,LPC, CTADT,CCGC
Doctoral Candidate-Clinical & Health Psychology