NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Press Contact:
October 05, 2007	Rebecca Wilkowski
	(415) 355-1601 x12 media@actcm.edu

Chinese Medicine Compliments National AIDS Awareness Month

While October 1 marks the start of National AIDS Awareness Month, AIDS and HIV have been well-known conditions since storming onto the public stage in the early 1980s. Though there is still no known cure for AIDS, alternative therapies such as Chinese herbs and acupuncture can offer relief.

The impact of the epidemic hits close to home. According to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, 18,107 San Franciscans have died from AIDS since 1981, and 18,679 are currently living with HIV/AIDS in the city. While new drug therapies make living longer and healthier more feasible for people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, debilitating illness still causes a huge struggle for many.

Though acupuncture cannot cure HIV, it has been cited by the World Health Organization to treat over 43 conditions, including such HIV symptoms as headache, fatigue, aching muscles, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, which encompasses acupuncture and Chinese herbs, has been used to treat AIDS conditions since the beginning of the 1980¹s. Acupuncture raises levels of endorphins, white blood cell levels and anti-body levels, thereby increasing the body's level of immunity. Chinese herbs that have antiviral and immuno-enhancing qualities can improve the quality of life for many patients by reducing the potency of virus, rebuilding the immune system, treating opportunistic infections, and compensating for the side effects of Western medication. Short-term improvements such as increased energy level, improved sense of well- eing, weight gain, and decreased stress levels are also added benefits experienced by many who use this adjunct therapy. When compared to current treatments offered by Western medicine, acupuncture and Chinese herbs are reported to be less costly, less toxic and have fewer negative side effects.

ACTCM, a non-profit institution, has provided affordable, quality health care to the public, including those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, since 1980. ACTCM has been the recipient of many awards for its curriculum, faculty and clinic, and has been voted "Best of the Bay" by both the San Francisco Weekly and the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

For more information on how Chinese medicine can help improve the quality of life of individuals living with HIV/AIDS, please call (415) 355-1601 x12.