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My Herpes Interview with Monday Magazine
RW: Why is there a stigma about herpes?
CS: Because the government and media are controlled by social and
religous conservatives who wish to demonize sexuality by trying to put
forward the absurd argument that sexually transmitted diseases are
God’s punishment for immorality. Not only is this an unloving and
ignorant attitude, but it also doesn’t represent the reality of
sexually transmitted infections. I, like most of my patients, got my
herpes in a monogamous relationship. Many others got their herpes as
children by being kissed by their parents.
Date: 6/15/2007 10:50:40 AM ( 17 y ) ... viewed 2508 times You Need to Know
It’s a tricky topic, but let’s talk
By RINGO WILDE
Monday Magazine, June 8-14, 2006
I know it’s not something you’re burning to talk about, Darlings—or
maybe you are burning with it, which is all the more reason to broach
the delicate subject of (ahem) herpes. You know. The gift that keeps on
giving. Even if you’re not currently affected, it pays to know what you
could be up against next time you rub up against someone who is. I
recently e-mailed with Vancouver naturopath Christopher Scipio, who has
just published a book called Making Peace With Herpes, which he wrote
because he figured it just wasn’t talked about enough. Here’s what he
had to say:
Ringo Wilde: How big a concern is herpes in British Columbia these days?
Christopher Scipio: Herpes is a huge concern . . . what I and my other
colleagues in the health profession are seeing is an increase of herpes
infection amongst the 15 to 25 population, largely due to the
popularity of oral sex and the failure of all of us to get the message
out to young people that herpes can be transmitted through oral sex
whether or not sores are visible genitally or on the lips.
RW: Who is mostly affected?
CS: Herpes is an equal opportunity disease. Many children get it by
being kissed by adults with cold sores. Herpes affects every income
level in every culture. It affects rural populations at the same rate
as urban areas.
RW: Why is there a stigma about herpes?
CS: Because the government and media are controlled by social and
religous conservatives who wish to demonize sexuality by trying to put
forward the absurd argument that sexually transmitted diseases are
God’s punishment for immorality. Not only is this an unloving and
ignorant attitude, but it also doesn’t represent the reality of
sexually transmitted infections. I, like most of my patients, got my
herpes in a monogamous relationship. Many others got their herpes as
children by being kissed by their parents.
By refusing to provide adequate sex education to the public, all these
sex-negative people are accomplishing is helping to spread sexually
transmitted diseases by denying people the information they need to
practice safer sexuality and creating a climate where some people are
afraid to admit that they have a sexually tranmitted disease. The fact
is that you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who has had six or
more sex partners who hasn’t had a sexually transmitted infection,
whether they know it or not.
RW: What can people do to control outbreaks?
CS: The first thing to do is to eat an appropriate diet. If you are
having regular outbreaks, refrain from caffeine (coffee, choclate,
black tea, green tea, yerba mate, cola drinks) and nuts and seeds
(except hemp and flax) until your immune system has become strong
enough to keep the virus dormant. Secondly, take up yoga, tai chi or qi
gong. Thirdly, take a chelated zinc supplement, selenium, and a garlic
supplement daily. If you are a woman whose outbreaks occour during
menstruation you will need a liquid hormone-balancing formula that
includes don quai, black cohosh and chaste tree berries.
Everyone with regular outbreaks needs to do the inner work necessary to
forgive themselves, forgive the person who infected them, and to make
peace with the virus and accept that it will be in their body for life.
Lastly, it is helpful for many people with regular outbreaks to either
do suppressive drug therapy or to take herbal formulas to build their
immune system . . . Suppressive drug therapy does not in any way build
your immune system, has potential negative side-effects, and once you
stop taking the drug therapy your outbreaks will likely resume as
severe as before.
RW: How can those with herpes meet others with herpes for relationships
and/or support?
CS: Every major city and many smaller towns have herpes support groups
and these can be found doing a Google search . . . There are many
dating sites like antopia.com and positivesingles.com, but I recommend
that people with herpes avoid the urge to only date others with herpes.
There is no need to ghettoize yourself into thinking that you are
unworthy of dating uninfected persons. Love is bigger than herpes.
RW: Are there natural treatments as well as drugs?
CS: Herpes has been around for about 140 millions years and infects
every animal without a backbone and most animals with a backbone
including cats, elephants and even race horses. There has only been
drug therapy for herpes for about 20 years, in contrast herpes has been
treated for more than 2,000 years through herbal medicine. There are
powerful Chinese, African and Amazonian herbs for controlling herpes
that I and many other herbalists work with, but there are powerful
natural antivirals that can help with herpes without side-effects
growing in gardens and in the wild all over B.C.. The lemon balm in
gardens, the red seaweeds on clean beaches, the reishi and other
medicinal mushrooms growing in the spring and fall, have all been
proven to be effective for herpes . . . we are surrounded by the most
powerful medicines in the world.
RW: What else should readers know?
CS: Know that “cold sores” are herpes simplex type 1, very contagious
and should not be confused as anything other than herpes of the face
and mouth—and are no less of a public health issue than so-called
genital herpes. Know that more than 60 percent of the sexually active
population has herpes, 70 percent may have HPV and 80 percent have had
chlamydia, and many women have had it more than once. Know that
sexually transmitted infections are part of the reality of being a
human being in 2006, and that they can be prevented and treated and
need not be kept a dirty secret. Know that we are all better off if
these things are discussed openly in the media and in our schools. Know
that there is nothing to fear except fear itself.
http://www.herpesbook.com
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