HIV & PrEP: Denver Brings It Up

Let's talk. No, let's really talk. About HIV. While we have come far, gay and bisexual men continue to bear the greatest burden of this disease in Colorado. Nearly four of out of every five individuals newly diagnosed with HIV identifies as a gay or bisexual man. We still have more work to do to get that number to zero. Let's work together to change the future of HIV/AIDS by talking about testing, PrEP and staying in care.

Since talking about HIV in the heat of the moment can be a buzz kill, why not bring it up before you get it up? By bringing it up, everyone wins.

HIV & PrEP: Denver Brings It Up

Let's talk. No, let's really talk. About HIV. While we have come far, gay and bisexual men continue to bear the greatest burden of this disease in Colorado. Nearly four of out of every five individuals newly diagnosed with HIV identifies as a gay or bisexual man. We still have more work to do to get that number to zero. Let's work together to change the future of HIV/AIDS by talking about testing, PrEP and staying in care.

Since talking about HIV in the heat of the moment can be a buzz kill, why not bring it up before you get it up? By bringing it up, everyone wins.

Stonewall Fitness: Exercise and living with HIV/AIDS

By David Smith

 

It’s no doubt that HIV/AIDS has had a huge impact on the GLBT community; it has affected many people within our community. Today over 1.3 million people (World Health Organization 2011) are living with HIV/AIDS and there have been many advancements in educational, prevention and treatment services offered that have turned the disease from a death sentence to on the verge of a cure.

Living a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly can have many benefits for people who live with HIV/AIDS. Greg Louganis for example was diagnosed with HIV shortly before the 1988 Olympics, he stated in his book that he was afraid he would be too sick to compete and almost called it quits. However the fact that he was exercising regularly and staying consistent with a healthy diet not only helped to keep the virus at bay but to keep his immune system strong, to the point he was able to fight off other infections such as the flu a lot quicker than his HIV negative teammates. (Louganis. G Breaking the Surface 1996).

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HIV/AIDS is a virus that targets the immune system; it essentially attacks and breaks down the immune system making it much weaker and unable to fight off other infection. Many of the illness and death attributed to HIV/AIDS actually come from other viruses and infection such as pneumonia and shingles. The immune system at that point is so weak from the HIV/AIDS virus that it is very vulnerable and unable to amount a proper defense, letting the infection take over the body.

Two conditions associated with HIV/AIDS are lipodystrophy and muscular atrophy. Lipodystrophy is a change in how the body stores, processes and utilizes fat. It can lead to rapid and unhealthy weight loss or weight gain and significantly manipulating your fat stores at a dangerous level. (AIDS Info, National Institute of Health) This is unhealthy as it can affect your intake of fat-soluble vitamins as well as lead to an increased risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke and diabetes. The specific cause is unknown but it is believed that HIV/AIDS combined with other factors such as age, race and sex play a significant role.

Muscular atrophy is the wasting away of muscle, both in strength and the muscle tissue itself becomes more and more diminished. This leads to reduced strength and functionality, it also significantly increases your risk of injury ranging from fractures on the bone, decreased bone strength, joint issues, inflammation of tendons and ligaments as well can increase risk of infection.

Both of these conditions can lead to exhaustion, fatigue, and inability to perform regular tasks, mental conditions including depression, anxiety, increased stress and body image issues.

There has been inconsistent research in regards to specific benefits to exercise for people with HIV/AIDS but as more studies are being done we are constantly learning new information on how exercise can supplement a treatment program.

Exercise has consistently shown to help control and maintain healthy body composition with the efficient processing and storage of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. By maintaining a constant, healthy percentage of body fat you immediately reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and other metabolic, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. Partaking in a consistent exercise program as suitable to your condition can be beneficial in helping your body maintain a regular and healthy function. This is best accomplished by partaking in aerobic or cardio-based exercise programs. Depending on what your goals are these may include long duration exercise at a moderate intensity (walking, jogging, swimming, cycling) or higher intensity shorter duration exercises (High intensity interval training, sprinting). Both types have been shown to reduce fat and help maintain a healthy body fat percentage.

Nipples at the 2013 AIDS walk/run

Exercise also helps you strengthen and maintain a strong immune system, through the constant engagement of your body’s system it can help fight off bacterial and viral infections.

Resistance training can have a significant effect on reducing and even reversing muscular atrophy. By keeping the muscles constantly engaged and working, you are strengthening the muscles; they become stronger, bigger and more efficient. Not only that but weight bearing exercises have been shown to increase bone density, making your bones stronger and better able to hold the weight.  This helps maintain strong joints and bones to allow you to function and perform at a higher level as well maintain your physical health and quality of life for a much longer period of time. It also significantly reduces your risk or injury as you will better be able to recover and not be harmed as easily during impact. Resistance training does not only include weight lifting but body weight exercises, resistance bands and just about anything you can come up with that involves an increased weight load.

BeTested.co: Let's Change the Future of HIV/AIDS

We will change the future of HIV/AIDS in Denver and throughout Colorado. It's no longer a dream. We will change the future of HIV/AIDS. There is not a cure or vaccine yet, but remarkable advances have transformed HIV from being a deadly infection to a manageable, chronic disease. The future of HIV/AIDS is in our hands.

What you can do - Test, Talk, PrEP, PEP, Treatment, End Stigma.

World AIDS Day: Let's Change the Future of HIV/AIDS

We will change the future of HIV/AIDS in Denver and throughout Colorado. It's no longer a dream. We will change the future of HIV/AIDS. There is not a cure or vaccine yet, but remarkable advances have transformed HIV from being a deadly infection to a manageable, chronic disease. The future of HIV/AIDS is in our hands.

What you can do - Test, Talk, PrEP, PEP, Treatment, End Stigma.

BeTested.co: On Or Off The Field, Score Safely

We will change the future of HIV/AIDS in Denver and throughout Colorado. It's no longer a dream. We will change the future of HIV/AIDS. There is not a cure or vaccine yet, but remarkable advances have transformed HIV from being a deadly infection to a manageable, chronic disease. The future of HIV/AIDS is in our hands.

What you can do - Test, Talk, PrEP, PEP, Treatment, End Stigma.

HRC Endorses PrEP, Calls for Bold Action to Expand Access to Anti-HIV Drug

In a policy paper released today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, explicitly endorsed the use of Truvada for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is any medical or public health tool used to prevent the spread of a disease or infection prior to exposure. Truvada is the only brand name anti-HIV drug combination currently approved for PrEP, which protects against HIV but no other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). When taken as prescribed by a knowledgeable healthcare provider, and paired with other safer sex practices, Truvada can reduce the risk of contracting HIV by upwards of 90 percent.

“PrEP is a dose of hope, taken once daily. Today, there is an unprecedented chance to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, in part through PrEP’s aggressive prevention of new HIV infections,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “There is no reason—medical or otherwise—to discourage individuals from taking control of their sexual health and talking to their doctor about PrEP. Bold action must be taken to guarantee affordable access to this life-changing regimen.”

It is important to note that HRC’s recommendation applies especially to populations deemed most vulnerable to HIV infection. Truvada is not right for all individuals, and any medical decision should be made in concert with a knowledgeable healthcare provider.

HRC joins AIDS United and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis Center (GMHC), as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in endorsing PrEP. HRC is pairing its announcement with new calls for insurers, regulators, and Truvada’s drug manufacturer to take bold steps to reduce costs, educate the public, and adopt a goal of universal access for all medically-qualified individuals—regardless of socioeconomic background.

Read HRC’s policy paper here and find out more information after the jump.

BeTested.co: Changing the Future of HIV/AIDS in Denver

We will change the future of HIV/AIDS in Denver and throughout Colorado. It's no longer a dream. We will change the future of HIV/AIDS. There is not a cure or vaccine yet, but remarkable advances have transformed HIV from being a deadly infection to a manageable, chronic disease. The future of HIV/AIDS is in our hands.

What you can do - Test, Talk, PrEP, PEP, Treatment, End Stigma.

Changing the Future of HIV/AIDS in Denver

We will change the future of HIV/AIDS in Denver and throughout Colorado. It's no longer a dream. We will change the future of HIV/AIDS. There is not a cure or vaccine yet, but remarkable advances have transformed HIV from being a deadly infection to a manageable, chronic disease. The future of HIV/AIDS is in our hands.

What you can do - Test, Talk, PrEP, PEP, Treatment, End Stigma.

Elton John: Music Legend, LGBT Icon, and Pioneering HIV/AIDS Activist Releases 31st Album

By Brandon Engel
When Elton John released his first album quietly in 1969 to relatively solid success, few could have expected that the timid singer/songwriter from a working-class family would become Sir Elton John, the most successful male solo artist in the world, LGBT icon, and one of the public biggest voices in the fight against AIDS. To help celebrate the release of his upcoming 31st studio album The Diving Board, let’s take a look at that long and winding road that led a young Reginald Dwight to become Sir Elton John.

After his first album release in 1969, John followed with two albums in 1970 and the release of his first hit single, “Your Song”. His star steadily rose during 1971 when he released Tumbleweed Connection, but his 1972 album, Honky Chateau is what really shot him to the top. The album hit #1 in the U.S., and began his record-breaking run as the first artist to ever have seven consecutive #1 albums in America. His over-the-top personality and outrageous stage costumes captivated audiences across the globe, but by the time the 70’s ended his success began to wane.

During the 80’s, Elton produced a few hit singles like “Little Jeannie”, “Nikita”, and “That’s What Friends Are For”, which raised funds for AIDS research. Having fully come out of the closet as gay (not bisexual as he had previously stated) in 1988, John slowly became familiar with a new disease gripping the LGBT community. That disease was, of course, AIDS and John saw its impact in both the LGBT community but also the world as a whole and vowed to do whatever he could to help. He made the decision to publicly support the family of Ryan White, the poster child for HIV/AIDS in the 80’s after having contracted it from a blood transfusion. John helped the family move from their frequently vandalized home and spent the last week of White’s life with him in the hospital. After White’s death in 1990, and of John’s friend Freddie Mercury in 1992 (also of an AIDS-related illness) John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has since raised over $300 million to help the fight against AIDS. It was shortly after the creation of his charity that he met his longtime partner David Furnish. 

Read more after the jump.

BeTested.co: Find a Free HIV Testing Site in the Denver Metropolitan Area

There are more than a dozen free testing sites for HIV and STDs located in community and commercial venues throughout the Denver-Metro area. Regardless of where you happen to be when you'd like to get tested, BeTested.co can help locate a convenient location for you.

Stonewall Fitness: Exercise and Living with HIV/AIDS

By David Smith

 

First, a few caveats:

*Always make sure to consult your physician prior to engaging in any exercise program and to select a program that is inline with your treatment

**You know your body best, listen to it and take it at your pace, be careful and know how hard you can push yourself.

***Ensure you are taking all precautions prior to sexual activity to protect yourself. The best treatment is prevention. Get tested and know your status as well as your partner’s status. For more information visit www.denvercap.org

HIV/AIDS has had a huge impact on the GLBT community. Today over 1.3 million people (World Health Organization 2011) are living with HIV/AIDS and there have been many advancements in educational, prevention and treatment services offered that have turned the disease from a death sentence to a manageable condition that is, hopefully, on the verge of a cure.

Living a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly can have many benefits for people who live with HIV/AIDS. Diver Greg Louganis was diagnosed with HIV shortly before the 1988 Olympics, he stated in his book Breaking the Surface that he was afraid he would be too sick to compete and almost called it quits. However the fact that he was exercising regularly and staying consistent with a healthy diet not only helped to keep the virus at bay but to keep his immune system strong, to the point he was able to fight off other infections such as the flu a lot quicker than his HIV negative teammates.

HIV/AIDS is a virus that targets the immune system; it essentially attacks and breaks down the immune system making it much weaker and unable to fight off other infection. Many of the illness and death attributed to HIV/AIDS actually come from other viruses and infection such as pneumonia and shingles.

Two physical conditions associated with HIV/AIDS are lipodystrophy and muscular atrophy. Lipodystrophy is a change in how the body stores, processes and utilizes fat. It can lead to rapid and unhealthy weight loss or weight gain and significantly manipulating your fat stores at a dangerous level. This is unhealthy as it can affect your intake of fat-soluble vitamins as well as lead to an increased risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke and diabetes. The specific cause is unknown but it is believed that HIV/AIDS combined with other factors such as age, race and sex play a significant role.

Muscular atrophy is the wasting away of muscle, both in strength and the muscle tissue itself which becomes more and more diminished. This leads to reduced strength and functionality, it also significantly increases your risk of injury ranging from fractures on the bone, decreased bone strength, joint issues, inflammation of tendons and ligaments and can increase risk of infection.

Both of these conditions can lead to physical exhaustion and fatigue as well as mental conditions including depression, anxiety, increased stress and body image issues.

There has been inconsistent research in regards to specific benefits to exercise for people with HIV/AIDS but as more studies are being done we are constantly learning new information on how exercise can supplement a treatment program.

At AIDS Walk Colorado 2013

Exercise has consistently shown to help control and maintain healthy body composition with the efficient processing and storage of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. By maintaining a constant, healthy percentage of body fat you immediately reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and other metabolic, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. Partaking in a consistent exercise program as suitable to your condition can be beneficial in helping your body maintain a regular and healthy function. This is best accomplished by partaking in aerobic or cardio-based exercise programs. Depending on what your goals are these may include long duration exercise at a moderate intensity (walking, jogging, swimming, cycling) or higher intensity shorter duration exercises (High intensity interval training, sprinting). Both types have been shown to reduce fat and help maintain a healthy body fat percentage. 

Exercise also helps you strengthen and maintain a strongimmune system, through the constant engagement of your body’s system it can help fight off bacterial and viral infections.

Resistance training can have a significant effect on reducing and even reversing muscular atrophy. By keeping the muscles constantly engaged and working, you are strengthening the muscles; they become stronger, bigger and more efficient. Not only that but weight bearing exercises have been shown to increase bone density, making your bones stronger and better able to hold the weight.  This helps maintain strong joints and bones to allow you to function and perform at a higher level as well maintain your physical health and quality of life for a much longer period of time. It also significantly reduces your risk or injury as you will better be able to recover and not be harmed as easily during impact. Resistance training does not only include weight lifting but body weight exercises, resistance bands and just about anything you can come up with that involves an increased weight load.

Core training, agility and flexibility training are also very important, as they will improve your balance, coordination and flexibility. Helping your body to become more functional, better able to hold yourself in unstable environments as well as always keep your mind sharp and focused to better able to respond at the task at hand. Check out different programs including yoga, Pilates and Zumba are great ways to keep your core and mind engaged.

Exercise in all forms essentially challenges and pushes the body, it keeps you engaged and constantly changing the stimulation placed upon the muscles, bones, nervous system and mind. You know the feeling of being sore after a challenging workout? Your body is essentially broken down and ripped apart on the inside from the exercise at hand, however it regenerates and rebuilds itself to be stronger and more efficient, able to better handle the task at hand. This is why it’s important to keep changing your workout and pushing yourself to the next level; it’s also why what may seemed hard last week is suddenly much easier this week. It essentially has the same effect on the immune system, it helps to break it down and rebuild it to be stronger and more efficient in handling the combat of infectious diseases and viruses.

Exercise also has a wide variety of mental and psychological benefits. Living with HIV/AIDS can be just as hard on the mind as it is on the body. The two are connected to each other and maintaining a healthy mind is just as important as maintain a healthy body. Depression, self esteem and confidence issues as well as stress and eating disorders are all common issues people have, not only that but also the medications and treatments often have many side effects that play host to many of these conditions. 

Elle Woods from Legally Blonde said it best, “Exercises releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.” Indeed this is true; exercise will lead to the release of serotonin and dopamine, which are the two neurotransmitters in the body responsible for pleasure. These neurotransmitters can affect everything from mood, to overall physical health and quality of life. Helping you feel stronger, happier and more fulfilled.

There is still much research to be done on how exercise affects those living with HIV/AIDS and each person is unique. Depending on the stage of the disease, medications, overall physical health and such it is important to consult your physician prior to engaging in any exercise program. Always make sure to start at a lower, lighter level of exercise and build up from there. It is possible to exercise too much and that can have negative and drastic effects on your body and might even impact your treatment program. Again always talk to your physician, you know your body best and make sure you are always careful in your training program, ensure you are exercising properly, safely and at a level that is appropriate to your level of physical fitness and your goals. 

David Smith is the owner of Stonewall Fitness, holds a degree in exercise science from Metropolitan State University of Denver and holds several fitness certifications including ACSM Personal Trainer and Group Fitness.

Visit me: www.stonewallfitness.com 
Like me: www.facebook.com/stonewallfit 
Follow me: http://stonewallfit.tumblr.com 

House Budget Threatens $1.1 Billion in Cuts to Domestic HIV Programs

From Maria Lopez, Program Manager, Denver HIV Resources Planning Council:

Sequestration and other budget cuts already have resulted in cuts of $375 million from the federal government’s funding of domestic HIV/AIDS programs and research. If the cuts outlined in the House of Representative’s budget are applied across the board, an additional $1.1 billion would be cut, according to an analysis issued on June 21 by The AIDS Institute.

Click here to read the entire article.

Enjoy fireworks in the bedroom and free HIV testing in the community: BeTested.CO

Despite decreases in HIV across Colorado, gay men still comprise an overwhelming majority of people diagnosed with HIV locally.

Denver Public Health, Tri-County Health Department, and Jefferson County Public Health recommend that gay men think about getting tested every six months through their primary care provider, with a home test, or through one of the low cost testing centers found on BeTested.CO.

Denver Gay Men Wanted for Local HIV Vaccine Study

Do you care about Denver's gay community? Do you care about yourself? Are you passionate and courageous with a big heart? Put that passion toward finding an HIV vaccine. 

Click here to find out more and volunteer for a Denver HIV Vaccine Study.

Denver Speaks Out on World AIDS Day: Bryan McKay, Volunteer Extraordinaire

Bryan McKay, Volunteer, Element, Embrace, Colorado AIDS Project, and The Center - "I personally feel that knowing is power. Not only for me, but for the person I am with. Knowing your status and talking about it,  being neg or poz, can and will help build a stronger communication bond for a possible relationship."

World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988.

The Gay Community Speaks Out on World AIDS Day: Team Friendly Colorado

Team Friendly Colorado - "HIV and AIDS has been a part of gay culture and American life for over 30 years. In that time we have fought to protect ourselves, to educate our community and to save our lives. We won the war to save our lives. We stopped the death. But we forgot to fight for the living. The stigma that still surrounds HIV/AIDS prevents people from disclosing their status, from discussing their status and, in some cases, from knowing their status. Mr Friendly's mission is a world free of HIV stigma. His unique +/- sign design is intended to inspire conversations, to get people talking about HIV/AIDS. If you talk about your status and know your risks, you can have all the “Dirty” fun you want and still prevent transmission.

As Team Friendly Colorado, we hope to help spread this message to the entire state of Colorado, and not just to it's LGBT community. This tiny button, that translates in any language but has no words, delivers a simple message. “I am free of HIV Stigma” And it's our goal to get that message to every Coloradan we can, one conversation at a time.

Mr Friendly's message is sex-positive. We don't judge who you have sex with, how you do it, or what you are on while you are doing it. Educate yourself so you can make the right choices for you and your partner. Our message is not about safe sex, but smart sex."

World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988.

World AIDS Day: HIV Is My Undetectable Bitch

By Philip Doyle

I hope to live a long, loving, and healthy life.  Not just for me, but for my brothers and sisters who were robbed of life’s opportunities.  

I found out that I was HIV+ in 2008 when I was diagnosed with AIDS.  Physically I was a wreck.  I compare it to one of those characters at the end of an Indiana Jones movie.  You know the bad guy who takes a risk, then gets a shocked look on their face before rapidly aging and turning to dust in seconds?  That’s how I felt.  It took a long time to recover, to get on the right meds, and restore my immune system.  Science has taken phenomenal leaps, and I live my life as a tribute to those who didn’t have the chance at life that I did.  I am left standing because an army of people has gone before me.

In some ways the physical recovery was the easy part.  Learning how to overcome stigma and morality judgments can be a challenge.  “Are you clean?” is a question that kind of bugs me.  Heck yes, I’m clean!  Sure, sometimes my car is a mess, but I take showers, wash my clothes, and my leather boots are kept immaculate.

Here’s another question, “How did you become HIV+?” I contracted the virus because it has existed for years and years.  It has lived in the bodies of remarkable men, women, and children.  It has prospered in prostitutes, and drug addicts.  It’s the same virus that has survived inside talented artists, brilliant gay men, and dedicated lovers, who have long since passed.  HIV has snuffed out dear friends and unseen strangers, and now continues to live on, inside me.  That is how I got it.

I am learning not to be shy about disclosing my status.  I own it.  With the help of friends, family, and modern medicine, I have repressed the virus, and made it my undetectable bitch.  My goal is to hold it down and take responsibility for my health, and for the lives of others.  And that pesky virus that has been bouncing from person to person, living for decades, will finally die with me.

World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988.

On World Aids Day, Planned Parenthood Health Centers Is Poised to Play Key Role in Delivering New HIV Coverage to Americans

Dec. 1 is World Aids Day. There are approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and every 10 minutes someone is diagnosed with HIV.

Under the Affordable Care Act, millions more people will be eligible for health insurance and HIV care. Currently, insurers will be required to fully cover annual counseling and screening for HIV infection for all sexually active women, as well as HIV screening for adolescents and adults age 13-64 who are at higher risk for contracting HIV. In November, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended that all Americans ages 15-65 receive routine HIV testing, not just those most at risk. If finalized, this would mean insurers would have to cover HIV screening without a co-pay.

“The Affordable Care Act provides unprecedented opportunities for Americans to work together in changing the course of this epidemic,” said Amy Dickson, vice president of clinical operations for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. “With new investments in sex education and the evolution of health technology as a means to educate and communicate with more people than ever before, we have new tools in the fight against HIV/AIDS.”

Reproductive health care providers like Planned Parenthood health centers will play a large role in translating these new requirements into expanded access to health care for people across the country. Planned Parenthood is among the nation’s leading providers of HIV screening in the U.S. In fact, one in three women who receive an HIV test is tested at a women’s health center like Planned Parenthood. In 2011, Planned Parenthood affiliates conducted 680,000 HIV tests, a 16 percent increase from 2010.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains is working to reduce the high rates of sexually transmitted infections through education and screenings, in an effort to create the healthiest generation ever. PPRM health centers provide quality, nonjudgmental care to women, men, and young people, regardless of their ability to pay. Last year, we saw 121,400 patients and provided 15,000 HIV screenings.

On World AIDS Day and every day, there is much to be done. Talk to your friends and family about this global problem, ensure your loved ones get the information and care they need and deserve, and let your legislators know that you support investments in family planning. To make an appointment for HIV testing, visit www.pprm.org.

How to Survive a Plague, a chapter in gay history, comes to Denver today!

IFC Films presents HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE, the story of two coalitions—ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group)—whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition.

HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE opens at the Denver Film Center Colfax on October 12!

Check out the MileHighGayGuy interview with director David France here.