Built to Survive! A Comprehensive Guide to the Medical Use of Anabolic Steroids, Nutrition and Exercise for HIV+ Men and Women
by Michael Mooney and Nelson Vergel (Program for Wellness Restoration/Houston), $24.95

A passionately written and thoroughly documented battle plan against AIDS-related wasting. This book combines the research reviews of Mooney, a longtime medical journalist, and the personal experiences of Vergel, a 16-year HIV survivor—along with self-experiments by other PWAs—to offer winning strategies for all who dare to follow. Emphasizing that many HIVers are unsuspectingly losing lean body mass—starting to waste—the authors demystify anabolic steroids and other muscle-building hormones. Also included are tips on eating to enhance immunity, optimal use of supplements, weight lifting to fight wasting, natural treatments for diarrhea, appetite stimulation and food safety, as well as extensive resources. Favorite chapter: “Complementary Approaches to Treating Lipodystrophy.”
To order, call 800.350.2392

Living With Hepatitis C: A Survivor’s Guide
by Gregory T. Everson, MD, and
Hedy Weinberg (Hatherleigh Press/New York),
$14.95

With hepatitis C virus (HCV) challenging the livers of an estimated 40 percent of HIVers, and HAART meds mostly metabolized by the liver, this book should interest many HIV positive folks. Particularly useful is a chapter on HIV/HCV coinfection. While coverage of conventional medical treatments is substantial, the authors unfairly stigmatize herbs and nutrients as “unproved therapies.” Provides good overviews of infection routes, symptoms and interpretation of lab results.