Nelson Vergel
Founder, ExcelMale.com
http://www.thebody.com/content/79391/aging-and-thriving-with-hiv.html?getPage=1
Nelson Vergel: Cookies and Testosterone
Twenty years ago, activist Nelson Vergel was dying with AIDS. He had lost a great amount of his weight and strength. But the former chemical engineer fought his way back to health after becoming aware of the life-giving benefits of weight-training and hormonal therapy. He made it his mission in life to pass it on, to help others struggling for life and health.
"I became obsessed with hormones in '92 because I was wasting and most of my friends were dying," Nelson said during his keynote speech, "but I saw the bodybuilders living and doing well."
He became an expert on the use of testosterone and other methods for regaining strength and wellness for people living with HIV. As might be expected for an engineer, his vast knowledge was technical and complicated. He wrote two books and established the websites ExcelMale.com and powerusa.com (Program for Wellness Restoration).
He was good, however, at making it all relatively simple for the average Joe and Jill. He was also good at helping people find the resources to enable them to live more healthy lives. More recently, he started the business DiscountedLabs.com to help people obtain the hormonal treatments they need by offering discounted lab tests.
Along with these more complementary approaches, Nelson strongly believes in antiviral therapy. While medications also helped him survive, as a long-term survivor he saw them begin to lose their effectiveness. It was then that he became a leader in the struggle for salvage therapy, new and improved medications, and other therapies for those whose virus has developed resistance to HIV drugs. He built the PozHealth ******** group for conversations about what works and what doesn't work, and also answers questions at TheBody.com.
Over time, however, Nelson grew more disillusioned with the depressing news from the world of medical research. Having survived into his 50s, he found it difficult to hear nothing but bad news about premature aging associated with HIV, heart disease and dementia at an earlier age, and other conditions. As always, he wanted solutions.
"I won't read about aging with HIV anymore," he said. And his slides showed it.
He started out with a more emotional slide, his Seven Cardinal Rules in Life:
Make peace with your past, so it won't screw up the present.
What others think of you is none of your business.
Time heals almost everything; give it time.
Don't compare your life to others and don't judge them. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Stop thinking too much. It's alright not to know the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.
No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.
Smile. You don't own all the problems in the world.
They are hard-won lessons that helped him overcome the trauma of long-term survival with HIV since the early dark days.
"I experienced trauma with the death of 50 friends," said Nelson. "I dealt with it by not feeling it." There's also, he said, "the grief of our loss in our own health." For him that included a bout with cancer two years ago.
"Have compassion for yourself. If you have lived to your 50s with HIV, you have skills . . . and you have resilience. Not only have you taken your medications, but you've developed wisdom," Nelson told the audience.
Mindfulness, the practice of keeping your attention in the present, is a skill he learned that helps him to cope with anxiety.
Pushing back against stigma is another important skill, he said. "I think we are all anti-stigma activists. Every time we come out, we decrease stigma."
What about cookies?
Nelson said he is known as the Cookie Man at his doctor's office, because he brings cookies for the staff when he's there. It's just another way to get to know his clinic staff better and encourage a better working partnership with them.
Nelson Vergel: Cookies and Testosterone
Twenty years ago, activist Nelson Vergel was dying with AIDS. He had lost a great amount of his weight and strength. But the former chemical engineer fought his way back to health after becoming aware of the life-giving benefits of weight-training and hormonal therapy. He made it his mission in life to pass it on, to help others struggling for life and health.
"I became obsessed with hormones in '92 because I was wasting and most of my friends were dying," Nelson said during his keynote speech, "but I saw the bodybuilders living and doing well."
He became an expert on the use of testosterone and other methods for regaining strength and wellness for people living with HIV. As might be expected for an engineer, his vast knowledge was technical and complicated. He wrote two books and established the websites ExcelMale.com and powerusa.com (Program for Wellness Restoration).
He was good, however, at making it all relatively simple for the average Joe and Jill. He was also good at helping people find the resources to enable them to live more healthy lives. More recently, he started the business DiscountedLabs.com to help people obtain the hormonal treatments they need by offering discounted lab tests.
Along with these more complementary approaches, Nelson strongly believes in antiviral therapy. While medications also helped him survive, as a long-term survivor he saw them begin to lose their effectiveness. It was then that he became a leader in the struggle for salvage therapy, new and improved medications, and other therapies for those whose virus has developed resistance to HIV drugs. He built the PozHealth ******** group for conversations about what works and what doesn't work, and also answers questions at TheBody.com.
Over time, however, Nelson grew more disillusioned with the depressing news from the world of medical research. Having survived into his 50s, he found it difficult to hear nothing but bad news about premature aging associated with HIV, heart disease and dementia at an earlier age, and other conditions. As always, he wanted solutions.
"I won't read about aging with HIV anymore," he said. And his slides showed it.
He started out with a more emotional slide, his Seven Cardinal Rules in Life:
Make peace with your past, so it won't screw up the present.
What others think of you is none of your business.
Time heals almost everything; give it time.
Don't compare your life to others and don't judge them. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Stop thinking too much. It's alright not to know the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.
No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.
Smile. You don't own all the problems in the world.
They are hard-won lessons that helped him overcome the trauma of long-term survival with HIV since the early dark days.
"I experienced trauma with the death of 50 friends," said Nelson. "I dealt with it by not feeling it." There's also, he said, "the grief of our loss in our own health." For him that included a bout with cancer two years ago.
"Have compassion for yourself. If you have lived to your 50s with HIV, you have skills . . . and you have resilience. Not only have you taken your medications, but you've developed wisdom," Nelson told the audience.
Mindfulness, the practice of keeping your attention in the present, is a skill he learned that helps him to cope with anxiety.
Pushing back against stigma is another important skill, he said. "I think we are all anti-stigma activists. Every time we come out, we decrease stigma."
What about cookies?
Nelson said he is known as the Cookie Man at his doctor's office, because he brings cookies for the staff when he's there. It's just another way to get to know his clinic staff better and encourage a better working partnership with them.
