Herpes Nation
Newsletter Volume One, Edition Three
Welcome Home
Herpes and The Therapeutic Importance
of Sleep
All animals need sleep, and human beings are no different. Even though
we live in a macho culture where we brag about how little sleep we can
get by with, the verdict is in. If we want to be holistically healthy
and happy, everyone – men, women, and children alike - needs between 7
and 8.5 hours of quality sleep each day.
This is especially important for those of us with herpes. I consider
depriving oneself of sleep as a form of self-abuse. Torturers know this
too - policemen, intelligence officers and army interrogators from
Guantanamo Bay to Syria, Zimbabwei and local police stations know that
depriving prisoners of sleep is one the most effective techniques in
forcing “co-operation”. In as few as 4 days in a row of less than 7
hours of quality sleep we start to lose our ability to make sound
decisions and have short term memory problems. We even begin to become
pre-diabetic.
It’s been clinically proven that you get better results studying or
working to a deadline when you get a good night’s sleep instead of
pushing yourself to exhaustion with an all-nighter. If you continue to
be sleep deprived you will quickly start displaying dysfunctional even
psychotic behaviour. The sleep-deprived are far more likely to be
angry, violent, irritable and irrational. Brain scans show the brains
of sleep-deprived people behave similarly to those with the most
serious mental health issues. Sleep-deprivation will diminish men’s
sexual performance, and reduce fertility for both men and women. That
won’t matter much for the sleep deprived however, since lack of “beauty
sleep” will definitely make you less attractive.
When you are feeling ill, even if it’s just a cold or flu - the most
important thing to do is to call in sick, clear your schedule and get
plenty of sleep. This is essential for dealing with herpes outbreaks
because sleep deprivation is a common trigger for severe outbreaks. So
if you cannot get enough sleep at night make sure you make up for it
with a long nap or extra sleep on your days off – and contrary to
popular myth, naps that are 90 minutes or longer are far more
beneficial than ”cat naps”. The best time of the day to nap is the
afternoon, hence the age old tradition of the siesta.
Getting 7-8.5 hours of sleep a day is important, but it is also
essential that we get enough “deep-sleep”. Even if you are in bed for
the required amount of time but are woken up or disturbed often, you
will not get enough “deep-sleep”. The older you are the more important
“deep-sleep” is. A person in their 30’s gets 100 minutes of deep sleep
each night, by the time you are in your 60’s you only get 20 minutes of
“deep-sleep”. Without enough “deep-sleep” you can develop diabetes,
high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and many other health
problems. “Deep-sleep” is important for your immune system and for
keeping the herpes virus dormant.
So how do you ensure that you get enough “deep sleep”? Don’t drink or
eat anything within 2 hours of bedtime - eating before sleep can give
you bad dreams, and drinking may force you to wake up to go to
bathroom. Don’t watch the news, music videos, or disturbing imagery
just before going to bed. If you are wound up, relax in a hot bath, ask
your partner for a massage, or have sex. (or all of the above!) Make
sure you sleep in an environment that is dark, quiet and comfortable -
wear ear plugs and/or a blindfold if needed. Don’t allow children or
pets to wake you up if you can avoid it, and don’t let someone else’s
snoring keep you awake. And if you’ve had a fight with a loved one,
make peace before going to bed. There are a great many reasons why all
animals sleep. Lack of sleep now guarantees negative health
consequences in the future. I wish you all a lifetime of lovely,
restorative, holistically healthy sleep.
Christopher Scipio
Homeopath/Herbalist Holistic Viral Specialist
Join Us
Please join me
and the people already contributing to this newsletter by sharing your
stories and articles. If you paint or draw or make art of any kind,
express your feelings about herpes through your art and send it to us
to share with the Herpes Nation. If you are a musician send us your
herpes songs. Send your recipes. Empower yourself to sign your work, or
use a pseudonym to protect your privacy. Either way, don't be shy! We
want to hear your voice.
Regards and
love,
Christopher
Scipio
Homeopath/Herbalist
Holistic Viral
Specialist
http://www.natropractica.com
Herpes Tonight!
That's not sick, that's funny...
"Herpes Tonight"is the name of a comedy (yes, a COMEDY !) about having
herpes. The play has recently played to critical and audience acclaim
in both Los Angeles and New York, proving that even the darkest cloud
can have a silver lining.
Nancy Olson recently sat down to interview playwright and actor Corey
Moosa and producer Noah Diamond.
NO: Corey, what was your goal, and your hope for this project when you
first conceived it? (hmmm...interesting metaphor...sorry)
CM: The project was first conceived by me together with playwright
Brian Shoaf. My goal for the show was to help to educate people as to
what herpes is and through the education help lift the social stigma
associated with the virus. In my experience of living with herpes, I
found that people were quick to react in a very negative way and
understood close to nothing about the virus itself. When you have
herpes you become much attuned to what people are saying about herpes.
You start to notice how often people make a bad joke about it, or use
the word to describe a person as dirty or undesirable. This can start
to feel like you are being stabbed repeatedly. If you are watching TV
late at night with a group of friends, you start to pray that a Valtrax
commercial doesn't come on. You don't want to hear the mean things
(that people you love) will start to say. I feel that after seeing
"Herpes Tonight!" people will be very unlikely to behave that way in
the future.
NO: On your website you say that the play is " ...about herpes, but in
a good way. " What did you mean by that?
ND: That line is a quote from one of the reviews. I think what the
reviewer was getting at is that some people might be put off by the
title -- and indeed, some are -- but that the show is nothing to be
afraid of.
NO: Corey, can you describe the effect performing "Herpes Tonight" has
had on you as an actor, and personally? I'm particularly interested in
the large scale "coming out" as a person with herpes...I remember
trembling a bit when telling friends one at a time!
CM: "Herpes Tonight!" was a story that I have wanted to tell for years.
As an actor it was a completely freeing experience. I have certainly
developed a reputation around New York and Los Angeles as "the herpes
guy". I have no problem with this, as it tends to attract other people
with herpes to me, and then I am able to try and help them work out
problems they have been experiencing. I ran the New York HELP group for
some time and I am quite good at listening. Speaking openly about the
virus is not new territory for me. My initial way of dealing with my
diagnosis was to tell everyone and anyone who would listen. I found
when I kept it bottled up inside, I was having panic attacks and
experiencing extreme depression. By talking about it with friends,
family, or even strangers, I was able to release a lot of stress that
would build up.
NO: And what was your sense of the audiences reaction overall? Any
transformative moments?
CM: The audience reaction to show was very positive. There were some
performances when audience members were clearly put off by certain
images that were projected. Seeing an image of a giant penis or vagina
covered in HSV sores is not the easiest thing to stomach, but it was
necessary to explain who the virus works and how it affects our bodies.
At the end of most performances I would have a person or two with
herpes waiting to speak with me. They always thanked me for what I was
doing. Or, they were newly diagnosed and were grateful for all the
information. I cover a large amount of information in the show, ranging
from medical jargon to personal experiences. I also give dozens of
other people's perspectives on living with herpes. The years I spent
chairing meetings in New York introduced me to hundreds if not
thousands of people living with herpes. This play is for them and about
them. The show reached the herpes community in Los Angeles in a major
way. I have had dozens of phone calls since the show opened from people
seeking advice on herpes (men, women, young, old, black, white), it
effects everyone who has ever been intimate.
NO: Noah, what was your role in its production?
ND: I did the graphic design and the production design, and directed
the second production.
NO: Corey is quoted as saying "everyday, thousands of people are
diagnosed, and sometimes misdiagnosed, with sexually transmitted
diseases. Its really scary. Also really funny." How on earth did you
all come up with the idea of producing a comedy about an incurable,
socially stigmatized disease?
ND: Our position is that everything is funny. Like Mel Brooks says,
""The greatest comedy plays against the greatest tragedy. Comedy is a
red rubber ball, and if you throw it against a soft, funny wall, it
will not come back. But if you throw it against the hard wall of
ultimate reality, it will bounce back and be very lively."
This has been our approach. There is a great deal of humour wrapped up
in the horror of disease, and working on "Herpes Tonight" we tried to
make the show amusing, and relatable to members of the audience whether
or not they had herpes. Hopefully, all of the laughs are in good taste,
and Corey and his co-author, Brian Shoaf, were very careful not to
write a show that turns herpes into a joke. At the same time, without
the comedy, the show would be in danger of playing like a dry medical
lecture or a self-indulgent confessional. Laughter is a wonderful
de-stigmatizer, and it has a way of cutting right to the truth...comedy
is usually thought of as light and fluffy, but at its best, it tends to
deal with dark and difficult themes.
CM: I found that when I was running the support groups in New York,
that people were in a really dark and depressed state of mind. They
would by crying and angry and full of sadness. I always made them
laugh. I would diffuse every tense situation with humour, and itusually
worked. A dramatic approach would never have worked with this show.
NO: What is the play about exactly? What's the storyline and how do you
tell it?
CM:The play is about HERPES! Literally. In a nut shell, it is
everything you could ever know about herpes. From the history of herpes
(dating back to ancient Greece), medical information (how the virus is
spread, the difference between type-1 and type-2, and anything else
there is to know), and my personal story (about learning to live with
herpes, dating, disclosing...etc). I play over 20 different characters,
but the most engaging and honest moments are when I am myself.
ND: And what is the overall effect of this approach? I think the
audience leaves knowing a lot more about herpes than they did when they
came in. Myths are dispelled. I know it sounds unlikely, but "Herpes
Tonight" is a dramatic and emotional journey, a lesson in science, and
a laugh riot, all at once.
NO: How did you keep it from being preachy or judgemental? (At least I
assume you did - I haven't been lucky enough to see it staged yet)
ND: Again, I think the comedy is what keeps the show from being too
preachy or precious. If it weren't such an entertaining performance, it
would probably be in danger of just that. It can be enjoyed on many
different levels -- including simply as a piece of entertainment. We
were careful not to do a "disease of the week" TV-movie kind of show.
NO: It's a one-man show. Doesn't that underline the lonely experience
that being diagnosed with herpes can be?
ND: I don't think so. First of all, Corey plays more than a dozen
different characters in the course of the evening, so even though he's
the only actor on stage, the show is inhabited by a very colourful cast
of characters, all vividly realized. Also, a major point in the show is
that dealing with disease requires the support of a community.
NO: I know that personally I have come to feel proud about how I have
risen above this particular obstacle in life, and I am always grateful
for the opportunities it has presented me with. How does your play
portray this point of view - or does it?
ND: It absolutely does. By the end of the play, Corey is able to
conclude that his life is actually better than it was before his
diagnosis, that learning to live with herpes taught him a great deal
about life in general.
NO: There's a line in the show, “it is possible to adjust your image of
yourself and the world to adapt to any number of viruses." Would you
agree?
ND: Yes, I do agree with it - it sums up the Corey character's journey.
When he receives his diagnosis, he can't imagine how he can continue
living his life this way. But as he learns more, and as he seeks
knowledge and support, he finds that he's still the same person he was
before, and that he has actually been enriche d by his experience with
herpes. Another key line from the show is "Shame is not an STD." That
really says it all, or almost all, anyway.
NO: Has your work on this piece affected your own, and Corey's,
self-image? And what kind of feedback have you received from your
audiences in this regard?
ND: I can't speak for Corey, but personally, "Herpes Tonight" is
exactly the kind of theatre I like the most. My main line is political
theatre, and although the herpes show isn't exactly political, it is
about something real; it's informative as well as entertaining; it
challenges its audience; and it resonates in the real world beyond the
footlights. Certainly, audiences in both New York and Los Angeles
responded quite well to the show, with laughter and tears in all the
right places. I know that many people with herpes found the show
extremely poignant and even therapeutic.
NO: Thanks for your time, both of you. Sure would be great to see the
production come to Vancouver!
CM/ND: Well, there are no plans to take the piece on the road at the
moment, and the "Herpes Tonight" team is involved with other projects.
But it could have a long life, and it deserves to. I would love to
bring the show to Vancouver. I would love to be back in Canada! Find me
a theatre and an investor and my team and I are there.
http://www.noahdiamond.com/herpestonight.html
A Personal Story
Thank you
by David Clarke
I’ve been single for a while and my last girlfriend and I both had
herpes. Unfortunately that relationship didn’t work out and I was
slightly concerned about dating and having to have the “herpes talk”
with someone I might want to be intimate with. As you’ve said, “don’t
ghettoize yourself into dating only people with herpes.” That was sage
advice. Not that there’s anything wrong with dating only those with
herpes, we are the majority after all. But it creates a separatist
mindset and diminished self worth when you consider yourself part of
the “other” group, even if the “other” group is the majority.
A few weeks ago while out wine tasting with some good friends, I met an
absolutely stunning woman and we hit it off. I’ve always been the
confident type and wasn’t going to let a simple skin virus take away my
pride and confidence. We exchanged phone numbers and she called me that
night.
This is where Christopher and I differ a little - I did not bring up
herpes then, nor did we talk about sex on our first date. I prefer to
see if there is any chemistry first, and then talk about sex only when
there may be a chance that the relationship could go that way. In other
words, it’s time to talk about it if you make to a second date. If you
don’t have a wonderful time on your first date, you don’t have to waste
your breath trying to educate someone about herpes.
The first date went very well and it was time to have “the talk” that
most people with herpes dread - the talk that makes us vulnerable to
rejection and exposes us to the world and all its archaic stigmas and
classifications. Although I have made my peace with herpes and have
learned how to be outbreak free, telling a potential love interest was
going to be the first true test outside of my own personal oasis of
calm and acceptance.
The truth is, I wasn’t afraid to tell her. I am the same guy I was last
year before I had my first outbreak. I’m just as smart, just as
confident, just as sexy, just as fun and she could accept me or not;
either way would be okay. To my surprise, on our second date, she beat
me to the punch by wanting to talk about sex and STDs. I responded by
saying that I was glad she brought it up since I was just about to do
the same. I told her that although I was tested in February of this
year and was negative for HIV and everything else they test you for,
I’m part of the 30 percent of the population that has herpes. Because
of our work together, though, I was able to tell her that I have it
under control, that I don’t get outbreaks anymore and that really, the
good news is that I’m fortunate enough to know that I actually have it.
80 percent of the population would test positive for herpes but don’t
even know they have it, or that they are passing it along.
Because I know that I have herpes, I’m able to control it and prevent
myself from spreading it to others by taking sensible precautions that
most people don’t take. First, I am open about it so a potential
partner knows and can make whatever choice suits them. Second, I care
for my body and mind so I don’t give herpes a chance to create an
outbreak. Third, I use a condom and fourth, I use a antiviral sex gel -
something everyone should use whether or not they know their STD status.
I had no shame or embarrassment talking to her about it. As you said,
“don’t’ make it a confessional.” I was very matter of fact. I made no
apologies and I kept my confidence and pride, as we all should.
Naturally she was a little taken aback, and I asked her what she knew
about herpes and if she had any questions about it. I also told her
that there’s a lot of stigma around herpes so she might have some
misinformation like I did at one time. We had a great casual
conversation about it for an hour or so, and then something wonderful
happened. As she was sitting next to me, she scooted closer and threw
her legs over mine, then gave me an incredible kiss. She thanked me for
telling her and saw it as a demonstration of confidence, courage, and
respect for her. It was the right thing to do, and she knew it.
I could have said nothing, practiced safe sex and felt confident that
there was little if any chance of me passing it to her. But the right
thing to do was to tell her, and give her the choice to be with me
without judgment. It was also a great litmus test. If she was really
interested in me, a simple skin condition with a funny name wasn’t
going to be the proverbial deal-breaker. If she was the right kind of
woman, she would roll with it and learn more about herpes.
I gave her your book, which she read in addition to doing some of her
own reading online, which can be a good thing and a bad thing. We all
know how much garbage there is online about herpes.
We spent that weekend together and every weekend since. Not only is the
sex amazing, but the connection we have because everything was laid out
in the open in the beginning has made the romance more exciting.
I hope that this encourages all of you who may feel terrified about
telling a potential lover or sex partner about their herpes
condition.My advice is, just tell them. Be confident. It is what it is
and they will either want to be with you or they won’t. If he or she
rejects you, then they weren’t going to be much of a lover anyway, and
good riddance. People who are reasonable and sensible are going to want
to be with you even more because you care enough about them to speak up.
Thank you, Christopher for helping me and others with herpes live our
best lives. I am truly living a healthier, more exciting life now than
I was before herpes. I know that sounds odd considering many people
with herpes feel isolated and tainted, but in some ways this had been a
blessing in disguise.
Announcing
New Formulas and a New Price Structure
In the past 12 months I have improved my protocols herpes and HPV. More
Red Marine Algae and Medicinal Mushrooms have been added to the immune
formulas so that my patients need not waste money buying dubious Red
Marine Algae Capsules on the Internet. It has been excellent success
thus far. For women, Red Marine Algae and some Brown Algae has been
added to help balance hormones and make outbreaks around menstruation
less likely. It also helps lessen the severity of PMS and menopausal
symptoms, and helps women with erratic periods, painful ovulation and
periods, excessive bleeding and those who skip periods or who have
spotting in between periods.
There will also be a much greater emphasis placed on safer-sexuality in
the herpes and HPV protocols. Too many of my patients have infected
their loved ones by not using my anti-viral gel and practicing safer
sex despite my many encouragements for people to do so. I have just
finished improving my antiviral gel, the new formula is NPHC2. It is
just as effective as the NPHC but has been modified to be more helpful
in preventing outbreaks as well. For women who are having regular
symptoms, besides using the antiviral gel during sex, they will also be
directed to use the gel internally and on the locations of previous
outbreaks daily as a preventative. Use of the antiviral gel will be
mandatory for any women on the herpes and HPV protocols with regular
symptoms and will be provided to them free of cost. Any men on those
protocols wishing to use the anti-viral gel will also be provided with
the gel free of cost.
I would like to announce my first price increase since April of 2006.
Since then, my costs have gone up by 40%, making it necessary to
increase the cost of the protocol remedies from $110.00 per month to
$140 per month as of September 14th. If you are currently ordering
monthly protocol remedies from me and have ordered a refill in the past
60 days, you will be locked into the old price of $110.00 per month for
the duration of your treatment as long as you order refills at least
every 60 days. If you have ordered remedies in the past and are
thinking of ordering again in the future if you ask for a refill before
the deadline you will also be locked into the old price as long as you
order refills at least every 60 days.
If you have never ordered remedies before and wish to if you order
before the 14th of September you can also be locked into the old rate
as long as you order refills at least every 60 days.
I am discontinuing the $24 mini-consultation except for current
patients who need a brief monthly telephone consultation. For new
patients a 30 and 60 minute will be offered. The 30 minute consultation
is appropriate for those who have read the book, or who have had the
disease for more than a year, and already have a good understanding of
how to manage it through diet, exercise, and how to have safer sex. The
60 minute consultation is for those have not read the book and need
advice, support and coaching on how to manage the disease through diet,
yoga, supplements and herbs. This consultation is also appropriate for
those who have had the disease for less than one year. The 30 minute
consultation will cost $50.00, the 60 minute consultation $90.00.
For those who have bought my book I will deduct the price of the book
from the cost of the 30 or 60 minute consultation, thus making the book
essentially free. I am also happy to announce that an expanded second
edition of my herpes book will be published in September and there will
be other exciting announcements in the months to come.
To purchase my book, self-hypnosis CDs
or herpes formulas or to schedule a consultation, email me at
holistic@natropractica.com or click on the links below.
A
Message from Laura B.
The first time I was introduced to Christopher Scipio’s regimen was on
a visit to the natural health store in search for a ‘natural topical
remedy’ for a cold sore. One of the consultants recommended that I make
an appointment with Christopher and explore the possibility of healing
myself naturally – it was a suggestion that I took with me, but did not
act upon right away.
For me, the problem was that I was very embarrassed by my outbreaks; my
vocation was one that relied heavily on superficial presentation, and I
did not believe that opting out of the Valtrex “safety net” was a good
idea. I waited another eight months before I decided that
pharmaceuticals were not going to solve my “problem” with herpes. I
made my way back to the natural health store and met with Christopher
to explore what I could do to heal myself. He encouraged me to read his
book before I started the protocol, so that I knew what I was getting
into, and with a little trepidation, I started my journey.
The word trepidation is not used lightly here. I was scared as all get
out to try this protocol, but my nerves were not so much about natural
medicine as it was about my own perception of herpes. Until I read
“Making Peace with Herpes”, I was ashamed of having herpes and felt
that I was disgusting, so much so that I would make excuses not to go
out with friends if I was having an outbreak. It was here that the
healing was needed most, and after reading the book a few times and
coming to terms with my own humanity, I embarked on my healing journey.
The remedies were the boost I needed for my immune system, but the
self-hypnosis, yoga, and more reasonable outlook on herpes were what
completed my healing regimen.
It may be clear to most of you that holistic healing is all
encompassing, but for someone who has never looked within herself for
healing, it was a revolutionary experience.
I am proud to say that today I am symptom free and have had only one
outbreak since I began the protocol in January. The outbreak was a
minor setback, short-lived, and for the first time, NOT embarrassing. I
encourage all of you to keep up with your hard work, because if a
natural health neophyte like I can do it, so can you.
Be well
Email Christopher Scipio
if you would like to be added to the newsletter's mailing list
Christopher
Scipio's Natural Herpes Treatment Protocol
Christopher
Scipio is the most experienced practitioner in the natural treatment of
herpes and HPV.
Read Christopher's Book "Making
Peace with Herpes" and listen to the optional Hypnosis CDs to maximize
the effectiveness of the book.
Book a phone consultation with Christopher.
Purchase Christopher's
Natural Herpes Formulas custom-formulated for you.
Buy his Red Marine Algae Sex Gel to help reduce the risk of infecting
others.
