Built to Survive

Authors: Michael Mooney and Nelson Vergel

A Comprehensive Guide to the Medical Use of Anabolic Steriods, Nutrition and Exercise for HIV(+) Men and Women.

* 100% of the profits from the sale of this book will benefit non-profit HIV organizations.

This book details a comprehensive approach to reverse and prevent the critical loss of lean body mass called wasting, while it also addresses lipodystrophy, the unusual redistribution of bodyfat that is being seen in many people who are taking HIV medication. It covers nutrition, supplementation, resistance exercise, androgenic-anabolic steriods, growth hormone and other therapies. It is a compilation of the works of two people, each of whom bring different but complementary abilities to the table.

Nelson Vergel, an immigrant to the U.S. and a former chemical engineer, is a 16 year HIV (+) survivor and the founder of Program for Wellness Restoration, (PoWeR), the organization that is dedicated to helping HIV (+) people to reverse wasting and improve their health for best survival. He learned how to improve his own health and then share his knowledge with the HIV community. His daily efforts include evaluating and monitoring clients at the newly created Body Positive Wellness Center in Houston, Texas, an organization supported by more than 100 volunteers. He also spreads the message in his book by publishing articles in magazines and newsletters, and giving several lectures per month around the U.S. and the world.

Michael Mooney has researched holistic health since his early teens, and is a journalist. Far away in Los Angeles he had independently discovered many of the same things about health related to HIV/AIDS as Nelson. When they were introduced by Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale by telephone, Michael, ever the idealist, quickly became Nelson's key support person and research partner. Nelson's vision and Michael's knowledge joined forces. Since their union Michael has been interviewed by Sports Illustrated as an authority on anabolic hormones, quoted on ABC Television's Good Morning America, published in numerous magazines and newsletters including POZ Magazine, Positively Aware, IRONMAN, European AIDS Treatment News and Peak Training Journal, and for two years he was contributing editor to Muscle Media 2000, where he became known as "the medical steriod guru." He also gives several lectures per month about this program around the U.S.

This book begins with Nelson's personal story, because he is the quintessence of a person who is benefiting from this very progressive and very comprehensive approach. If you are a person with HIV who has lost lean body mass and you want to regain it, or your overall health severely compromised by HIV, this book will provide you with some of the most current information about improving your general health, immune response and lean body mass. It also gives you solidly documented information that will help you to convince your doctor to work with the progressive elements suggested here. This book will give you the tools. Now all you have to do is not give up. Keep your own hope alive, and realize that until there is a cure, you can be healthy and strong while co-existing with this disease.

Softcover. 174 pages