From one point of view Aids can be understood as a disease of nutritional deficiency. However, it is not like other deficiency diseases. Most nutritional deficiencies are caused by not getting enough food or not eating foods that contain specific vitamins and minerals. That is not true with Aids. Aids is a disease of nutritional deficiency caused by a virus. The HIV virus is genetically programed to produce a selenium containing protein that is part of its outer coat – its “envelope”. Every time the cell produces an HIV virus, it uses up an infinitesimal amount of the body’s supply of this essential trace element. As HIV viral load gradually increases, the level of selenium available to the immune system decreases. As the body’s selenium level falls, CD4 count declines along with it. Selenium (Se) is absolutely essential for human health. Its molecules form the critical, active part of the universal antioxidant glutathione peroxidase (GPx). GPx/selenium is found in every cell of t...