Pay Attention To What You Eat
ASHA reports that some people believe foods containing the amino acid arginine, such as legumes and whole grains, can contribute to outbreaks. A few older studies, conducted in 1981 and 1987, showed a possible connection, but ASHA states there is no clinical evidence to support these studies. However, because triggers may vary based on the individual, keep track of the foods you eat to determine if there is a connection.
Lysine And Herpes Outbreaks
Lysine is an amino acid that human beings need and must obtain through the consumption of supplements or foods rich in proteins that contain it. Our organism is not able to synthesize lysine and that is why this amino acid is essential.
For this reason, the consumption of foods rich in lysine is a recommendation you should take into account in your diet.
What About Diet And Herpes
It’s important to look after yourself when managing herpes. A healthy diet is certainly part of that.
Some people with herpes have found that avoiding foods high in the amino acid Arginine, may reduce recurrences. Higher levels of Arginine are found in foods such as chocolate and many types of nuts. Excessive coffee , red wine and smoking are also triggers for some people. Of course, when anything is done in excess it can be detrimental to our health, but it’s important not to get into majorly restrictive eating. Some people have problematic symptoms even when they seem to be doing all the right things – so don’t beat yourself up.
Maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle makes a difference, but only to a degree. The virus reacts differently in different people’s bodies and some people, even with a great deal of attention to wellbeing, continue to have more recurrences than other people. You may want to consult with a registered dietician, nutritionist or naturopath to ensure that you are maintaining a healthy diet.
When it comes to complementary medicines, Lysine is the most commonly mentioned in relation to treating the herpes simplex virus. Lysine is one of the essential amino acids that the body uses to build proteins. While many people living with herpes find taking Lysine helpful, the consensus in the scientific community is that Lysine supplements do not contribute to reducing the number of recurrences of genital herpes.
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Is It Possible To Cure Herpes
Unfortunately, herpes has no cure as the virus invades your immune system once you are infected with the virus, you have it for life. This is the same for whether you have oral or genital herpes.
An infection doesn’t mean symptoms are guaranteed most oral or genital infections dont cause any symptoms. Its very common for people to have come into contact with the virus at some point in their lives and carry the virus without ever having any symptoms. The virus lays dormant in your body after your initial infection and can reactivate several times a year or even months or years later. The time in which the virus reactivates varies from person to person. People do not spontaneously cure themselves of herpes.
Not everyone who has been infected with herpes goes on to show symptoms, or have outbreaks. The severity of outbreaks also varies from person to person and is hard to predict.
Foods To Avoid During A Herpes Outbreak
If you’re one of the millions of people who have herpes, you’re constantly on the hunt to find ways to alleviate symptoms and avoid outbreaks. Outbreaks can be caused by many different things, but one of the most common culprits is stress.
If you’re experiencing frequent outbreaks, some people say there are foods to avoid, certain activities to avoid, and even supplements to take that can help reduce stress and help keep outbreaks at bay.
But are there really foods that you should avoid in order to prevent herpes outbreaks?
The answer to that question is a little bit complicated. Some people believe that certain foods can actually trigger outbreaks, while others say that certain foods can help reduce symptoms and prevent outbreaks. Let’s dive into the bulk of it!
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What is a Trigger Behavior for Herpes?
When someone talks about a trigger, it means something that sets off an action or reaction. Triggers for herpes can be anything from thinking about the virus to being in the sun for too long, or even something as simple as smelling a particular scent. It’s important to keep in mind that everyone is different, so what might be a trigger for one person might not be a trigger for another. It’s always best to talk to a healthcare provider about what might be triggering your symptoms.
What Triggers Herpes Outbreaks?
However, some common triggers include:
Which Foods Should You Avoid During a Herpes Outbreak?
Foods High in Arginine
Nuts
Citrus Fruits
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Using Valacyclovir To Treat A Primary Outbreak Of Cold Sores
Valacyclovir is also used to treat primary outbreaks of cold sores, or oral herpes. The standard dosage of valacyclovir for managing a primary oral herpes outbreak is 2,000 mg every 12 hours for one day .
During a particularly severe or persistent outbreak, your doctor may recommend adjusting your valacyclovir dose or extending the dosage to provide greater relief. Follow your doctors advice and instructions for the best results from valacyclovir and other antiviral medication.
Topical Treatments For Early Cold Sores
There are several ways to treat cold sores while theyre still in the itching/tingling stage. If you rarely get cold sores, over-the-counter topical treatments like docosanol can provide a modest amount of relief and potentially shorten the amount of time needed for the cold sore to heal.
Topical medications are only effective on the area to which theyre applied, meaning youll need to use the medication over the area surrounding the cold sore as it begins to form.
Most topical medications will speed up the healing process, but theyre rarely the best option for preventing cold sores. If you get frequent outbreaks, the best option is usually to treat your cold sores using oral antiviral medication
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Simple Treatments For The Relief Of Discomfort
- Wear loose underclothes, preferably cotton , to help minimise discomfort and allow healing.
- Use plain water or saline solution with cotton wool to clean and soothe the area. To make a saline solution, use 1 teaspoon of salt in 600ml of water or a handful of salt in a shallow bath.
- Dont use scented soaps, bubble bath, etc in the area, as these may irritate it.
- Using a hairdryer on its lowest setting to dry the area may be more comfortable than using a towel.
- Pain relief medication such as paracetamol and ibuprofen may ease the pain. Check with your pharmacist or other health professional whether taking these is suitable for you.
- Ice wrapped in a face cloth or flannel and placed over the sores for 510 minutes may be soothing. Dont apply ice directly to the sores as this can cause ice burn.
- If you find peeing painful, try applying Vaseline® to the area or sitting in a warm bath before urinating or using a pump bottle full of water and spraying water on yourself while peeing.
- You can also try applying a pain relief cream such as lignocaine cream to the painful area. This is applied 5 minutes before peeing and should be used for a maximum of 12 days.
- Drink plenty of fluids as this dilutes your pee and may help reduce stinging.
Foods To Fight The Herpes Virus
Fish oil displays anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties and may help reduce the symptoms of herpes.Food Sources: Wild-caught salmonRecommended Supplement intake: 1000mg EPA+DHA/day
Fish oilsupplement recommendations:
Natures Way NutraSea Omega 3 Supplement Liquid Gels, 1250mg Grapeseed Extract: Resveratrol is a highly beneficial substance found in grapes and cocoa that has been linked in numerous studies to health benefits. Resveratrol has been shown in labs to inhibit the herpes virus from replicating or forming lesions in mice. For this reason, the resveratrol herpes remedy and grapefruit seed extract herpes remedy are both very popular.Supplement form only.
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Editorial Sources And Fact
What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- What is the best treatment for me?
- What are the side effects of antiviral medications?
- How can I reduce the risk of future outbreaks?
- Whats the best way to prevent getting another STI?
- How can I protect my partner from getting genital herpes?
- Should I look out for signs of complications?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Millions of people are living with the herpes virus that causes genital herpes. Its a common STI. You shouldnt be embarrassed or put off seeking medical care if you develop symptoms. Treatments can ease symptoms, reduce outbreaks and protect sexual partners from infection. Having the virus shouldnt affect your relationships or sexual health. However, you do need to tell your sexual partners that you have the virus. Your healthcare provider can discuss ways to prevent spreading this STI.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/23/2020.
References
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Diet Immunity And Cold Sores
If you get cold sores, eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet to support your immune system is important. The herpes simplex virus causes cold sores.1 Symptoms of the virus, such as painful blisters around the mouth, may reappear throughout the years. This is because the virus lies dormant in nerve cells in your skin, even if you dont see any cold sores when you look in the mirror.
Viral infections and fevers are a common cause of cold sores.2 In addition, people with weakened immune systems from certain conditions are most at risk for complications from the herpes simplex virus.3 Taking steps to support immunity, such as eating a healthy diet, is important for your lip health and overall health.
Although dietary recommendations vary from person to person, there are some dos and donts on foods to eat to support immune health:4
Treatment The First Time You Have Genital Herpes
You may be prescribed:
- antiviral medicine to stop the symptoms getting worse you need to start taking this within 5 days of the symptoms appearing
- cream for the pain
If you have had symptoms for more than 5 days before you go to a sexual health clinic, you can still get tested to find out the cause.
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Herbal Remedies May Also Offer Relief
Research supports the use of certain botanical remedies. You may want to try one or more of these:
Long dan xie gan tan This Chinese herbal formula has been used to quell symptoms and reduce herpes outbreaks. Its English name is clear liver fire pills. In at least one study, the formulawas shown to inhibit the activity of HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Chinese herbal medicine is always individualized, and there are other formulas that help too, so it is helpful to consult a licensed acupuncturist or herbalist before starting this formula, says Mindich.
Mushrooms Mushrooms boost the immune system, Mindich says, and thus can help prevent recurrent herpes outbreaks. She recommends mushroom products from the Immune & Protection collection of Host Defense and from Myko San. Eating shiitake mushrooms daily has also been found to have a positive effect on the immune system in a study published in April 2015 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Lemon balm This herb, which is related to mint, has traditionally been used to improve brain function and also has antiviral properties. Records concerning the medicinal use of lemon balm date back more than 2,000 years.
Lemon balm can be prepared and drunk as a tea. It can also be applied to the skin to both prevent herpes to prevent outbreaks and reduce symptoms. Research has shown that lemon balm oil directly counteracts herpes viruses.
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Can I Get Genital Herpes More Than Once
There isnt a cure for HSV-2, the virus that causes genital herpes. Infections can come back . Recurring symptoms are usually milder than the first outbreak. Symptoms dont last as long with later outbreaks. Some people may only have one or two outbreaks during their lifetime. Others may have as many as four or five outbreaks a year.
After infection, the virus moves from skin cells to nerve cells. In the nerve cells, it becomes inactive . Certain things may reactivate the virus, such as:
- Illness or fever.
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Herpes Outbreak Triggers: Takeaways
- Stress that is long-term, or stress accompanied by poor coping habits, can cause outbreak recurrences.
- Sun can bring about cold sores, so sun protection can help.
- The friction of sex can exacerbate herpes. Be wary if prodrome signs are present.
- Menstruation correlates with slightly higher rates of prodrome symptoms, but not necessarily outbreaks with sores.
Herpesyl is a 100% natural blend that targets and eliminates herpes virus in the body.
Arginine And Herpes Outbreaks
Arginine is another amino acid that makes up proteins and is involved in several very important functions of the human organism.
This amino acid is essential in pediatric ages because the organism of infants is not able to synthesize it.
The adult organism can synthesize arginine in the urea cycle which was discovered by the German physiologist Hans Adolf Krebs in 1932.
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Tip #10 Drink Purified Alkaline Water
Not only is the amount of water you drink important, but the quality of your water can make a difference too. Some chemicals such as chlorine are necessary to filter germs from our water, but this chemical is also extremely toxic to our health and ideally should be removed from the water before drinking.
Carbon filters are available which filter chlorine from your water and can be fitted either to the house or just to a particular tap or fosset. A reverse-osmosis filter is another type of filter which will remove all heavy metals and chemicals from your water. However, this process removes a lot of the beneficial minerals too, so it is important to find a filter that also replaces these minerals, such as through the use of a coral or mineral cartridge.
Very importantly, it is preferable to drink water that is alkaline. By alkalizing the body you help your entire system fight off free radicals which can cause deterioration of the cells. Many scientists claim miraculous benefits for a wide range of health conditions through the regular consumption of alkalizing water.
If you dont have access to alkaline or filtered water, try having a glass of water with freshly squeeze lemon or lime juice each morning and night. This is highly alkalizing and will help provide you with a good start.
Reduced Inflammation And Joint Pain
The GLA found in black currants supports eye health but it also promotes joint health. GLA is a type of omega-6 fatty acid that helps to reduce inflammation in the body, particularly in the joints. As such, black currants may help to reduce joint pain, stiffness, and soreness it may even help to repair joint damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
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Tip #9 Indulge In Antioxidant
There are lots of foods that nature has given us that possess the potential to ward off diseases and infections including herpes, and some of the most powerful of these are called antioxidants.
An antioxidant is something that helps to neutralize and stop the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are caused by many things, including chemicals and toxins in our food and environment, and they are responsible for aging, tissue damage and deterioration of the body.
Chocolate Tea Coffee And Herpes Outbreaks
Caffeine, theophylline and theobromine are three substances that stimulate the central nervous system they form the methylxanthine family.
Coffee is one of the best sources of caffeine, chocolate is rich in theobromine and contains caffeine and tea is rich in theophylline, but also contains caffeine and theobromine.
Avoid coffee, tea and chocolate and you will be surprised by the results.
You should also keep in mind that chocolate and black tea are high in arginine and low in lysine: another reason not to include them in your diet.
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Can Cold Sores Be Prevented
The virus that causes cold sores is very contagious. To help prevent it from spreading to others:
- Keep your drinking glasses and eating utensils, as well as washcloths and towels, separate from those used by other family members and wash these items well after use.
- Donât kiss others until the sores heal.
- Wash your hands well and often, especially after touching a cold sore.
Be especially careful not to touch your eyes. If HSV-1 gets into the eyes, it can cause a lot of damage.
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