Foods to Eat at the First Sign of a Cold Sore

You know the feeling -- that tingling sensation and sensitivity of the skin around your mouth. And even as you try to dismiss it as nothing, you recognize the symptoms all too well. That tingling or burning sensation, along with swelling, redness and itchiness, are all symptoms of the onset of a cold sore blister. Although there is no cure for cold sores, there are ways to naturally minimize the extent and severity of an outbreak through eating certain types of foods.

Causes and Symptoms

• Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1. Once a person contracts the virus, it resides in his body permanently, dwelling in the person's nerve endings. When given the right environment, it flourishes by erupting into an infection known as the cold sore. The first outbreak often results in symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, a general feeling of being unwell and mouth or lip ulcers. Subsequent attacks often occur when the person is run down and start with a tingling and itch on an area around the lips and nostrils. Tiny blisters appear. They will break open and weep. They then crust over and gradually fade away.

  Cold sores most often erupt as a result of physical or mental stress. Illnesses also place great stress on your body, triggering the onset of a cold sore. Excessive sun exposure can cause cold sores to erupt as well. Because the herpes virus lives in nerve cells, it senses changes in stress levels, temperature and pH balance and rises to the surface along your nerve fibers when the conditions are favorable. Once at the surface, it creates a new virus through a replication process, resulting in a cold sore blister.

Eat Foods Rich in Lysine, Vitamin C and B-12

• When you experience a cold sore eruption, it is important to pay close attention to eating the right sorts of foods that will minimize the duration of the outbreak.

  Arginine is a protein that works as a building block for the creation of new herpes viruses. Lysine, on the other hand, is a protein that has been found to be essential in the healing as well as the prevention of cold sores by replacing some of the arginine in cells, thus counteracting the replication of the herpes virus. Foods that are rich in lysine include fish, especially salmon, mackerel, and tuna; meats such as beef, chicken, and lamb; and dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, eggs and milk. These foods also contain high levels of a vitamin called B-12, which is known to create an inhospitable environment for the virus to thrive.

  A diet loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables is always a good thing, but with an episode of a cold sore, it becomes a crucial decision. Fruits such as apples, pears, apricots, mangoes, papayas and avocados, and vegetables such as beets, tomatoes, broccoli, celery and potatoes are all high in not only lysine, but vitamin C as well. Vitamin C is vital for maintaining a healthy immune system, which will both prevent cold sores as well as hurry along the healing process. Fibrous fruits and vegetables also have the added benefit of providing a way to flush out any toxins in your body.

Avoid Acidic Food and Foods High in Arginine

• Arginine has been shown to aid the growth of the herpes simplex virus, and if you're prone to cold sores, you will want to limit intake of these foods and totally cut them out of your diet when you are experiencing an outbreak. Foods rich in arginine include nuts; seeds; chocolate; coffee and other caffeinated drinks; gelatin; grains, including oats, wheat, and brown rice; lentils and beans; berries; and citrus fruits such as oranges and tangerines.

  In good health, your pH balance should be around 7.4, which is slightly alkaline. Stress, illness and too much sun will cause your body to move toward the acid side of normal. It is a good idea to limit eating too many acidic foods during a cold sore outbreak while the body works to return to a normal balance. Limit foods such as citrus or anything with vinegar. Salty food is irritating to sores and should be avoided as well, as should processed foods while the body is in a run-down state.

Additional Ways to Encourage Healing

• Besides minimizing stressors on your body and eating lots of fish, meats, fruits, and vegetables, there are a few other things you can do to speed up the healing process. Applying ice to the cold sore or a cotton ball soaked in milk will relieve pain and cut down healing time. It is a good idea to do this even when you start to feel the tell-tale tingling so that you can help speed up the healing right from the beginning. You can also cover the sore with petroleum jelly, which will both speed healing as well as help protect it from secondary infection. Don't apply makeup to the area, as the chemicals will simply irritate the sore. Licorice has also been found to help with healing - -try chewing a (real) licorice whip or even sprinkling licorice powder over the sore.