How to Change Your Diet to Reduce Herpes Outbreaks

Herpes is a virus that causes a wide range of conditions ranging from cold sores on the lips to genital herpes to herpes of the eye to chicken pox and shingles. Because the word "herpes" encompasses so many different conditions, it may seem hard to believe that changing the diet could possibly help with these varied issues. However, because these different versions of the herpes virus all stem from the same basic feature--a virus that lies dormant in the central nervous system and waits to recur--controlling certain aspects of the diet can make a big difference in controlling herpes outbreaks and conditions related to herpes. Twenty percent of adults have genital herpes, and 90+% of all people have the herpes virus that causes cold sores. these two conditions cause pain and discomfort, not to mention social stigma at times. Learning how to change your diet to reduce herpes outbreaks can make a big difference in your quality of life, your social life, and overall health.

Things You'll Need

• L-lysine tablets or capsules

Show More

Instructions

How to Change Your Diet to Reduce Herpes Outbreaks

• 1

  Learn to eat foods that are rich in l-lysine. L-lysine is an amino acid that helps to curb the herpes virus. Foods that are rich in l-lysine include: beef, cheese, chicken, eggs, dairy products, potatoes, fish, yogurt, and soybeans. Do a search to find more information on l-lysine-rich foods if you are vegan; l-lysine is found in many animal products, and you may need to be more creative if you do not consume animal products.

• 2

  Avoid foods high in the amino acid arginine. Oddly enough, many high-arginine foods are extremely healthy, such as brown rice, most nuts, oatmeal, coconut, wheat, raisins, and more. These foods, unfortunately, have a high level of arginine and a low level of l-lysine, making them help the herpes virus during outbreaks.

• 3

  Take l-lysine supplements during outbreaks, or even as a preventive tool. Taking l-lysine regularly throughout the day consistently, even when you are not experiencing an outbreak, can help to prevent future outbreaks or lessen the severity of outbreaks that do break through.

• 4

  Look at the ratio of l-lysine to arginine in foods. If you want to eat a food that has a trace of arginine, but is high in l-lysine, the food should be fine for you to eat, as the l-lysine overwhelmed the arginine.

• 5

  Eat more broccoli or broccoli sprouts. Early research shows that broccoli may inhibit the growth of the herpes virus. So your mom was right--eat your vegetables, but especially your broccoli!