Herpes Diet and Supplements

Herpes is a viral infection that is typically marked by formation of painful sores and blisters on the skin. These blemishes and watery blisters are usually visible on the genitals and lips but can also occur on the face. An easy way to manage this disease is to have a diet prescribed for herpes patients. If you don't want the virus to dictate your life, then it is essential to have herpes diet and supplements. A poor diet can worsen this disease, hence it is very important to eat the right food.

Diet to Control Herpes

Correcting your diet and avoiding certain foods can definitely help to ease the symptoms of herpes. Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is the best treatment, as it controls this infection effectively. It is discussed below:

Indulge in Foods Rich in Lysine: Lysine is very effective against this viral infection and slows down the growth of the virus. Your diet must include lots of vegetables and fruits. Eating broccoli, brussels, and cabbage sprouts can successfully suppress herpes. Ensure that vegetables are freshly cooked, to get the maximum benefit. Fruits such as apricots, mangoes, apples, strawberries and pears are considered to be rich in lysine and recommended for herpes patients. Most vegetables available in the market too are rich in lysine. Individuals suffering from herpes should also include eggs, legumes, fish preferably cod and dairy products (yogurt, cheese, milk) in their diet as they are high in lysine.

Having raw vegetables in the form of salad is a natural way to control herpes. Even juices of fresh vegetables are beneficial as they are packed with nutrients and play an active role to build immunity against infections.

Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine: In order to combat herpes outbreak effectively, patients are often advised to exclude alcoholic drinks and caffeinated beverages like coffee from their diet. Carbonated drinks and protein shakes (contain too much arginine) also need to be avoided if one is serious about getting rid of herpes infection.

Drink Plenty of Water: Instead of having coffee, you can opt for herbal tea or water. Intake of sufficient amount of water (6 to 8 glasses per day) can flush out harmful toxins from the body.

Ditch Foods Rich in Arginine: Foods that contain high amounts of arginine can aggravate this condition. In the presence of arginine, the herpes virus proliferates easily, thereby prolonging the duration of infection. Chocolate, coconut and nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, peanuts), vegetables like beans, dried fruits (raisins) and whole wheat products are high in arginine, and should always be avoided.

Stay Away from Processed Foods: Processed or junk foods come in the list of forbidden foods for herpes diet. These foodstuffs that include chips are not prepared using healthy cooking methods (most of them are deep-fried) and so their consumption will contribute in worsening the herpes symptoms.

Go for Lean Cuts of Meat: Although meat is permitted for herpes patients, it needs to be cooked in a healthy way, which means opting for baking, grilling or boiling when it comes to preparing a meat dish for meals. Also, meat is found to be high in saturated fats and so to get rid of this fatty matter, one should choose lean meat such as skinless chicken.

Caution

One should focus more on eating vegetables and fruits, rather than meat and dairy products. This is because, though meat is a good source of lysine, it contains an appreciable amount of arginine. So, it is necessary to cut back intake of meat and increase consumption of vegetables and fruits. During herpes outbreak, one should also ditch highly acidifying foods such as tomatoes.

Supplements to Manage Herpes

In case you feel your diet does not contain adequate amounts of lysine, you can take a recommended lysine supplement. Studies have shown that a daily dose of lysine should be at least 1250 mg to control herpes. Lysine is safe, and is considered the best treatment for herpes patients. Lysine supplements that contain minerals, (zinc, bioflavonoids) and vitamins can work wonders to prevent and manage herpes. Doctors often include vitamin C supplements, zinc, and Vitamin B complex in the herpes diet.

Another popular supplement used for the treatment of herpes is turmeric extract, commonly known as curcumin. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and makes the body cells more resistant to viral infections. Cayenne pepper, a traditional supplement, is also often recommended by doctors to fight the invasion of the herpes virus. Either of these can be applied externally to relieve pain. You can create a paste of turmeric and apply it as needed. Red marine algae (RMA) is also a wonderful supplement as it assists the immune system to fight against the virus and prevents recurrence of herpes.

An easy way to beat herpes virus is to include a diet that promotes lysine rich foods and cuts arginine rich foods. This form of treatment will definitely help to get rid of the herpes virus and control the pain.