How long after sexual intercourse do you experience symptoms of herpes?
Herpes affects 1 in 4 Americans. It can be a painful, embarrasing experience for anyone who contracts the virus. Unfortunately, there is no medical cure and the medical treatments can be quite costly, even with good insurance. While most people repsond well to antiviral medicines such as Zovirax and Valtrex, some of us need a little extra boost to prevent those awful outbreaks. there are vitamins and minerals that occur in foods and natural topical solutions that can help.
Vitamin C is found in high quantities is foods such as sweet red peppers, strawberries and oranges. Vitamin C in important for the production of collagen, a fiber that makes skin cells stronger, more able to resist the blisters caused by the herpes virus. It also aids in white blood cell activity, helping the immune system fight the virus.
Zinc can be found in lean meats such as beef, pork, crab and turkey. Zinc has been found to inhibit reproduction of the herpes virus. It can also help the immune system identify and fight the virus.
Foods that are high in arginine like nuts, tuna, salmon, shrimp and egg yolks should be avoided. Arginine is necessary for the production of the HSV virus, so a diet high in arginine may actually trigger activation of the virus. Arginine's natural enemy is Lysine. Lysine has long been thought of as a great way to combat the production of the herpes virus because it blocks the production of Arginine. Some foods that have a high Lysine/low Arginine ratio are yogurts and cheeses and lean white meats.
Licorice is a natural antiviral and can help reduce the inflammation caused by an outbreak. It can be dissolved in a hot tea for quick release in the body.
Natural topical solutions include lemon balm and aloe vera. Both can be placed directly on the herpes lesions and promote faster healing of and help reduce the pain of the outbreak.
If you have frequent herpes outbreaks and antiviral medications don't seem to be helping, try incorporating some of the above foods into your diet for more natural relief.