Treatment for Herpes
Genital herpes cannot be cured but getting treatment for herpes is essential. Be cautious of any medication or natural remedy that advertises itself as a cure. Right now, the best treatment for herpes is the use of prescribed antiviral medications, combined with good nutrition and safe sex practices.
Visiting your doctor or clinic is essential in getting treatment for herpes. They can do tests to determine if you have herpes and which strain of the virus it is. Oral medications can be prescribed that will help the sores heal quicker and cut down on the number of relapses you may have. The most often prescribed medications are acyclovir (Zovirax), Val acyclovir (Valtrex) and acyclovir (Famvir).
L-lysine is an essential amino acid that many people have found to have positive effects in the treatment of herpes. An essential amino acid means that it must be obtained from food or supplements--the body cannot manufacture this amino acid itself. Higher levels of lysine are good, but while working to increase these levels it is also been found effective to limit the intake of another amino acid, A-Arginine. Research has found that the herpes virus uses arginine to continually duplicate itself. Lysine, on the other hand, has been found to suppress this continual replication, weakening the virus.
When applied to your diet, this means that it’s good to eat more foods that contain lysine and less that contain arginine. Foods that are rich in lysine are plain yogurt and other dairy products, such as cheeses, milk, beans, turkey, fish, chicken, vegetables sprouts, and legumes--the broccoli/cauliflower family. Foods that are high in arginine include all types of nuts and cereal grains, seeds, chocolate, and oatmeal, among others. The thing to remember about diet is that everyone is different and that foods that work well in inhibiting the virus for some people might not have the same results for you. It may be helpful for you to keep a diet journal so you can monitor if certain foods do trigger active outbreaks of herpes.
Many people recommend the taking of lysine supplements to aid in the treatment of herpes. If you are researching herpes treatments online, you will also discover that most of these articles are also trying to sell you supplements. As with everything else, higher doses of lysine can help some people and not help others. Overall, the indications are that lysine supplements can do nothing to harm you unless you take them in much higher than recommended doses. If you do supplement with lysine, studies show that the best results come when lysine is combined with other vitamins and minerals, such as zinc, vitamin C, vitamin A (in low does) and bioflavonoid. Bioflavonoids are food pigments that are found in citrus fruits.
If you want to maximize your body’s fight against the herpes virus, developing a healthy lifestyle is the key. And the means of doing this are the same as they would be for anyone--eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and lean meats, have your meals on a regular schedule, get plenty of sleep, don’t smoke cigarettes, and exercise regularly.