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Herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STD).

While technically the virus that causes herpes (mouth or genitals) is not curable, there are lots of tools that can put herpes into remission.

So what is Herpes?

There are 8 different Herpes simplex viruses, but the most common Herpes simplex viruses that cause herpes are HPV-1 & HPV-2. These viral infections cause small, fluid-filled blisters to develop on the skin and mucous membranes.

Herpes signs and symptoms

A single cold sore or cluster of multiple cold sores. These often form on the lips or inside the mouth, or on the genitals, upper thighs, or bottom.
Sores can be painful and may rupture with fluid leaking.
it’s common to feel pain and tenderness.
A rash may appear or other signs of swelling such as redness.
Tingling or itching near the area may be a signal that an outbreak is about to occur.
You may get other cold and flu symptoms during an outbreak such as fatigue, aches, weakness, and slight fever.

How do you know if you have Herpes?

Your GP can either swap any active infective lesions. ** False negatives can be common.
Take a blood test to look for herpes antibodies present in the body.

How is Herpes spread?

Both HSV-1 & HSV-2 infections are acquired from someone who already carries the virus. HSV-1 is usually transmitted through mouth-to-mouth contact, while HSV-2 is almost always sexually transmitted.

How to minimise outbreaks of your Herpes

Factors often involved in the reactivation of the virus include:

stress
Other infections/ immune activation
sunburn
high arginine foods
sexual activity (genital herpes)
menstruation

MAKE SOME DIETARY CHANGES:

Minimise intake of processed, packaged, and sugar.
Eat olive oil, coconut oil, and butter/ghee. Avoid other oils e.g. canola. vegetable, grapeseed, soy, and rice bran.
2-3 serves of Oily fish per week, such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, sardines, and anchovies.
Consume broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables daily. Indole-3-carbinol is the active ingredient in these vegetables which has been shown to inhibit the replication of herpes viruses.
Increase intake of high-zinc foods, such as organ meats (like liver), grass-fed beef, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and organic leafy greens.
Minimise intake of foods that contain methylxanthines (red wine, coffee, chocolate, and black tea)
Eating lysine-rich foods, such as eggs, fish, chicken, dairy products, and most fruits and vegetables

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Stress can be one of the biggest triggers for an outbreak of Herpes. Now, this isn’t just psychological stress, but this might include; poor sleep, burnout, excess movement, and financial stress.

Make sure you are doing something daily to help keep your stress levels at bay. This might look like this:

Meditation
Movement
Time in nature
Gardening
Spending time on your hobbies

Supplements to help keep your Herpes at bay

500 mg lysine/ day
Zinc (30-50mg/day)
vitamin C- 1000mg /day
Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi)
Olive leaf extract
Lemon balm & St johns wort (topically and internally)

If you would like some 1:1 support for your Herpes,

Book a discovery call with Lucy, our in-house Naturopath & Nutritionist at Your Place Health.

A holistic guide to preventing the reactivation of your Herpes.