Get Rid of Herpes Naturally

Many people don’t know they have herpes, because they don’t show any symptoms, but the herpes simplex virus infects the body just the same. The symptoms are frustrating and often painful, but will usually go away on their own if you give it time. Sometimes, we don’t have time to deal with these inconveniences though.

Thankfully, there are many ways to reduce the chances of a herpes outbreak as well as how long you experience the symptoms that don’t involve taking handfuls of pills with a name you can’t pronounce.

How to Control the Symptoms

Changing Your Diet

So, we know that some foods can trigger a herpes outbreak, but which ones should you be avoiding exactly? And are there other foods that might prevent an outbreak? The key is to boost your body’s natural immune system with useful nutrients while reducing foods without much nutrition.
L-lysine is an amino acid that has been identified as a potential ingredient in preventing the herpes virus from freely replicating and causing outbreaks. Consuming more lean proteins high in this amino acid like fish, chicken, and turkey may help prevent another outbreak, or reduce how long an outbreak lasts. Some vegetables and legumes also contain L-lysine. Good ones to include in your diet are: sundried tomatoes, peppers, lima beans, mushrooms, green peas, cauliflower, snow peas, and cooked leafy greens like spinach and kale.

Vitamin C has always been a major focus in boosting your immune system. Luckily, red and orange vegetables are often high in vitamin C as well as other antioxidants like carotenoids. These may speed up the recovery process or prevent a herpes outbreak altogether.
While you could always take a supplement, eating your nutrients is more natural and often just as good since the body can’t often absorb everything a supplement has to offer. Zinc is another vital nutrient for your overall health. Thankfully, some food sources also have lots of zinc without being too much to handle. Focus on foods like seeds, legumes, leafy greens, red meat, fish, seafood, poultry, organ meats (especially liver), whole grains, dairy, eggs, etc.
At the same time, you should try to avoid anything with added sugar, highly processed items, and alcohol. What you might not think about, though, are acidic foods or ones high in Arginine. The amino acid Arginine is essential for the replication of herpes simplex virus. Avoiding meals high in this amino acid may help some people experience fewer outbreaks. Foods like chocolate and certain nuts (cashew, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans) contain higher quantities of arginine. Smoking and excessive caffeine intake are other triggers for many people.

Herbs With Antiviral Properties

Since herpes is a virus, ingesting foods and herbs that have antiviral properties can be beneficial as well. Some common ones are:
• Elderberry
• Calendula
• Echinacea
• Garlic
• Astragalus
• Licorice Root

These plants can be made into teas or added to foods. Elderberries, garlic, and licorice can all be used to enhance the flavor of certain foods. Adding a little extra to your meals, or drinking some tea a couple of times a week can help keep the virus at bay.

Essential Oils

Essential oils have a diverse range of applications that can aid in getting rid of a herpes outbreak, so what’s not to love? Well, you have to be careful with properly diluting these essential oils using a carrier oil, like coconut oil, when applying them topically to a cold sore or blister.
You can also use them for aromatherapy, but be mindful of the potential danger for pets and pregnant women.
Tea Tree oil is possibly one of the best essential oils you can use. It is backed by research that shows it has strong antiviral properties and actively fights cold sores.

While tea tree oil is widely considered the best oil to use, it isn’t the only one. Some other helpful essential oils you should look at are: Chamomile, Ginger, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Clove, Myrrh, Neem, Mexican Oregano, Thyme, Eucalyptus. All of these have antiviral properties that can help fight against herpes to reduce the chances of an outbreak.
These oils must be dilluted, otherwise they can be dangerous and lead to more harm than good. Use one drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil for a 1% dilution as a general guideline. Because you cannot measure half of one drop, double the amount of carrier oil used for a 0.5% dilution.
Additionally, using Aloe Vera gel on blisters can help soothe the pain and heal the wound faster.

The Bottom Line
While there is no cure for herpes, there are several ways to manage the symptoms and reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and get plenty of rest to support your immune system. Certain triggers such as stress, illness, and exposure to sunlight can cause herpes outbreaks, so avoiding these triggers is a good idea.