Herpes And Your Diet

 

 

 

It makes sense that what you take in as food is going to make the biggest difference in your immune system's ability to fight disease. What specifically can you eat that will make the difference when you are trying to prevent herpes and other such viruses?
 

 

·    Yogurt:  The first food that will help feed your body and strengthen your immune system is yogurt. The Greeks and other Mediterranean people might not have known the science behind yogurt but they knew that yogurt provided healing when digestive illnesses presented themselves. The probiotics that are in yogurt are healthy bacteria which help clear your stomach and digestive system of any germs. In a recent study it was found that a daily dose of yogurt was more effective in boosting the immune system than pills on the market made for that specific purpose. Yogurt with sugar in it though, is not as effective for immune boosting support. Plain yogurt with some fruit, honey or stevia in it for added sweetness is perfect. You can also cook with yogurt and get some of the additional immune support.

    

·    Oats & Barley:  These grains are more potent than echinacea according another recent study in their antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities. Animals who have a diet that includes oats and barley are less likely to fall ill due to influenza or (this is important) herpes. Not only does your immune system function better but oats and barley help speed wound healing and helps antibiotics work better, both factors specifically for healing when you already have herpes.

 

 

 

·    Garlic:  Before there was penicillin, there was garlic. The active ingredient in garlic, allicin, fights infection and it antibacterial.  Regular garlic users have far lower rates of intestinal cancers and are 66% less likely to catch a cold than those who don't use garlic. Raw garlic provides extra healing and can be used directly on the skin or eaten. Later on when we discuss herbal treatments that can help heal the sores and blisters that occur with herpes, there will be more specific directions regarding using garlic in this manner. For now, just eating more garlic, raw or cooked, is an easy, delicious way to build a stronger immune system.

 

 

·    Tea: Tea has been crucial in the Chinese culture for thousands of years because they knew that it's healing power helped them balance their qi. They might not have known that it was the L-theanine in tea that helped them strengthen their defensive qi but they must have noticed that people who drank over 5 cups of black tea a day had over ten times more virus- fighting interferon in their blood. Green tea contains the same amount of interferon and has been an important weight loss aid and digestive aid in Chinese culture also.

 

 

·    Chicken soup: Chicken broth has been a regular part of the Chinese diet for centuries and now we know why. Chicken soup blocks the movement of inflammatory white cells. The amino acid cysteine, which is released from chicken while cooking, is chemically almost identical to the drug acetylcysteine, which is used in treating bronchitis. The broth helps to keep mucus thin in the same way that cough medicine does. In traditional Chinese medicine, you'll remember that they thought that one of the ways in which your defensive qi was diminished was through being overly cold.  Chicken broth was thought to nourish and warm the body.

 

 

 

·    Fish: The selenium and omega-3 fats found in fish and seafood both help reduce inflammation, which is an underlying cause of many debilitating diseases, including arthritis, respiratory dysfunction as well as a sluggish thyroid and heart disease. All of the cultures we have discussed ate fish and seafood regularly, depending on how available it was in their location and were healthier for it. A side benefit of including two servings of fish per week in your regular diet can also be weight loss, better eye sight and a healthier prostate.

 
 

 

·    Beef: Zinc deficiency, even a mild one, can increase your risk of a multitude of infections. Your immune system cells require developed white blood cells to seek out suspect cells, bacteria and viruses, including the herpes zoster virus. Beef, oysters, pork, poultry, yogurt and milk all contain high zinc levels and getting zinc through your food is much more effective than through a supplement. Zinc treatments can also be beneficial when applied directly to the skin, specifically herpes and the painful blisters that accompany the disease.

 
 

 

·    Sweet potatoes: Your skin is your largest organ and therefore crucial to your immune system, a fact that you're discovering if you're suffering with herpes. Native Americans grew sweet potatoes for hundreds of years without knowing that it was the vegetables high Vitamin A content that made it a vital ingredient in producing the connective tissue that healthy skin requires. Since your skin is the immune system's first line of defence against viruses, bacteria and toxins, making sure that it's strong and healthy with sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, pumpkin or cantaloupe will help make sure that you get enough Vitamin A to ward off disease. The wonderful side-effect of getting the right amount of this vitamin is that your skin will look radiant and healthy.

 

·    Mushrooms: The Chinese used mushrooms like prescription medication.  Shiitake, maitake and reishi mushrooms were known for their almost magical healing powers and were known to restore imbalanced qi. Now we know that mushrooms help white blood cells become more active and more aggressive, which is necessary when they're fighting an infection. Mushrooms also contain high levels of minerals as well being a low-fat source of protein.

 

 
 

·    Citrus: Almost everyone knows the cold-fighting power of Vitamin C, but the Chinese and Greeks knew that citrus helped restore the balance of energy and was known to cool down heat-related illnesses, which fever, skin rashes and inflammation, both effects of the herpes virus in particular. Additional powerful sources of Vitamin C can also be found in sweet potatoes (double whammy), butternut squash, tomatoes, broccoli and all kinds of peppers.

 

 

 

·    Ginger: The Chinese have cooked with this root as well as eaten it raw, pulverized it into pastes and liquified it into drinks for thousands of years. Chemicals in ginger target rhinoviruses, which are the virus behind the common cold. Ginger also is a natural pain reliever and a sedative to help you rest when you're in pain. Adding a slice of ginger to tea and drinking it in the traditional Chinese way will give you immune boosting support as

well as help you get your rest, which is an extremely important element in healing as well.

 

 

 

·    Honey: Honey was probably part of the caveman diet but we know that it was prized for its medicinal qualities by the Greeks, who used it as a sweetener, used it directly on wounds and even added it to wine in order to make it more beneficial to the drinker. Honey contains properties that help to fight infections from viruses as well as fungi. Buckwheat honey has the highest antioxidant level, so that will be the most effective when using honey medicinally.

 
 

 

·    Nuts: Another food that has probably been part of ancient man's diet since time began, the Greeks ate a diet that included a steady stream of nuts and they were known to help give added energy when a regular meal couldn't be eaten. Nuts naturally fight free radicals in your body and are rich in vitamin E, which helps prevent cell damage as well as boosts your immune system. Native Americans named the pecan which means “nut to be cracked with a rock” and ate them regularly.

 

At this point, you can see how you can easily add more of these immune boosting foods to your daily diet. It's even more important, however, to make sure you're eliminating foods and beverages that you may consume that actively harm your body's ability to stay strong and fight viruses.