What foods you eat and how much of them will help to determine your overall health. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you eat too many saturated fats, you can develop atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. And if you do not eat enough fiber, you can develop constipation. This same principle holds true for individuals who have herpes outbreaks. By avoiding certain foods and including others, you can reduce the number of lesions you experience over time.
Herpes
Herpes is spread through direct contact. Type 1 herpes often causes cold sores in the mouth; type 2 herpes is responsible more often for genital outbreaks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people experience minimal symptoms, and the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years. Nationwide, approximately one of every six people between 14 and 49 years has genital herpes, and genital herpes is more common in women than men. Oral type 1 herpes affects one of every 1,000 persons and is transmitted through secretions from the mouth, according to Kenyon College Biology Department.
Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid needed to help remove ammonia from the body, states MayoClinic.com. It is considered a semi-essential amino acid because, although the body makes enough, supplementation may sometimes be needed. People who have malnutrition, burns, infection or are on dialysis are among those who can benefit from supplementation. Arginine is used by the herpes virus for replication, so when your diet is high in arginine, you have an increased potential for outbreaks of herpes lesions.
L-Lysine
L-Lysine is another amino acid that counteracts the ability of the herpes virus to use arginine for replication and growth. Herpes.com recommends eating a diet in which the foods have a ratio that is high in L-lysine and low in arginine to reduce the number of outbreaks you experience. Foods that are high in L-lysine and lower in arginine include dairy products, beets, mango, apricot, apples, pears, avocado, salmon, cod, tuna and tomatoes.
Foods to Avoid
Foods that should be avoided to reduce the potential for a herpes outbreak are those that are high in arginine. Dr. Nicole Sundene, doctor of naturopathic medicine, recommends that you attempt to avoid chocolate, peanuts and peanut butter, sugar, cakes, alcohol, coffee and tea, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, filberts, sunflower seeds, coconut and bleached white flour foods.
Foods to Eat
A good diet that will help avoid a herpes outbreak include meals that are rich in vegetables, dairy products, fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, potatoes and brewers yeast, according to Dr. Sundene. She recommends that whole-grain products, sprouts, chick peas, and fruits and foods with seeds can be eaten when balanced with foods high in L-lysine when your herpes is inactive. During an active outbreak, she recommends that these foods are eliminated to reduce the time period of the outbreak.
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