Shingles is a condition caused by the same virus responsible for chickenpox: varicella-zoster. Most people develop chickenpox as children. The varicella-zoster virus remains in your body and may not cause problems for many years, notes MedlinePlus. However, as you age, this virus may manifest as shingles, a health problem characterized by mild to severe pain and blisters in one part of your body. Certain dietary approaches may help treat your shingles, but you should always discuss procedures, risks and alternatives with your physician first.
The Shingles Virus
Shingles most commonly occurs in people between the ages of 60 and 80, reports the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The first sign or symptom seen with shingles is tingling pain in your affected area. A rash of fluid-filled blisters may develop in that area several days later, and it may cause intense itching and pain. The rash is usually contained within one of your dermatomes, a band of skin that is supplied by nerves from a single spinal nerve root. The dermatomes that wrap around your trunk are the most commonly affected.
Dietary Considerations
Numerous dietary strategies may be helpful in treating your shingles. In her book, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," certified nutritional consultant Phyllis A. Balch recommends consuming the following foods to fight your shingles virus and promote healing: bee pollen; chlorophyll; kelp; brewer's yeast; brown rice; garlic; raw fruits and vegetables; whole grains; and foods containing vitamin B6, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes and bananas. Consider avoiding foods that are high in the amino acid lysine and lower in the amino acid arginine, such as chocolate and peanuts.
Featured Foods
Foods containing significant amounts of vitamin B, especially vitamin B12, notes medical doctor Alan R. Gaby, author of "The Natural Pharmacy," may be helpful in improving the health of your nervous system and treating your shingles. Foods high in vitamin B12, the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements adds, include beef liver, top sirloin beef, clams, fortified breakfast cereals, rainbow trout and sockeye salmon. Foods high in vitamin B12, reports Gaby, have also traditionally been used in treating anemia, depression, Bell's palsy and sickle cell anemia.
Disclaimer
Shingles is a painful condition that may best be treated using a combination of conventional allopathic and complementary alternative treatment methods. If you develop the characteristic signs and symptoms of shingles, report to your family physician as soon as possible to be properly diagnosed and treated. Your doctor can counsel you on the benefits and limitations of natural treatment methods, such as nutritional therapy. Though certain foods have traditionally been used in treating your shingles, more scientific research using contemporary testing methods may be necessary to determine their true health effects.
References
- MedlinePlus: Shingles
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: About Shingles
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2010
- "The Natural Pharmacy"; Alan R. Gaby, M.D.; 2006
- National Institutes of Health: Vitamin B12
