Natural treatment for herpes?

flyingwings

I believe that some prescription medicines can have harmful complications in contrast to the favorable effects that natural cure for herpes can offer to a patient. As a person with herpes, I am interested to try this natural method. Any suggestion?

Adrial (Mr. H Opp)

Hi flyingwings & kendratundra!

First off, really nit-picky, but necessary distinction ... you ask for a "natural cure" for herpes, but I think what you mean is a natural treatment? (I know, I know, but I just don't want someone else to read it as if there is actually a be-all-end-all cure. There is no herpes cure, but there is herpes treatment.)

I haven't personally taken a full regimen of natural remedies or treatments for herpes, but the one thing I have heard time and time again is to avoid foods with arginine in them (chocolate, nuts, oats, etc.) and increase foods with lysine in them (most vegetables, dairy, eggs, fish, etc.). At first, I tried to avoid the arginine and take in more lysine, but I didn't notice any increase/decrease in herpes outbreaks for me. (And hey, I tend to really like foods with arginine.) If you do a search for natural remedies for herpes, you'll find many, many people saying many, many different things about what works for them. It seems that there are almost as many remedies as there are people with herpes. I can imagine that it can get frustrating to try all these disparate treatments and hold out hope that your herpes outbreaks will go away.

My take on treatments is the healthier I am overall, the more able my body is to repress the herpes virus. I go to the gym regularly (which increases my body's strength/immune system), take yoga classes (which calms my mind and increase awareness), do martial arts (to link my body with my mind), and other stuff I would do with or without herpes. It's interesting that a top stimulator for recurring outbreaks is stress. Anything in life that can decrease stress will naturally decrease herpes outbreaks. That's what I tend to move toward as far as treatment goes. A more holistic approach for me.

ElleMN

I take a Lysine Vitamin every day, which I feel really helps. Wear cotton underwear helps a lot too. Cook or take coconut oil every day take it by mouth or use it in your cooking, it's AMAZING! Unlike other dietary fats such as soybean and corn oils, coconut oil is packed with a special type of fat molecules called medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). These relatively rare fatty acids are the muscle behind coconut oil's incredible antimicrobial properties.

Of all the microorganisms that MCFAs can vaporize, those that are encased in a lipid or fat membrane, like the herpesviruses, are the most vulnerable. MCFA-loaded coconut oil annihilates the lipid-coated herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and -2), as well as other members of theherpesviridae family of viruses.

Coconut oil is able to penetrate the outer membrane of the herpes virus and weaken it to the point that it breaks down, effectively neutralizing the virus. Say goodbye to painful outbreak. It isn't a cure but it sure does help!

Also, using a electric razor (down there) helps me keep everything very clean and dry. Try not to use anything that is scented that can aggravate you, just soap (hypo allergenic) and water, or just water alone.

HOPE THIS HELPS!

Elle

Adrial (Mr. H Opp)

Thanks for contributing to this post, Elle! Wow! I love the detail! ;) And just so everyone knows, you're doing your masters thesis on the stigma of herpes, right? So cool. I wanted everyone to know where your amazing knowledge comes from! Thanks again!

ElleMN

Yep you're right, currently I am in the final semester of my masters degree, I'm studying herpes stigma as it is related to aftercare for patients and practitioner assumptions. (I know it's a mouthful!).

I've found the more I learn about my virus the more it doesn't bother me. I encourage everyone to empower themselves with knowledge!

brinpdx

Hi all - (and Ellen MN esp),
My Q fist, then what I’ve found out / wish to share. And VERY glad this is here – thanks for those who set it up!!

QUESTION: too all who are more informed than myself (easily done - and Hi again to EllenMN) - is there anything to take to reduce risk / increase immunity to viral shedding / increase the possibility of having barrier free vaginal sex? I’m expecting to hear "don’t ever"!, but I wish to ask regardless.

MY STORY: I’ve known for 2 weeks about my hvs2 status. My amazing partner (from whom I did NOT get #2 – THAT was from a prior lover) is a dr. and is very up on the mainstream side of all things viral and bacterial. Her take is that hvs2 can make its greatest bother to healthy folk when we get older, when our immune systems decline, esp. shingles. She’s very much in the mainstream re prevention and remedies, and tells me that there are anti viral drugs that can reduce risk of transition by ½. I’ve yet to look into these, but soon shall. Here are some links I’ve found to alternatives, including a more broad-minded approach/sentiment to the ‘other cold sore’ as it were.

A FEW RESOURCES (Ellen, I'd be really interested in your thots re these if / when you've a moment):

Pardon too the excessive wordiness . . .
Great sounding remedy and purchase source http://www.essentialwholesale.com/Neem-Extract
Other alternatives for same http://www.natural-remedies-world.com/natural-herpes-remedies.html#axzz202cT5Tgr
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1814962/pg1
http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/messageforum/showthread.php?28322-Positive-HSV2-blood-test-6-weeks-after-exposure 4-6 wks – takes mos for serum antibodies to build up for accurate pos test outcome
From http://std.about.com/od/gettingtested/f/timetoherpestest.htm
Various studies have investigated how long it takes from when genital herpes symptoms show up to when an individual tests positive on a blood test for HSV-2. As it turns out, the range varies a great deal, both between studies and between tests. For example the median time from symptoms to a positive HSV-2 blood test was:
• HerpeSelect ELISA - 21 days for people who were HSV-1 negative and 23 days for people who were HSV-1 positive. (Ashley-Morrow et al. 2003)
• Western Blot - 40 days for people who were HSV-1 negative and 47 days for those who were HSV-1 positive. (Ashley-Morrow et al. 2003)
• Western Blot - 68 days. (Morrow et al. 2003)
• Kalon ELISA - 120 days. (Morrow et al 2003)
• Focus ELISA - 21 days. (Morrow et al 2003)
In other words, since it usually takes around 2 weeks for symptoms to show up, it's probably a good idea to wait at least a month or two before even considering getting an HSV-2 test after a potential exposure -- and you might want to consider getting retested after six months. Remember, after all, that those are only median times and that they were highly variable. Some infected people will seroconvert quickly, while others will take even longer before a herpes blood test accurately shows them to be positive.
Elisa best test http://www.jfponline.com/Pages.asp?AID=4824

brinpdx

Correction - just noticed I've been calling you Ellen vs Elle. Got it now . . .

parksss

I took Lysine but I found it triggered more outbreaks. I have of late been eating natural yogurt every morning and I haven't had an outbreak since, I have also been taking ginseng and ginko biloba which I have read helps keep the immune system well. I take vit c effervensence now and then too. I dont feel promodes either, as soon as I do I drink black tea which helps soothe the nerves as does camomile tea.

Adrial (Mr. H Opp)

Everyone's body is different. For some, lysine sounds like it works like a charm. For others, just the opposite. Here's a link from an NPR show where they talk about Lysine. (I just got emailed to me from my mom ... say it with me: "Awwwww"):
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/07/26/desperate-for-help-with-recurrent-cold-sores/

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