The Unlucky Majority
Jul 18, 2023
It is estimated that 50 - 80 percent of Americans have been exposed to the virus that causes cold sores. This is probably the one time when being in the majority is not in your favor.
Stay tuned for some natural remedies and things you can do to reduce the length of your next untimely outbreak .
If you've ever had a cold sore you're familiar with the burning, tingling sensation that accompanies it even before it appears. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason for their its untimely appearance, but it may sometimes be related to stress.
About fifteen years ago I developed a sore just to the left of the middle of my forehead. It felt and looked a lot like a cold sore with the itchy, oozy, tingly, characteristics, but it was on my forehead. We were on a wonderful family vacation when it first appeared and, "lucky" for me, it steadily grew in size and pain until it rivaled a quarter, but may have been closer in size to a silver dollar if it were symmetrical. It stayed for several weeks with no signs of regression. It was an itchy, oozy scab that just wouldn't heal.
My four year old daughter stood next to me one day while I was working on the computer. With pencil and paper in hand she carefully sketched my portrait, looking back and forth from me to her canvas. She proudly showed me her masterpiece, complete with eyes, nose, mouth, hair, and body. I turned and smiled, reaching for the picture, but on looking me full in the face she quickly grabbed her pencil for one last tweak. As she made this last adjustment to my portrait she quipped, "I forgot your nose."
What had looked like my nose was apparently the gigantic cold sore between my eyes. Evidently it was so noticeable it overshadowed my actual nose. I am one of the "lucky" majority who gets to deal with cold sores from time to time.
You get the picture. It was big. After several weeks of this oozy growth, I finally determined that it must be a cold sore. My doctor looked at me funny when I told him what I thought it was, but gave me meds for it all the same.
Cold sores have a tendency to reemerge in the same locations. Well, after fifteen years I found myself once again experiencing the same itchy, tingly sensation of this third-eye cold sore on my forehead. Only this time round, I was prepared!
There are several remedies and things you can do at home to treat cold sores naturally and reduce their appearance and longevity. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- The herpes virus needs the amino acid arginine to replicate. Arginine is found in many foods including:
- chocolate, pumpkin seeds, wheat, oats, most nuts, and many over the counter nutrional supplements.
- Arginine is not bad for you. It is actually something your body needs. But, when you have a cold sore, avoid foods with arginine so this virus can't replicate.
- Arginine shares an absorption pathway with the amino acid lysine. Lysine and arginine compete with each other for absorption. So, avoiding foods with arginine and consuming foods high in lysine can help the body fight the virus that is producing the cold sores.
- Increase your intake of foods containing lysine during a cold sore outbreak including beans, legumes, and avocados.
Here are a few remedies to help suppress the outbreak:
- Take large doses of L-lysine 1000 milligrams several times a day.
- They look and feel like horse pills but taking them will ensure that there are no seats for arginine when the music stops.
- Take the homeopathic remedy Natrum Mur
- If you are not familiar with homeopathic remedies they are the tastiest "medicine" out there!
- You can find them in many health food stores. They come in small vials of tiny white beads.
- Just place a bead or two under your tongue and let it dissolve. It tastes like sugar! Just don't eat anything 15 minutes before or after.
- The herb chaparral does not taste like sugar, but is a very powerful antiviral.
- You can drink this as a tea, take in tincture form, or simply swallow capsules.
- Fresh lemon balm macerated and applied topically does wonders! If you have this herb growing in your garden you are all set.
- The herb myrrh can also be applied topically.
I approached my third-eye cold sore with several of these remedies and at night I applied a little calendula salve to help heal and reduce potential scarring. I'm happy to report my cold sore went away in record time. One thing to always remember when you are treating any symptom naturally, is to begin early, treat often, and continue treating a few days after symptoms have disappeared.
Kristi Taylor is a Master Herbalist, Clinical Herbalist and Natural healing Guide®. She endeavors to share her knowledge and passion of natural healing with whomever will listen – because nature’s wisdom never ceases to delight and amaze!
References
Anthony, Klara. "40 Sources of Lysine to Add to Your Plate". Healthline.com blog, published 31 May 2023. (Accessed 17 July 2023).
Mailoo VJ, Rampes S. Lysine for Herpes Simplex Prophylaxis: A Review of the Evidence. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2017 Jun;16(3):42-46. PMID: 30881246; PMCID: PMC6419779.
Tan, Jen. "7 argine-rich foods to avoid if you're prone to cold sores: What foods should you be avoiding?" avolgel.co.uk blog, published 4 Sept 2017. (Accessed 17 July 2023).
