A strong immune system is key to keeping Herpes in check and reducing the number and severity of outbreaks. Managing stress, getting good rest, exercising, and eating a healthy diet are all factors that contribute to overall health and wellness.
As we’ve pointed out elsewhere on HerpeSite, we recommend that you take great care of your body and health by eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of water-rich and green foods, good sources of protein (such as organic meats and wild-caught fish), and anti-oxidants fruits and vegetables.
Top 3 Tips to Prevent Herpes Outbreaks
Here are our basic recommendations for ensuring a healthy body and immune system that can better fight off infections and keep Herpes outbreaks to a minimum.
1. Eat as Fresh as Possible & Avoid Processed Foods
We are VERY passionate about health and nutrition, and are not shy about stating our opinions! The best thing you can do to create health, avoid illness, and keep herpes outbreaks to a minimum is to take care of yourself. That, very simply means: put great things in your body, and avoid bad things as much as possible.
Eat a balanced diet that contains water-rich fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain anti-oxidants that fight free-radical damage, enzymes, and phytonutrients that help the body in ways that science is only now beginning to fully understand. Eating fresh, whole foods is superior to individual supplements because of the synergistic action of the nutrient combinations. Experts now recommend that we eat 7-13 servings per day of fresh fruits and vegetables. That’s a lot more than most people can or will eat, and the quality of our produce is not always what it’s cracked up to be! Sometimes blending or juicing can be an effective way to get more fruits & veggies. Do the best you can, and if you don’t think you’re getting enough, find a great, high quality supplement to take up the slack in your diet.
Stay away from processed, fried, high-fat, excess sugar, artificial, and high sodium foods as much as possible. Eating poor quality foods makes your body have to work harder to absorb and assimilate the limited nutrients while eliminating excessive waste and toxins. Eating as healthy as possible not only supports your health and immune system, but just knowing that you’re doing great things for yourself makes you feel good, and the “feel good” hormones get released!
Consume Omega Oils/Essential Fatty Acids. “Good fats” and oils are critical in maintaining health and supporting the brain, eyes, skin, and nervous system. It has become widely accepted that consumption of quality oils and fats is essential for optimal health. For more information about EFAs, check out the leading expert on the subject, Dr. Udo Erasmus at www.udoerasmus.com, and order your oil supplements here.
A great way to get good oils is by eating quality fish. Wild caught salmon is a healthy way to get your Omegas. Farmed salmon is an unhealthy, unnatural, toxic product and in our opinion should be avoided. Wild Salmon will always be labeled as such. For a comprehensive look at the dangers of farmed salmon, go to http://www.farmedsalmonexposed.org/ and www.edf.org. If you can’t get good wild salmon, you can get your salmon oil in a high quality supplement. Check out these Wild Alaskan Salmon oil supplements at drugstore.com. You can also use Krill Oil, or vegan options such flax, nuts, and other seeds.
Avoid Trans-fats and Partially Hydrogenated Oils. The media has finally caught up with us in recognizing and publicizing the health-damaging effects of trans-fats. Trans-fats are unnatural and toxic to the body. Unfortunately, the labeling law in the US is written in such a way that a product that has .49 grams of trans-fat can still say “zero,” which, in our opinion, is completely misleading. So the best way to avoid trans-fats is to avoid products that contain partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils!
2. Supplements: Anti-Oxidants, Essential Fatty Acids & Omega Oils
Even though we try, it can be difficult to get complete, balanced nutrition through your diet alone. A good quality supplement routine that includes red, purple, and yellow anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E, probiotics, and a balanced blend of Omega essential fatty acid oils can be extremely beneficial in balancing the nutrients that you aren’t getting from food.
Other nutrients that are essential for good health are Vitamin D3 and Magnesium. Many experts believe that most people are deficient in these two specifically.
Make sure your supplements are good quality. Check out the labels, and the companies. Supplements can be expensive, so do your best to investigate which ones are right for you, and which ones really deliver the quality and efficacy. There are many on the market, so find one you like and be sure to take it regularly. Often a targeted single supplement is better than a multi-vitamin, so do some research to find what fits your diet practices and lifestyle. Many people who start a health regimen drop off before they see any results, and most often the results aren’t visible or dramatic. Building health and wellness isn’t an instant fix, so keep at it!
In addition to anti-oxidants, many people find that supplementing with anti-inflammatory foods and supplements to be beneficial. Foods with natural anti-inflammatory properties and polyphenols include tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collard greens), sweet potatoes, carrots, almonds, walnuts, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and fruits such as blueberries, oranges, cherries, and strawberries. Vitamins include, A (beta-carotene), Bs, C, D, K, and E (but be careful supplementing with E – do your research on the effects & try to get it in food if you can).
There is much new research showing the value of turmeric (curcumin), EPA, DHA, GLA, and ginger. NOTE: Before adding supplements to your routine, be sure to check with your health provider to make sure there is no conflict with other medications, supplements, or other issues that may cause more harm than good.
3. Do the Best You Can
We all know that smoking, drugs, and excessive alcohol consumption are bad for us. We also know that highly processed foods, too much sugar, and lack of exercise are bad for us. The more the body has to deal with harmful substances, the less energy and resources it has to build health and vitality.
Get regular exercise. Whether you work out at the gym, do dance workouts in your living room, or simply do daily walks through your neighborhood, getting your body moving is essential for good health! You’ll feel better and stronger physically, and studies have shown that regular exercise helps your emotional state and increases longevity, too. If you’ve been sedentary for a while, just start slow and easy, make it fun, and just do it!
Consider doing a cleanse or nutrtional detox program. Many people feel that a cleanse helps to rid the body of toxins and create a foundation for rebuilding the flora of the body. Some people report feeling lighter, cleaner, and healthier, and that a cleanse program inspired them to continue to live and eat in a cleaner, more healthful way. Some people even report reduction of physical symptoms. Cleanses should not be undertaken lightly or without doing some good research, as doing a cleanse that’s inappropriate for your body or that doesn’t supply certain nutrients can even be dangerous, particularly if you have an underlying undiagnosed or diagnosed pre-existing medical condition. There are many cleanse programs, from simple supplements to complicated juicing systems, to cleanses that include colon hydrotherapy. Please consult a health professional prior to starting any such program!
Do as much as you can, as best you can. If you’ve been living an unhealthy lifestyle, changing just one thing at a time over the course of several weeks or months will make a huge difference in how you feel and the strength of your immune system. And remember to acknowledge yourself along the way… If you do a 75-80% great diet & lifestyle, you’re doing great!
