Cold Sores and Fever Blisters

Cold sores and fever blisters are much more likely when your immune system is down. :( "Cold sores" and "fever blisters" are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus type 1. What should you do if you have a "cold sore" or "fever blister" while pregnant (or when your wife is pregnant)?

1.       Avoid spreading the virus

2. Be sure to avoid any oral-genital sex when you (or your spouse) have any sign of the breakouts,
3. when your baby is born practice careful handwashing,
4. avoid kissing the baby if you have any sign of a break out. You don't want it to spread.
1. Supplements/foods/treatments that help:
1. L-lysine, start with 500mg per day at the first symptom and increase the amount by doubling the dose until you are taking 5000mg per day.

                                                               i.      Put some L-lysine from the capsule directly on the sores.

                                                             ii.      Foods that contain natural lysine and can help decrease the severity of the outbreak include: eggs, sour cream, yogurt, chicken and fish.

2. Propolus, 3 capsules/3 times a day
3. Zinc, 25mg after each meal and gradually increasing. Limit is 5000mg per day. (Increase gradually because it can cause nausea)
4. Echinacea root and burdock root: place 1 tablespoon of each in a quart jar, fill jar with boiling water, cap, steep 8 hours, strain out herbs, store in fridge. Drink 1/4 cup 3 times a day for 10 days then stop. (Can be repeated 10 days on/10 days off.) There are reports that when repeated every 10 days for 6 months, outbreaks never return!!
5. Heat lamp for 5 minutes, several times a day can help them go away faster
2. Things that aggrivate cold sores should be avoided:
1. Stress!
2. Nuts, nut butters, seeds, chocolate :( and caffeine.