Herpes Simplex Virus

Which of these causes of cold sores are responsible for your outbreaks? In this article you will discover your top three causes of cold sores.

Stress and illness are considered causes of cold sores because an outbreak is often nearby. Actually they are just triggers. The real causes go much deeper.

Nearly everyone in the world carries the herpes simplex virus. This virus is the root cause of every cold sore, fever blister or oral herpes sore. Usually the herpes virus is latent – hiding in the root of its chosen nerve fiber.

The herpes simplex virus chooses to live in your nerves and so can quickly tell the slightest change in your body. When conditions are right, the virus will move to the surface along the nerve – usually to the lip or nose area.

The main purpose of the herpes virus is to create new virus. It does so by forcing the surface cells to be virus factories. This replication procedure destroys many adjoining cells resulting in an open cold sore wound.

Here are the top three causes of cold sores. These cause the favorable conditions for herpes activity.

1. AN ACID BODY.

The pH level of your body is a critical factor in your health. You are in the best health when your body is slightly alkaline. This would measure 7.45 on the pH scale. Your body becomes acid when it drops below pH 7.0.

The more acid your body becomes, the lower your oxygen levels will be. This lowers your immunity and encourages many diseases including cold sores.

The cold sore triggers – stress, illness winter weather – cause your body to become acid by changing your chemical and hormonal balances. If you get a lot of cold sore outbreaks, you are quite likely in the acid side of normal.

Our bodies will always try to maintain the healthy alkaline balance. The primary nutrient it uses for this is calcium. Foods that are rich in calcium will help to avoid a cold sore causing acid situation.

Items such as soda, alcohol, white flour, pickled products and pork tend to encourage an acid body.

You will find kits at vitamin stores that will keep you in the alkaline zone. Many folks have good success with these.

2. ARGININE AND LYSINE BALANCE.

Arginine is the main protein (amino acid) making up the herpes simplex virus particle. Your cells cannot create new virus particles without a plentiful supply of arginine. Your cells store arginine in a special area within the cell.

Lysine is another protein (amino acid) that is very similar to arginine. And it uses the same storage place within the cell as arginine. But your cells cannot use lysine to build new herpes virus.

To stop cold sores, the key tactic is to flood your cells with lysine. Your cells will then store more lysine and less arginine. If the cell low on arginine, it will discourage the herpes virus and send it packing.

Eating high lysine foods – such as fish, chicken and dairy products – will help. Avoiding high arginine foods – such as nuts, seeds, grains and chocolate – will help also.

The most convenient approach to “lysine loading” is to use lysine capsules. People using this tactic will take about 4000 to 6000 milligrams per day during an oral herpes cold sore outbreak.

3. POOR VITAMIN AND MINERAL LEVELS.

One of the main causes of cold sores is vitamin and mineral deficiency. And scientists have proven beyond a doubt that the vegetables we eat today contain 50% less nutrients than 50 years ago.

Your health and immunity depend on the vitamin and mineral building blocks. When your immunity drops, so does your pH balance. Then the herpes simplex virus is free to create another sore.

If you get a lot of cold sores, or they last forever, you should be sure to get and take a high quality vitamin supplement. Look for at least 50 milligrams of the B vitamins, 300 milligrams of vitamin C.

Also very critical is the intake of at least 1000 milligrams of calcium each day. As mentioned above, calcium will greatly help in keeping your body alkaline and prevent cold sores.

Of all the base causes of cold sores, your pH balance is probably the most important. If you keep this in the alkaline zone, you probably will not be bothered with oral herpes or cold sores. Eat green vegetables.

Decreasing stored arginine and taking a high quality vitamin supplement will also greatly help. Hopefully you now have a better idea as to what your causes of cold sores are.