Herpes is an infection that can occur in any part of the body, including external genitalia, anal region, and mucosal surface. Primary symptoms of herpes are blisters, pain in urination, itching, cold sores, and vaginal discharge.
So to get rid of the infection and reduce its reoccurrence, it’s necessary to take a healthy diet, and there are certain foods to avoid with herpes, which are high in amino acid arginine. You should also avoid foods like an excessive amount of chocolate, caffeine, red wine, some variety of nuts, and smoking.
Stats
- There are two types of herpes which named HSV 1(Herpes type 1 or oral herpes) and HSV 2 (Herpes type 2 or genital herpes).
- In the United States around 15.5%, people of age 14-49 are suffering from HSV 2, and 50% suffer from HSV 1.
Foods that You Should Avoid in Herpes
1. Refined Carbs
Food like processed baked goods, soda, bread, and pasta fall under this category, and one should not consume it as these are the foods that trigger herpes(1).
Why Should You Avoid Them?
There are certain foods that cause herpes outbreak, such as foods that contain an excessive amount of refined carbohydrates if consumed in excess quantity, reduce body immunity, and can result in an outbreak of herpes condition. Therefore, one should strictly avoid it.
What Can You Have Instead?
Instead of refined carbs, you should take food rich in lysine, which has an active role in supporting the immune system, thus reducing the condition of herpes. Therefore food like avocadoes, dried apricot, mangoes, pear, green and red pepper, potatoes, tomatoes, beets, soya bean, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and lentils.
[ Read: Natural Treatments for Herpes ]
2. Nuts And Seeds
Pumpkin seeds, pistachios, cashews, and macadamia nuts come under this category, which has a high amount of arginine, which can be harmful to herpes.
Why Should You Avoid Them?
These nuts have a high amount of arginine and less amount of lysine. Therefore, you should avoid it.
What Can You Have Instead?
One can have some nutritional and healthy diet, which includes whole food such as fish, poultry, dairy products, beans, eggs, fruits, and vegetables, instead of having nuts and seeds as these are the foods that cause herpes outbreak.
3. Meat Products
Animal products such as fish and eggs are rich in lysine(2) and are helpful in herpes, but one should avoid other animal products.
Why Should You Avoid Them?
Some meat products are high in arginine, which is responsible for the absorption of lysine. Therefore, you should avoid these kinds of food.
What Can You Have Instead?
Instead of having such food, it is recommended to have food high in lysine and low in arginine, which helps in reducing and reoccurring of herpes.
[ Read: Vitamins for Herpes ]
4. Legumes
These foods include tempeh, soya bean, soya milk, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and humus come under legumes.
Why Should You Avoid Them?
Some legumes have a high amount of arginine and low amount of lysine, hence such foods should be avoided
What Can You Have Instead?
Instead, we can opt for foods that are high in lysine, which helps fight the disease, such as most of the vegetables and fruits, fish, poultry, and the dairy product should be consumed to avoid the reoccurrence of herpes.
5. Seaweed
You can use edible seaweeds or sea vegetables in the preparation of food, which is very healthy. This include-
- Chlorella
- Gutweed
- Seagrapes
- Sea lettuce
Why Should You Avoid Them?
Usually, they are very beneficial but can be harmful in the treatment of herpes, so should be avoided if it has a high amount of arginine.
What Can You Have Instead?
Hence edible seaweeds or sea vegetables that are rich in lysine should be included in the daily diet when suffering from herpes, which helps in reducing the condition.
Herpes is an infection caused by the virus known as HSV (Herpes simplex virus) due to which any part of the body can be affected. Its illness mostly affects external genitalia, anal region, etc. Till now, there is no permanent cure found for herpes, but you can treat it with the help of medicine, home remedies, and avoid foods that trigger herpes.
The foods rich in lysine should be included in the diet such as dairy products, poultry, fish, most fruits, and vegetable because they help in body resistance and fight against the virus. Mushroom and garlic are also very helpful in fighting against herpes.
[ Read: Essential Oils for Treating Herpes ]
FAQs
1. How Frequent Can Herpes Get Activated?
HSV1 or HSV2 virus causes herpes during sexual intercourse with an infected person, and if you had herpes once before, it could again reoccur in weeks or months after the first. Still, the second one is always less severe and for a short period.
2. Can Herpes Be Cured Entirely?
There is no permanent cure for herpes(3). But taking medicine can prevent and shorten herpes condition together with medication.
If you include particular food in your daily diet, which is high in lysine and low in arginine can prevent and reduce the terms of herpes.
3. Is Herpes Genetic?
Yes, in some cases there are chances that herpes is genetic as sometimes people containing herpes simplex virus pass on their genes to their offsprings. Therefore if an outbreak is due to the infection inherited from the genes, it is called genetic.
