Herpes Simplex Diet
January 15, 2008 by Kitchen Table Medicine
Filed under Canker Sores, Herpes
Enhancement of the immune status is key to the prevention and control of herpes infection. A diet that avoids arganine-rich foods while promoting lysine-rich foods can be quite effective.
Foods to Emphasize
Especially during active cases of Herpes
- Vegetables
- Legumes
- Dairy products if not allergic to them (Cheese, Yogurt, Kefir, Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream, Milk).
- All Fish & Seafood
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Eggs
- Organ Meats
- Potatoes
- Brewers Yeast
Foods to be Eaten with Discretion
These foods must be balanced with L-Lysine* and foods in the first group when herpes is inactive. During active herpes, these foods must be eliminated.
- Whole grain products (Cereals, Bread, Pasta, Pancakes, Lentils, Barley and other Grains.
- Oats
- Corn
- Rice
- Peas & Beans
- Sprouts
- Chick Peas
- Carob
- Foods containing seeds (Eggplant, Tomato, Squash)
- Fruits and Berries, which contain seeds, may be eaten.
- Citrus Fruits (may irritate canker sores)
* Foods high in lysine include most vegetables, legumes, fish, turkey, and chicken.
Foods to Always Avoid
- Chocolate
- Peanuts and Peanut Butter
- Sugar
- Cakes and Sweets
- Alcohol
- Coffee & Tea
- Nuts (Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Filberts, Pecans, Walnuts)
- Seed Meal (Tahini, Sesame Butter)
- Sunflower Seeds
- Coconut
- Bleached White Flour Foods
i am confused as to the difference between beans and legumes and lentils. I am a vegetarian and would like to eat beans for protein, but also having HSV-1, your site says to not eat beans to prevent breakouts. help…..
The only way to avoid having to take genital herpes remedies on daily basis for the prevention of outbreaks of this disease is to always have protected sex that means to always wear a condom when you are engaging in sexual relations.
Some of the items on the always avoid list are very healthy in other ways. Would’nt it be beneficial to balance high lysine with a small amount of arganine containing foods. Example: Cottage cheese with 2TBSP walnuts, chopped apple, apricots and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I have some auto immune issues and was advised to eat walnuts and sunflower seeds. Also a mediteranean whole foods diet is beneficial for avoiding Altziemers and many other diseases. Can we somehow compromise on a all around fairly healthy diet.
Great point Julia, it is all about moderation, when you feel a herpes flair coming on….numbness, tingling, burning, etc at the typical outbreak sites, it is best to follow this diet precisely for optimal results, however between outbreaks those with lesser severity and frequency can enjoy a more moderate diet. Anytime we restrict foods we have to think about what nutrients are missing from the new diet.
I think the best “all around healthy diet” is a diet of Whole Foods
but sometimes we need to shift the foods we are eating to achieve the biochemical response in the tissues we are seeking. Such as with the herpes diet. We want to inhibit L-arginine with L-lysine so that the viral particles are unable to replicate. They are L-arginine dependent. Avoiding just nuts….esp peanuts and chocolate works well for most people.
You need to combine Enhancement of the immune status with other solutions: medications or some natural applications which works.
Totally confused by “legumes” being on the “good” list, yet “beans and peas” being on the “bad” list? Is it not true that peas and beans (whether green beans or dried pintos) are ALL legumes?