The current state of your immune system is a reflection of your genetic history, the infections you’ve had, and allergies you’ve developed, even the vaccinations you’ve received over the years. The immune system relies on the glandular system to stay strong, and stress can adversely affect both.

The ideal way for the body to ingest sugar properly is through eating whole foods, particularly complex carbohydrates. The vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in unprocessed foods allow for smooth metabolism of the sugars found in these foods, and then the gradual introduction of these sugars into the bloodstream.

Picozzi, Michelle. Controlling Herpes Naturally. 1998.

According to Dr. Wayne Diamond, there are two specific emotional states that almost universally precede herpes outbreaks in those who are prone to them. One is internalizing feelings such as anger or fear (anxiety) in times of conflict, and the other is ambivalence or fear of loss. Left unexpressed, these feelings put PWH at risk for recurring infections.
Because anxiety and ambivalence express themselves outwardly in a variety of ways, Diamond has concluded that these particular emotions have an internal effect as well. He maintains that these two mental conditions can effectively diminish the power of the human glandular system which, when so affected, has a tremendous impact on immune function. “When people experience stress and anxiety, their bodies undergo immense changes. Body temperature increases and interferes with how nutrients are absorbed, then large amounts of acid pour into the stomach that then get absorbed into the bloodstream,” says Diamond. Over acidic blood can become a very powerful irritant especially in soft tissues areas where herpes virus lives. Diamond also theorizes these factors can dramatically increase the chances of a herpes virus outbreak on the face, sexually organs, or in the instance of herpes zoster, inflamed or irritated tissue anywhere on the body. “If we can understand how stress affects us, we can try to reduce its effects and maintain a healthy mind-connection,” he notes. For PWH, the fulcrum of the balancing act is maintaining sense of control over your life sustaining an internal alkaline environment.

Frank Fruedberg suggests in Herpes: A Complete Guide to Relief and Reassurance (Running Press, 1987) changing the way you think about herpes. Psychologists, he writes, often recommend to patients that they imagine the sores are a result of an allergy. “In a very real way, you are allergic to herpes virus… some people are immune to them, never developing herpes simplex lesions, no matter how often they are exposed,” he explains. Another way to put the situation into the perspective is to think in terms of simply having cold sores even though they occur in the genital area.

Picozzi, Michelle. Controlling Herpes Naturally. 1998.

“As decidedly invasive and persistent as the herpes virus is, it does have its own way in communicating with our bodies to warn us that the dormant virus is about to reactivate. The medical term for this phenomenon is prodrome, defined as the warning our bodies send to our brains to signal an impending attack before the main set of symptoms appear. One survey indicated that more than 50 percent of PWH say they experience one or more prodromes, or internal warnings, before an outbreak. These signs and sensations are thought to happen in 90 percent of recurrences and typically occur at the exact site of previous infections. Recognizing these “on-alert” symptoms when they first occur can be a PWH most valuable asset in controlling outbreaks and spreading the herpes virus.

One theory to explain prodromes finds that as herpes viral particles move from the ganglia toward the skin cells, they may irritate the nerves slightly and thereby create the sensations known as prodromes. Another hypothesis supposes that as these affected cells swell, die and disintegrate, they cause the itching and tingling that serve as warning of an impending herpes virus outbreak.

Experts agree that skin sensitivity is the most noticeable early warning people with HSV-1 and HSV-2 routinely experience–specifically, tingling, itching, or stinging sensations near the place on the skin where the initial or previous herpes virus outbreaks occurred. These prodromes can last from a few minutes to hours or even one or two days. Even though PWH experience these warning sensations, the developing lesions for whatever reason are stopped in their tracks, leaving PWH with a much less severe episode to contend with or no outbreak at all.

Prodromes vary from person to person. By becoming aware of the internal signs or signals your body is sending, it is possible to help minimize the length and discomfort sure to come. Equally important, a prodrome signals that it’s time to take the necessary precautions to avoid infecting others. Until recently, the point at which herpes virus can be passed from one person to another was undefined. Recent laboratory tests, however, have demonstrated that contagious virus particles can be shed and transmitted at the outset of warning sensations, before the development of any blisters. In November 1995 Vogue reported on research that showed that overwhelming evidence exists that the herpes virus can be spread even when no visible sores are present.”

Picozzi, Michelle. Controlling Herpes Naturally. 1998.

“A variety of theories exists to explain what reactivates the dormant herpes virus in our bodies, but exactly what causes about one-third of the people who have HSV-1 or HSV-2 to have recurrent outbreaks remains a mystery. But there are certain situations that roust herpes virus from its dormant state deep within the body’s nerve endings and send it on a return trip to the skin’s surface.

While theories abound on what causes herpes virus to reappear repeatedly, it boils down to individual tolerance. What spurs herpes virus into an active state can be of a physical or psychological nature or both. Emotional stress may be a strong factor for some, but for others it is unrelated. An elevated temperature at the site of the original herpes lesion caused by fever or exposure to UV-B rays (found in both sun and shade) often sets HSV-1 in motion for many, but not for all. The most commonly identified single triggers include eating nuts (particularly the ordinary peanut) or other foods with a higher percentage of the amino acid arginine (such as chocolate), exposure to sunlight, fever, being physically or emotionally run down (often these go together) or by experiencing chronic anxiety, worry, and even ambivalence. Women with compromised immune systems also have recurrences that are more frequent or last longer or both.

The following are the most common situations that have been found to trigger a herpes virus outbreak:

Foods high in arginine. Peanuts, sunflower seeds, chocolate, soybeans, gelatin, carob and coconut are high in arginine content. Almond paste, a common and often hidden ingredient in many baked goods, also can trigger a negative reaction in sensitive individuals. Onions, raw or fried, also should be avoided.

Ultraviolet light. UV-B has been isolated as a trigger of facial herpes. Exposure to sunlight, particularly where and when rays are the strongest–beaches, mountains, lakes, and between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.– should be avoided. PWH should use a sunscreen of SPF-15 or higher and wear a hat with a brim that covers the face. UV-B also has been linked to certain types of skin cancer.

Using known immunosuppressants. Cigarettes, alcohol, recreational drugs, and sugar all have been proven to suppress immune-system function. Chronic or excessive consumption of these substance puts PWH at a distinct disadvantage at keeping herpes outbreaks at bay.

Increased internal acidity. This can occur when stress levels are elevated or from eating foods that contribute to an over-acidic condition in the body. The most common offenders in this category are sugar, white bread, and other highly-refined foods.

Menstruation. While not conclusively proven because the pattern of recurrence can be intermittent, some women are more vulnerable to outbreaks before the start of their periods because of the significant hormonal changes taking place.

Strenuous physical activity. This can tax the body’s resources, depending on current physical condition and stamina level. More studies though are finding a distinct link between suppressed immunity and intense periods of exercise.

Trauma to the skin. Recurrences are known to appear at the site of an injury, and routine dental procedures can trigger outbreaks for some PWH.

Increased moisture of friction. Both conditions are present during sexual intercourse.

Seasonal changes. Those with oral or facial outbreaks are especially vulnerable when the body transitions from spring to summer and summer to fall. Traditional Chinese medicine maintains that certain bodily organs undergo a period of change of during seasonal transitions. For example, in the spring the liver is under stress and during the transition from summer to fall the lungs are vulnerable.

Illness or disease. With the immune system fighting off other predators, it can become taxed, giving the latent herpes virus an opportunity to reappear. It should come as no surprise that the common cold is one of the most precipitating factors to an outbreak or facial herpes.

Stress, stress, and more stress. Several theories that suggest that psychological stress by itself can arouse the dormant herpes virus. The #1 factor responsible for repeated and frequent outbreaks is stress, writes Dr. Richard Hamilton in The Herpes Book (J.P. Tarcher, 1980), citing experience with hundreds of PWH. Emotional stress does two things to the body: it can suppress the body’s natural antiviral agent interferon and also hinder the body’s ability to make the antibodies it needs to fight any type of infection.”

Picozzi, Michelle. Controlling Herpes Naturally. 1998.

“With genital herpes, there is additional risk for contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Because genital herpes infection can result in open sores, the skin no longer provides an effective barrier against infection, and HIV has direct access to the bloodstream. People with an active genital herpes infections are much more likely to contract HIV than those without genital lesions. Interestingly, those with a more recent incident of primary genital herpes infection (within the past six months) have twice the risks of becoming infected with HIV. This appears to be mainly because reactivation rates tend to be two to three times higher in the first six months after primary infection. ”

Spencer, Juliet V. Deadly Diseases and Epidemics: Herpes. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2005.

Why do some people carry the herpes virus for years without an attack, while others carrying the virus experience regular attacks?

The answer is largely in the mind, says Christopher W. Stout, Ph.D., of Denver, a clinical psychologist specializing in psychoneuroimmunology. “People who are more tense, depressed, carry more hostility, and are more easily aroused to anger, seem to suffer more frequent outbreaks,” says Dr. Stout. “These kinds of attitudes are thought to suppress the body’s immune system.”

Judith M. Hurst, R.N., is coordinator and medical adviser to Toledo HELP, a support group for people with herpes in the Toledo, Ohio, area. She is also an obstetric nurse at Toledo Hospital.

Christopher W. Stout, Ph.D., is in private practice in the Denver, Colorado, area and a clinical psychologist specializing in psychoneuroimmunology (the study of the connection between the immune system and human emotions). He is also an industrial consultant.

Although the disease is called genital herpes, it is possible to pass the virus to other parts of the body by touching an open sore and then bringing your fingers into contact with, say, your mouth or eyes. For this reason, it is important not to touch your sores, says Sandy Moy, coordinator of the Herpes Resource Center at the American Social Health Association (A.S.H.A.). If you think you might scratch at night, cover your sores with protective, breathable material such as gauze, she says.

-Prevention Magazine, The Doctors Book of Home Remedies

“The good news about herpes testing is that more and more clinicians are learning about blood testing that can identify those who are infected but don’t know it. The bad news is that they are often ordering a poor test called IgM blood antibody testing. The IgM test, with other viruses, comes up early in the infection and goes away when another antibody, called IgG comes up subsequently.

However, with herpes, there are significant issues with the IgM test. It can’t accurately distinguish type 1 from type 2, so a person could be told they have brand new genital herpes when all they have is old cold sore infection. It also can’t accurately distinguish herpes simplex virus from other herpes viruses, like chicken pox. And about a third of people infected with HSV 2 make new IgM with a recurrence, so it really can’t tell old from new infection, which is often why clinicians order the test.

PLEASE, if you’ve been diagnosed with herpes by a blood antibody test, get a copy of your results, and make sure they are IgG results, not IgM results. If you were positive by IgM and not by IgG, and at least 3-4 months have passed since your test, ask for an IgG test. If its negative, then the IgM was wrong.

And when you do this, let your clinician know the IgM is not a reliable test for herpes antibody. If it were me, I wouldn’t pay for that test, period. Be proactive about your herpes status - be certain your diagnosis is correct.”

WebMD Blog

Signed “No Longer A Frequent Sufferer”

As air is essential to healing, wear only underpants that allow your skin to breathe—that is, wear cotton, not synthetics, says Judith M. Hurst, R.N., coordinator and medical adviser to Toledo HELP, a support group for people with herpes in the Toledo, Ohio, area. If you wear nylon panty hose, make sure the crotch is made of cotton. If you want to wear a bathing suit without compromising fashion, consider cutting the cotton crotch out of a pair of undies and sewing it into the swimsuit, says Hurst.

-Prevention Magazine, The Doctors Book of Home Remedies