Get rid of those nasty cold sores (for good)!  

 

For those of us that struggle with avoiding cold sores (i.e. those nasty blisters that can appear on your lip and break open and bleed), here's a great tip on how to beat them.
Cold sores occur because you have contracted the Herpes virus.  Maybe you got it from someone who was contagious. Maybe you inherited it from your parents.  Either way, you got it, and it ain't going away (it's a virus).

But that doesn't mean that you have to suffer with cold sores from time to time!!

Because here's a little secret about cold sores:  They occur because your body is stressed (and therefore your lips are stressed).  If you can avoid the stress, you can avoid the cold sores. (I know what you're thinking -- "Oh great! I guess I'll never get rid of these damn things. There won't be any less stress in my life any time soon...")

Maybe you can't completely avoid the stress (to your lips), but you CAN mitigate it.   Here's how:

  1. Educate yourself on what things stress your lips:
    1. Too much sun, i.e. sunburn
    2. Foods high in Arginine
    3. Not enough sleep/rest
  2. Control the ratio of Lysine to Arginine in your body:
    1. Eat foods low in Arginine
    2. Eat foods high in Lysine
    3. Take Lysine supplements if necessary

 

And that's pretty much it.  This system works very well. If followed closely, you may never have a cold sore outbreak again.

So let's break it down for you...

  1. De-stress your lips
    1. Don't get too much sun

      2. Quite simply, stay out of direct sunlight. And when you have to (or choose to; everyone loves going to the beach sometime), apply sunblock to your lips. No, not regular sunblock. The stuff that's meant to be applied to your lips, like (and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT) Herpecin-L, also known as HL-30. The 30 in HL-30 is 30 SPF (Sun Protection Factor), so it's perfect for keeping the exposure down.

    2. Reduce your intake of foods high in Arginine

      3. Arginine? What's that?   Well, Arginine is an essential amino acid that your body needs, which is good, but unfortunately your body also needs the amino acid Lysine, and any Arginine that is in your body displaces any Lysine in your body.  Why is that important?  Because it just so happens that Lysine helps repair damaged or stressed skin cells (including the lips). So, if you have too much Arginine, your lips, if stressed, will remain stressed, and that could possibly result in a cold sore.

    3. Get more rest

      4. Rest...  Yes, all of those late night talk-shows or gaming sessions combined with early wake-up times are not going to relax your body.  If your body is stressed..., well, you know what might come next...

       

  2. Control your Lysine/Arginine ratio
    1. Eat foods low in Arginine

      2. Sorry folks, but this means no chocolate or nuts. So, basically no candy bars. -   Ouch...  - But really, candy bars are probably the single biggest source of Arginine for most people.  Also, orange juice is pretty much all Arginine.  Sadly, wheat and oats aren't helping you much either.

    2. Eat foods high in Lysine

      3. This is pretty much dairy products.  Have yourself a glass of milk, or put some cheese on whatever you're having for dinner.  As long as you're adding dairy products to your system, the ratio favors on the side of Lysine. Dairy products have 2-3x as much Lysine as opposed to Arginine. Even margarine (the fake butter) is high in Lysine.

    3. Pop a few pills

      4. If at first you don't succeed (with your dietary intake), then pop a few L-Lysine tablets to make up the difference.  These can be obtained at any pharmacy.   250-500 milligrams a day before (or 1000 milligrams during) the cold sore should do the trick.  Just don't take them on a daily basis if everything is normal (not stressing your body) because, as with anything not taken in moderation, side-effects could occur.

       

 


Herpecin L for cold sores Why is Herpecin-L / HL-30 so valuable?

Well, for starters it's a great SUNBLOCK, and it's packed full of Lysine, so it helps PREVENT cold sores.
And thirdly, it helps REPAIR the damaged skin of a cold sore if you do so happen to get one.
In all scenarios, it works!  Go out and buy some HL-30.  Have a couple of sticks on hand so you're always prepared to apply some if you have to.

And if you do happen to feel that all-too-familiar tingle in your lips of an on-coming cold sore, start popping a few Lysine pills, apply some HL-30, and watch what you eat.  With any luck, the cold sore will disappear before it even amounts to anything more than a small bump.

Hope this article helps anyone like myself that has been frustrated on numerous occasions over the years with trying to manage the prevention of cold sores.
Happy managing!