Saturday, July 25, 2009

What Causes Cold Sores - How To Avoid A Cold Sore Lesion

By Denny Bodoh

What causes colds sores and fever blisters (oral herpes)? In this interesting article, you will learn what causes cold sores - the actual triggers you should avoid.

The herpes simplex virus is basically what causes cold sores in everyone.

About 33% of those infected will never get a cold sore as the virus will remain dormant. The other 66% will get at least a couple outbreaks a year.

If the herpes virus wakens, it will move through the nerve fiber to the surface. The virus enters nerve and skin cells and forces them to replicate new virus particles.

Once the cells are full of new virus, they burst open and the virus spills out. The annihilation of all these cells creates the ulcer-like wound.

Yes - the herpes simplex virus is the common cause of all cold sores. But, if you want to prevent them, you must know what causes cold sores in some infected folks but not others.

Here are three main conditions that trigger herpes replication and your cold sore events - triggers that you can easily avoid.

1. YOUR IMMUNITY IS INADEQUATE TO FEND OFF THE HERPES VIRUS.

A vigorous immune response requires strong antibodies. Certain materials must be on hand for your body to build potent antibodies.

Your body needs optimal intake of vitamins and minerals from food and supplementation to create robust antibodies.

If you get cold sores, it indicates weakness in your immunity and antibodies. Fresh, uncooked vegetables will provide the best quality of body-ready nutrients to boost your resistance.

Also, you really should begin a high-quality daily vitamin supplement plan. But don't waste your money on worthless one-a-day pills.

Buy the highest quality supplements you can afford. Look for high levels of B (50 - 100 mg.) and C (500 mg.) vitamins. These burn up fast and must be replaced daily.

2. HIGH LEVELS OF ARGININE, LOW LEVELS OF LYSINE.

Arginine and lysine are two amino acids essential to your health. They also are very much involved in cold sore outbreaks.

For the cell to create new herpes simplex virus, it must use arginine. Without arginine, herpes virus cannot be created nor will a cold sore happen.

Herpes virus cannot be built using lysine. Your cells store both these amino acids in the same area. The more of one means less of the other.

Flooding your body tissues with lysine will help push arginine out of the cells. You can eat fish and dairy products, but lysine supplements are the easiest way for stopping your cold sore marathon.

3. YOUR pH BALANCE IS TOO ACID.

To keep yourself in tip top health, you must keep your body on the alkaline side of the pH scale. 7 is the neutral point - above 7 is alkaline and below 7 is acid.

Your body strives to stay above 7. Any drop below 7 will encourage the herpes simplex virus to activate and create another cold sore.

Acid pH means lower oxygen levels and weak resistance to pathogens. Contributing factors that can cause your body to be acid include soda, sugar, white flour and tobacco.

Cold sore activity is highest during the winter months because your body is more apt to become acid. Less outdoor activity, cold dry air and fewer fresh vegetables account for a more acid body.

Avoid acid creating food and stress situations. Eat more green vegetables - asparagus is excellent for this. Also, vitamin stores often carry kits for raising your pH to healthy levels.

If you want to know what causes cold sores, there is much more we could talk about if we had the time and space here.

Hopefully, however, this short article will help you in finding an answer to the question of what causes cold sores for your particular situation and give you the knowledge to defeat the cold sore in your life.

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