Break the Cold Sore Cycle

If you suffer from frequent cold sore outbreaks and want to
learn what you can do to reduce their frequency and duration and
get back some of the control of your life you've lost to the
condition then you'll want to read this article. In it I'll
discuss the usual reasons for suffering frequent outbreaks, what
you can do to turn the situation around and the future of cold
sore treatments. After reading this article, you should be able
to make some lifestyle changes that will help your body fight
the virus better.

Cold sore are caused by the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-I),
which is transmitted directly by contact with a cold sore
blister or lesion. It is extremely common, with infection rates
estimated to be anywhere between 70 and 90 percent of the adult
population, with many of us contracting the virus in childhood.

The big problem with treating HSV is that there is currently no
cure and so once infected it remains with us for life. That
isn't to say that we will permanently have cold sores; most of
the time the virus is in a dormant state in the nerve cells,
where it is immune from anti-viral treatments that can attack it
when in the infectious state.

Cold sores are often triggered by the presence of another viral
infection, such as a cold or flu; high levels of stress;
overtiredness; hormonal changes such as those present due to
menstruation; and even exposure to sunlight.

While we are not in control of all of these, one long term
strategy is to ensure that our lifestyles do not overburden the
immune system so that it is better suited to deal with the cold
sore virus, so that we suffer fewer outbreaks and those that
occur are less severe.

Simple lifestyle changes include quitting smoking and reducing
the amount of alcohol we consume. Also, it is important to our
immune systems that we eat healthily and take regular exercise.
Probably you're used to hearing the advice on diet and exercise,
but have you put it into practice?

If not, you should start to act now. Cut down on junk food and
processed meals as they contain too much salt, sugar and
saturated fats. Instead increase the amount of fruit and
vegetables you eat and choose lean cuts of meat and fish
whenever possible.

As for exercise, you should aim for a brisk walk for 30 minutes
per day. If that doesn't appeal, try joining a gym, take an
exercise class, swim, cycle or do yoga. These are all good forms
of exercise. A note on this, though; if you haven't exercised
for years then see your doctor first.

There has recently been a breakthrough by scientists
researching a cold sore sure. They have discovered the mechanism
that allows the virus to switch between the dormant state and
infectious state and believe that they can design a two-stage
treatment that will wake the virus so that it can then be
attacked by anti-viral drugs. This may be some way off, but it
does offer a hope for the millions of cold sore sufferers around
the world.

About The Author: For more information on cold sore treatment
see the Cold Sore Treatment Guide. Packed with advice on living
with cold sores, it can help you deal with the long term effects
as well as heal the lesions when they occur. See
http://www.coldsoretreatmentguide.com for details.

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