Cold Sores (Guardian, 22nd December 2001)

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When I get run down I seem to get cold sores. Is there anything you can suggest that may help?

There is much that can be done on a nutritional front to help fight cold sores. The amino acid lysine found in foods such as potatoes, halibut, chicken, eggs, beans sprouts, shrimps and avocados helps suppress the virus thought to cause these. Lysine also inhibits the absorption of arginine, an amino acid that thought to activate the virus, so reduce your consumption of foods such as chocolate, nuts and cereal grains. Building your immune system and lowering your stress levels will help on a preventative front. Keep your intake of processed and refined foods including sugar to a minimum. Instead, favour foods including flax oil and organic fruit and vegetables rich vitamins A, C and E and seafood (good source of zinc) which can help speed up the healing process. Dabbing the contents of a vitamin E capsule on to blisters frequently during an outbreak can give pain relieve.

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