SHINGLES / HERPES VIRUS
I wanted to let you all know what I found out, incase someone else needs this info. I had a very itchy angry looking rash, and was surprised to find out it was shingles. It was the last thing I expected, as I probably wouldn't have went to the doctor as quickly and gotten anti viral meds, if it hadn't been where I sit down. If you get an itchy red rash, even one spot, go to the doctor! Shingles can cover a huge amount of skin if you wait to go, and can affect vision and hearing! Once you get the medicine for it, it stops more from forming, It is very important to drink lots of water while on shingles meds. I read other people complaining about urine smelling bad, and it's a sure sign they are not drinking enough water. I only had 6 stinging bumps when I went, and didn't get more. When it's all gone and you are completely clear, get the shingles shot, make sure you have no skin eruptions of any kind, even if your insurance doesn't pay for it! I tried to get it last year, but my dr refused to give it me until I was 60. Well, it's February and I have shingles... and will be 60 in March :(
Anyway, being a vegetarian, I eat brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, nut butters and drink almond milk and whole grain foods all day long. If you do a search on:
l-arginine shingles
you'll find that there are foods that stimulate the virus to produce faster and better, and the top food on the list is nuts and nut butters! Also things like wheat, oats, etc.
First, let me say that L-arginine foods are very important to health, and I usually eat a diet high in these. I'd say my usual diet, being a vegetarian is 3 times higher in this than those who are not vegetarians. So, I don't want anyone thinking that it is a bad thing, it is good for you. BUT, when you have shingles or herpes, it's important to not over load on these foods, like I usually over-eat nuts. You will not get rid of all l-arginine, because it's in everything, and the foods that it is in are also important in fighting things off. For instance, broccolli has a high amount. I would not try to wipe it out of my diet, but not eat it everyday, and not eat the huge plateful of it I usually do, during this period. I will study the lists of foods and try to choose fewer of the high l-arginine foods and more of the high lysine foods, with small amounts here and there of the high l-arginine foods that are the most healthy choices. But for the things that are really high on the list of l-arginine, I can totally do without them for a month, till this clears, These foods like nuts, nuts butters, almond milk, chocolate, should be avoided during a break out of shingles, but ok after all clear. If you suffer from herpes, they should be eating more sparingly and avoided during break out. I would guess it would be the same with a child with chicken pox, since they are all herpes types.
The thing is to try to eat foods higher in lysine and lower in l-argintine, just during the break out times, not forever. Don't try to avoid eating any l-argentine, you need it, just don't eat the items that are at the top of the list while you are having a break-out. I have to say that I usually OVEREAT nuts, anyway. Nuts, nut butters and nut milks are going to be off my diet till this clears. Different lists may say eat this/don't eat this. I'm seeing some that say eat something that another says avoid, because the say you still need those other nutrients to ward off the virus. I think common sense should come into play, with avoiding the top l-arginine things while breaking out and eating small amounts of some others. Again, high l-arginine containing foods are actuallly highly nutritious, just not good while breaking out, as they assist the virus in duplicating. Only stay off the highest ones during a shingles breakout, then eat them again. If you have herpes, eat them in small amounts, don't pig out on them. Please go to more than one site to try to understand the different approaches, as some list the foods, and the second one here list reasons to not wipe some foods out of your diet, as they may help you fight this. I use the list sites to find the top offenders, but then another site to tell me if I really need a little of the other foods, even if they are high l-arginine, because they have different qualities that fight the infection. The key to those is small amounts.
I guess my biggest changes for my breakout of shingles period is no nuts/nut butters, no almond milk, no oats, switch from oatmeal or shredded wheat -> Rice Krispies for now. No large servings of soy/beans, keep to smaller servings of any protein. Dairy products are high in lysine and I did go out and buy dairy yogurt, gouda cheese and cottage cheese for this time period, and am drinking my husbands organic milk (1/2 C on cereal, yuk). I normally eat veggie cheeses, but for this time period, will eat the dairy as it is very high in lysine. Please study the charts on which foods are highest in l-arginine and choose the ones highest in lysine, with limited choices in the high l-arginine for balance, and in small servings:
http://www.sandiegohomeopathy.com/downloads/Lysine_Arginine_Foods.pdf
http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/diet_and_nutrition_with_herpes.htm
http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml
http://www.springboard4health.com/notebook/diet_low_arginine.html
Anyway, being a vegetarian, I eat brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, nut butters and drink almond milk and whole grain foods all day long. If you do a search on:
l-arginine shingles
you'll find that there are foods that stimulate the virus to produce faster and better, and the top food on the list is nuts and nut butters! Also things like wheat, oats, etc.
First, let me say that L-arginine foods are very important to health, and I usually eat a diet high in these. I'd say my usual diet, being a vegetarian is 3 times higher in this than those who are not vegetarians. So, I don't want anyone thinking that it is a bad thing, it is good for you. BUT, when you have shingles or herpes, it's important to not over load on these foods, like I usually over-eat nuts. You will not get rid of all l-arginine, because it's in everything, and the foods that it is in are also important in fighting things off. For instance, broccolli has a high amount. I would not try to wipe it out of my diet, but not eat it everyday, and not eat the huge plateful of it I usually do, during this period. I will study the lists of foods and try to choose fewer of the high l-arginine foods and more of the high lysine foods, with small amounts here and there of the high l-arginine foods that are the most healthy choices. But for the things that are really high on the list of l-arginine, I can totally do without them for a month, till this clears, These foods like nuts, nuts butters, almond milk, chocolate, should be avoided during a break out of shingles, but ok after all clear. If you suffer from herpes, they should be eating more sparingly and avoided during break out. I would guess it would be the same with a child with chicken pox, since they are all herpes types.
The thing is to try to eat foods higher in lysine and lower in l-argintine, just during the break out times, not forever. Don't try to avoid eating any l-argentine, you need it, just don't eat the items that are at the top of the list while you are having a break-out. I have to say that I usually OVEREAT nuts, anyway. Nuts, nut butters and nut milks are going to be off my diet till this clears. Different lists may say eat this/don't eat this. I'm seeing some that say eat something that another says avoid, because the say you still need those other nutrients to ward off the virus. I think common sense should come into play, with avoiding the top l-arginine things while breaking out and eating small amounts of some others. Again, high l-arginine containing foods are actuallly highly nutritious, just not good while breaking out, as they assist the virus in duplicating. Only stay off the highest ones during a shingles breakout, then eat them again. If you have herpes, eat them in small amounts, don't pig out on them. Please go to more than one site to try to understand the different approaches, as some list the foods, and the second one here list reasons to not wipe some foods out of your diet, as they may help you fight this. I use the list sites to find the top offenders, but then another site to tell me if I really need a little of the other foods, even if they are high l-arginine, because they have different qualities that fight the infection. The key to those is small amounts.
I guess my biggest changes for my breakout of shingles period is no nuts/nut butters, no almond milk, no oats, switch from oatmeal or shredded wheat -> Rice Krispies for now. No large servings of soy/beans, keep to smaller servings of any protein. Dairy products are high in lysine and I did go out and buy dairy yogurt, gouda cheese and cottage cheese for this time period, and am drinking my husbands organic milk (1/2 C on cereal, yuk). I normally eat veggie cheeses, but for this time period, will eat the dairy as it is very high in lysine. Please study the charts on which foods are highest in l-arginine and choose the ones highest in lysine, with limited choices in the high l-arginine for balance, and in small servings:
http://www.sandiegohomeopathy.com/downloads/Lysine_Arginine_Foods.pdf
http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/diet_and_nutrition_with_herpes.htm
http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml
http://www.springboard4health.com/notebook/diet_low_arginine.html