Herpes is a viral infection. It is a sexually transmitted virus that can also be transmitted from mother to child. There is no known “cure” for herpes that can help prevent symptoms from returning. However, there are certain necessary lifestyle changes that you can incorporate in your day-to-day life that can help you possess a stronger immune system to deal better with the condition.
Let us go through things that you must know about herpes.
How is Herpes Transmitted
HSV-1 is primarily transmitted by oral-to-oral contact to cause oral herpes infection, via contact with the HSV-1 virus in saliva, sores, and surfaces within or around the mouth. However, HSV-1 can also be transmitted to the genital area through oral-genital contact which may lead to genital herpes. It can also be spread from oral to skin surfaces. Herpes can be transmitted even when there are no symptoms present. However, the risk of transmission is higher when there are active sores.
HSV-2 is mainly transmitted sexually. It is transmitted through contact with body fluids, genital surfaces, skin, or skin lesions. HSV-2 can also be spread from the skin of the genital area or anal area even during the absence of any visible symptoms. It can rarely also be transmitted from mother to her child during delivery to cause neonatal herpes. Having oral sex without protection or a condom with a person who has cold sores or even if there are no symptoms. Transmission is also possible by sharing sex toys that are not washed.
How does Herpes affect your sexual life
Due to the stigma attached to herpes, not all people are quick to tell others about their diagnosis. The guilt and embarrassment may compel some to hide their diagnosis even from their partners or family or avoid searching for proper treatment or getting tested or screened regularly. Please trust us, this will simply make the issue worse and more complicated both physically and emotionally. Thus, we suggest you communicate about this with your partner, as family support would add up to your recovery immensely. Be frank, open, communicative, and positive and please let go of the need to be “right” is powerful. Maybe your partner may take some time to evaluate the situation and perceive what this means for your future together. Give your partner and yourself an optimistic opportunity to sort out things, have patience, and express how important your partner is to you. If required, you can get your partner screened as well. Embracing the actuality will also help in the right way.
How do you avoid getting or passing on genital herpes
- Avoid sex if either you or your partner has an outbreak. It is better to wait until the symptoms have cleared up before having sex again. However, it is also important to understand that it can spread even if a person doesn’t have any symptoms.
- Use male or female condoms or dental dams every time you practice vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
- Cover sex toys with a condom and wash them after every use.
- Discuss your sexual health with your partner. It is necessary to know each other’s sexual health status can help you decide together how to practice safe sex.
- Having multiple sexual partners can also increase your risk of contracting genital herpes. If you are having sex with multiple partners, it’s even more important to use condoms and have regular screening tests done.
Diet Recommendations for Herpes
Eat more of the following:
- Eat more fresh vegetables: Beans, asparagus, beetroot, bottle gourd, amaranth, cucumber, cabbage, bitter gourd, carrot, drumsticks, radish, turnip, and yellow melon.
- Use Ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander/coriander seeds, Himalayan or pink salt, fennel seeds, and cardamom in your day-to-day food.
- Have fruits such as pomegranate, banana, grapes/raisins, watermelon, blackberry, coconut, sweet lime, melon, lime, custard apple, sugarcane, guava, apple, avocado, mulberry, oranges, pears, figs, walnut, dates.
- Include spirulina in your meals. You can check out Spiruliva provided at Biogetica.
Avoid the following:
- Spices restricted for acidity: green chili, spear-mint/garden mint, black pepper, and tamarind.
- Make sure you eat the suggested fruit when it’s ripe and sweet.
- Reduce the intake of dairy products, groundnut oil, eggs, mustard oil, canola oil, and corn.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages.
- Avoid processed, preserved, frozen, and canned food.
- Avoid combining foods from incompatible groups such as chicken, meat, fish, pork, prawns, mushrooms, sour fruits, buttermilk, curd, sprouts, and fruits should not be combined with milk and honey.
Please follow the below tips:
- Wash the sores gently with soap and water and then pat dry.
- Do not bandage the sores as air accelerates their healing.
- Do not pick at the sores as they can get infected and slow the healing.
- Wear loose-fitting cotton clothes
- Avoid wearing nylon or other synthetic underwear or clothes.
- Also, do not wear tight-fitting pants.
How to Reduce Stress Naturally
Stress is a major reason to lower the immune system and attract most of health issues including Herpes. Start with meditation to reduce stress today. You may even engage yourself in any hobbies such as playing games, reading, painting, sewing, cooking, listening to music, playing a musical instrument, etc. The whole idea is to divert your mind from the worries or stress of day-to-day life. You may also practice yoga or deep breathing in your daily routine. As they will not only reduce stress but also calm your mind and improve lung functioning.
What is the treatment for Herpes
Conventional Treatment for Herpes
Conventional treatment for herpes consists of antiviral drugs. However, the effort of antiviral drugs fails, and the virus lies dormant behind the blood-brain barrier which the immunity and antiviral drugs cannot reach. The virus also mutates itself into strains that are resistant to antiviral, thus they have no effect on the antivirals. Moreover, these antivirals have a host of side effects when taken for a long, so they are suggested only when you have an outbreak. So, when you have the outbreak to take antivirals and the virus gets suppressed for a temporary period of time, again the virus flares up after an interval, and again you need to take antiviral, and this vicious cycle continues. But still, it is not a permanent cure as it may relapse even if a virus escapes the treatment.
Alternatives for Herpes
Complementary natural care includes health sciences such as Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Nutritional supplements that can give you a positive hope to lead a better life without any side effects. Natural ingredients like hypericum mysorense, herpes imprints, reginmune and monolaurin have shown tremendous effects in clinical studies on boosting the immune system in Herpes patients. To learn more about our groundbreaking research and products, consult one of our Doctors at Biogetica.