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LYSINE -
HOW TO BE A SORE LOSER
by Lynn Hinderliter CN, LDN |
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Years ago, more years than I care
to think about, I fell ill and on my recovery, found that I
regularly broke out with painful and unsightly sores around my
lips. This was in the days before there was much experience with
this kind of problem, and I remember now with a kind of awe that
my Doctor suggested taking a B Complex vitamin with orange
juice, to lessen the frequency of attacks: even that long ago,
he was aware of the link between Herpes Simplex and stress - or
indeed, between any opportunistic virus, stress, and the
immune system. However, even with the vitamins, my life
continued often to be made miserable by the fact that any day in
my life that was really important to me was liable to be greeted
with an embarrassing lip sore!
Then came 1979, and my discovery
of research being done with an essential amino acid called
Lysine. These Doctors had found out that the nasty little
virus responsible for herpes and therefore cold sores, was able
to replicate itself only with the help of another amino acid
called Arginine; if levels of that were high, the virus could
emerge victorious, but if levels of lysine were high, it would
be fooled into trying to use the wrong amino acid, and would be
quenched. Ever since then, when I feel the warning tickle, I
take a LOT of Lysine, and the attack doesn't happen. It also
helps to avoid foods high in Arginine and low in Lysine,
such as chocolate, nuts and peanuts. A study at the US Air Force
School of Aerospace discovered that Lysine is one of the few
aminos sacrificed in stress situations, which would also connect
with the stress-related theory.
Two other approaches to viral
overload can be suggested at this point: Enzymedica makes an
enzyme product called Purify, which purportedly is able
to break down the cell walls of viruses so they can be
eliminated from the body ( a strategy which might also be very
helpful for shingle sufferers, a different manifestation of the
herpes virus), and new research is focusing on two specific
Red Marine Algae (called Gigartina and Dumontacia) which the
researchers claim have the ability to "support the immune system
against herpes1 and 11, shingles the virus leading to Epstein
Barr and chronic fatigue system". If one suffers from repeated
episodes of fever blisters (technical jargon) it might be
productive to open other avenues of defense such as these.
Because of my problem, I have
been following with great interest the research that is both
linking lysine deficiencies with various problems such as
osteoporosis and heart disease, and finding the
herpes virus present in conditions as diverse as MS, cancer &
AIDS. At the simplest level, I said to myself that since I
have a heart and bones, and have this virus, I think it would be
wise to take Lysine on a daily basis - and this is what I do.
It is interesting too, that low
levels of Lysine have been found in people suffering from
Parkinson's, asthma , hypothyroidism, kidney disease and
depression, though at this point the exact significance of
these findings is not clear, according to Drs. Braverman and
Pfeiffer in their book The Healing Nutrients Within. They
do say that normalizing the levels with Lysine therapy has been
associated with some improvement in some patients with these
conditions.
A study in Dermatalogica
in 1987 found that of 52 patients receiving Lysine or a placebo,
74% of the lysine group found it effective versus 28% of the
placebo group. So you don't just have to take my word for it! If
you combine it, as my doctor suggested so long ago, with a good
Stress B with C vitamin, try to avoid stressful situations, and
balance your diet with potatoes, chicken, beans, eggs and fish,
avoiding that tempting chocolate, and going easy on the nuts,
chances are your success rate will be even better than 74%.
Topically, I have heard that essential oil of Geranium is
effective, though I have never personally tried that. Also Lemon
Balm, or Melissa. For those unfortunate souls who happen to be
fresh out of Melissa and oil of geranium when an
outbreak occurs, a simple home remedy is to cut a potato in
half, and apply the juice to the sore. The high Vitamin P
content helps healing.
Be a sore loser!
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Keywords: natural therapies
for cold sores, natural help for herpes, red marine algae,
l-lysine, enzymedica's purify for viral control, the vitamin
lady writes about l lysine health effects |
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