Long time no see; folks, I really recommend this
to everyone having a cold sore:

Buy a watermelon; eat as much as you can, then
go for a bike ride, for let's say, 2-5 hours, depending
upon your stamina. When returned, eat more watermelon.

You will see the results regarding the cold sore.

Perl Molson

P.S. The following article, it is also very interesting,
so I've considered posting it here.

Printed from NOW Magazine Online Edition
http://www.nowtoronto.com

Herpes' Sore Points

You don't have to let the virus take over your life

By SIBYLLE PREUSCHAT

You're tired, overworked and bummed -- and suddenly a tiny blob of
oozing red manifests on your kisser. The dreaded cold sore. It's a
shocking fact that 75 per cent of us have been infected by the herpes
virus, which can be transmitted either lip-to-lip or via the joys of
oral or genital sex.

This strange life form snoozes in the nerves of your spine. When
you're whacked out it wakes up and makes the journey along your nerves
from your back to your lips, where it creates a lesion. In other
words, a cold sore is your early warning that it's time to get
relaxed, eat well and deal with whatever's bugging you.

The last thing you want is for your immune system to be so low that it
lets some of those viruses take the wrong turn and end up in your
eyes, where they can cause vision-blotting scarring.

Try not to spread your worries either -- remember that a cold sore is
contagious even when it's just starting to tingle and hurt and you
can't see a lesion yet. Herpes can also be spread by sharing eating
utensils. And the critters involved are almost as happy to take up
residence on a new set of genitals as on a new set of lips. Some
people are viral "shedders," meaning they can be infectious even when
no symptoms are present. You can't protect yourself one hundred
percent but try to avoid kissing if there are any cuts, cracks or
breaks in the skin on your lips and cheeks. And don't have sexual
contact if your partner has any symptoms.

Pretty much all treatments -- the three major antiviral
pharmaceuticals, herbs or supplements -- work way better at prevention
than at treating an outbreak. So if you're prone to cold sores, it's a
good idea to know your early warning signs and have your remedy of
choice in the medicine cabinet for the day an outbreak threatens.

Taking zinc, 15 to 30 milligrams daily, helps prevent viral
replication. Some people soak garlic in oil overnight and apply the
oil to areas where lesions threaten. Take it internally to boost
immunity. For more, read on.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

"Lysine is effective at preventing, not treating, cold sores.
Generally we shift the diet from warm foods to more cooling foods.
From a Chinese perspective, internal heat manifests on the skin.
Cucumbers, watermelon, dill and mint are cooling. Vitamin C, up to 4
grams a day, stimulates immunity. Licorice is a very potent antiviral.
Aloe vera is an immune stimulant. Take the juice or the gel."

ARVIN JENAB, naturopath

"In 90 per cent of people who have this problem (cold sores), it comes
from the liver. The yin and yang lose their balance, and cold and heat
lose balance. If the liver heat is too high (yang) we have to use cold
things to bring it down. Good foods are honeydew melon and green
vegetables. If the kidney energy is getting lower, that's another
reason for (cold sores). Working long hours makes liver energy go
down. Too much sex is not good -- two or three times a week is all
right.''

ALICE FAN, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner

"Topical lysine or zinc oxide purportedly work, but in clinical
studies they haven't held up. People took high doses of lysine orally.
The group on placebo did better. The evidence for homeopathy is
anecdotal. If these homeopathic things do keep your immunity up, then,
yes, they may have an effect. Herpes lives in the dorsal ganglia of
the spine, so it's hard to believe homeopathy or a special diet can
eradicate it. Keeping immunity high is difficult to do. Some research
suggests vitamin C decreases the chance of getting a cold." CHARLES
LYNDE, dermatologist, assistant professor, University of Toronto
department of medicine

"Avoid intimate contact if somebody has a tingling, tickly or itchy
sensation (on the lips or genitals). Usually within 24 hours a blister
comes up in that spot. Once you have any sensation you're contagious
until it's totally healed over. The jury's out as to whether or not
condoms can prevent herpes. The important thing is to prevent contact
when someone is symptomatic. There's not a lot of studies on use of
dental dams (to prevent infection during oral sex).''

NATALIE FAWCETT, Toronto Public Health Nurse

"The assumption is that you've got herpes for life. In homeopathy we
see a way out. There's the potential for successful treatment, which
means basically no recurrence. Because it's chronic, you don't want to
suppress it with the wrong homeopathic remedy. A trained homeopath
treats the patient's mental, emotional and physical states. Mentally,
people with herpes are trying to cover up -- they would rather not
show their weakness."

DANIELLE MOLCAR, homeopath

 

NOW Magazine Online Edition, VOL. 22 NO. 4

Copyright © 2002 NOW Communications Inc.
story link: http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2002-09-26/goods_health.php