Sunday, December 14, 2008

What Are The Causes Of Cold Sores?

By Denny Bodoh

What are the main causes of cold sores? In this short article you will discover the most common cold sore sources. What is the secret cause of cold sores for you?

You may have heard of these as causes of cold sores - physical and mental stress, fever, sun and cold weather. They are not the direct causes of cold sores however.

We call these cold sore triggers. Folks claim these are causes of cold sores because you often get a cold sore along with them.

These triggers will lower your body's resistance to cold sore attacks.

Basically, every cold sore, oral herpes or fever blister ulcer is caused by the herpes simplex virus - type 1 or type 2. It hides in your nerve root cells.

If the herpes virus activates it moves to the surface quickly. It then infects the nerve cells and begins replicating - destroying those cells in the process.

Since the herpes virus lives in the nervous system, it can sense the slightest changes in your body caused by the cold sore triggers mentioned above.

Here are the top three causes of cold sores. These conditions of your body will encourage cold sore virus activity.

1. LOW pH.

Your body's pH has a lot to do with your health. The pH scale is a measure of how acid or alkaline you are. On a scale of 1 to 14, below 7 is acid and above 7 is alkaline. For best health you should be slightly alkaline.

You usually will not get any cold sore as long as you stay above 7 pH. If your pH drops below 7 you are becoming acid. Oxygen in your cells drop and you are inviting a cold sore outbreak. This is one of the main causes of cold sores.

Stress lowers your pH levels toward the acid side. This is why they say stress causes cold sores. Fevers, cold weather and sun exposure also can cause your body to become acid - and are also considered causes of cold sores.

Your diet can also be a cause of cold sores. Carbonated drinks and high intake of beef and pork are popular offenders that will push you into an acid pH. Most vegetables will raise your pH to the alkaline side. Balance your diet.

Without a doubt, a low pH is the main cause of cold sores. The next two are also causes of cold sores. Combining these with a low pH makes you a sure target for another cold sore.

2. IMBALANCE OF LYSINE AND ARGININE.

Arginine is a protein and the main ingredient used for creation of the herpes simplex virus. If no arginine is available, the herpes replication process cannot occur and no cold sore will happen.

Your cells have a special area within the cell to store arginine. Lysine is also stored in the same area. If you take in high levels of lysine, your cells will make room for it by getting rid of some arginine.

Your cells cannot use lysine to create new herpes virus or cause cold sores. The more arginine you replace with lysine, the fewer cold sore outbreaks you will experience.

Lysine capsules are a cheap and convenient way to get the quantities of lysine needed for your cold sore healing and prevention.

3. THE POWER OF MULTI-VITAMINS.

The power of your immune system - and the strength of your antibodies - is dependant on the nutrients you take in. In particular you need proper quantities of minerals and vitamins.

A feeble immune system causes cold sores. It would be wise, especially if you get frequent cold sore outbreaks, to get a good supply of vitamins and minerals from food and supplement every day.

Today we do not get enough vitamins and minerals from food alone. Even the American Medical Association agrees. If you are serious about avoiding cold sore outbreaks, take the highest quality multi-vitamin you can find.

Calcium is very high importance in cold sore avoidance. It is the main mineral used by your body to keep your body alkaline. Cold sore victims should take large doses of calcium.

Of all the causes of cold sores, an acid pH is number one. A lot of arginine in your cells, along with a weakened immune system contributes even more to the problem.

Stress of any sort lowers your pH balance to an acid environment. And stress, both physical and mental, will burn up large amount of vitamins thus weakening your immune system.

There may be many cold sore triggers, and much more you can do, but without a doubt these are the main causes of cold sores in most people.

About the Author:

No comments: