Shingles home remedies can range from starch baths to using a combination of essential oils, in order to reduce the pain and inflammation of the fluid-filled blisters that characterize a shingles outbreak. However, there is another avenue through which to attack this often agonizing illness that can affect up to half of people over 80 years of age, as well as younger people whose immune system has been compromised.
L-Lysine: An Important Amino Acid
L-Lysine is an important amino acid which is obtained through diet alone and is not produced by the body. Since L-Lysine is easily obtainable through eating plenty of meats, fish, eggs and soy, deficiencies are usually only seen in strict vegetarians. L-Lysine has been shown to compete with another amino acid, arginine, which the virus responsible for shingles, called herpes zoster, uses to invade healthy cells and replicate. In this way, L-Lysine prevents the virus from spreading and is an effective tool in combating the illness. By increasing the amount of L-Lysine in the body, the spread of the virus is reduced, making this one of the most useful shingles home remedies.
Dosage of L-Lysine as a Shingles Home Remedy
The recommended dosage of L-Lysine for shingles is 1,000 mgs three times a day for the duration of an outbreak. It can take some time to build up a presence in the bloodstream, so it is advisable to start taking it as soon as an outbreak is suspected. A dosage of 1,000 mgs per day is the recommended amount for preventative purposes. However, L-Lysine can increase the toxicity of many antibiotics, so it is wise to consult with a doctor before implementing treatment with L-Lysine.
Other Dietary Notes
Shingles home remedies can include L-Lysine, but a diet restricted in arginine is a good idea, too. Foods that contain arginine are brown rice, caffeinated beverages, chocolate, nuts and raisins. By limiting the intake of arginine and increasing the level of L-Lysine, people who have been infected with the herpes zoster virus can manage or even prevent outbreaks of shingles. This is an effective dietary choice for people who also have genital herpes or suffer from frequent outbreaks of cold sores caused by herpes simplex.
It seems like a very simple solution and that shingles home remedies should be more complicated or expensive. It’s true that antiviral medications are very effective at treating shingles, but they also carry with them side-effects that can cause more problems. The beauty of shingles home remedies is they can be implemented and provide much-welcomed relief with few, if any, side effects. This can be an important consideration, especially when dealing with the elderly. Additionally, shingles seems to strike when stress is at an all-time high, and dietary changes along with supplementation of L-Lysine is an inexpensive, yet effective way to manage the painful symptoms of this illness.