Herbs that fight Herpes
You might call herpes the unromantic side of intimacy. Some times, what starts as a kiss or a session of lovemaking ends up in nasty little cluster of blisters on the sensitive skin of your lips, or on your genitals. Then, not long after the blisters burst, tiny, painful ulcers emerge, taking a week to 10 days to heal.
There are two main forms of herpes, a viral infection of the skin or mucous membranes. Herpes Simplex Type 1 primarily causes cold sores around the mouth and lips, but it can also affect the genitals. Herpes Simplex type 2 is the predominant cause of genital herpes.
If you have been diagnosed with herpes, don’t feel like a pariah. Fifty to 80 percent of adults have some form of herpes. In the United states, 20 percent of teens and adults are infected with Herpes Simplex 2.
How to fight back when you have Herpes:
Medical books stat that there is no cure for herpes. Which is a big issue for pregnant women. They can pass the infection to their babies during delivery. However, according to herbalists, botanical remedies can ease out breaks and lengthen the times between episodes.
Primary herbs to use against herbs are burdock root and echinacea. Echinacea stimulates the immune system, which help prevents infection. Burdock also acts as a mild antiviral agent and is a gentle cleansing tonic. Prepare a very strong infusion using 1 ounce by weight of each herb to 1 quart of water. Toss the dried herbs into a quart jar and fill it to the top with boiling water. Steep for 4 to 8 hours, then strain. To prevent recurrent outbreaks, drink 1/2 cup two to four times a day. If you do have an outbreak, increase the amount to four cups a day until the blisters disappear, then go back to the maintenance dose. If you go three months with no outbreaks you can stop drinking the infusion.
Think of a herpes outbreak as a stress barometer. When your stress level spikes you are most at risk. Making your own herbal anti stress formula is a powerful healer because it affirms your intent to keep stress at bay. Concocting a tea or extract blend using equal parts vervain, Siberian Ginseng, St. John’s Wort and passion flower. Vervain is to relax tension and stress. Siberian Ginseng helps the body adapt to stress. St. John’s Wort is known to calm tension and anxiety and Passionflower is to ease pain from viral infections and help insomnia.
An antiviral lotion can be made from equal parts of lavender essential oil, an antiseptic that is effective for dry and weepy skin problems and oil infused with lemon balm. These have been shown in studies to act against the herpes virus. Apply a few dabs of this antiviral lotion on the affected area three times a day during a herpes outbreak for up to a week. You can also add a dash or two of this formula to your bath water.
