Here's How to Stop Cold Sores and Never Worry About Another Outbreak!

How to Prevent Cold Sores

If you're like most people, chances are pretty high that you've suffered one or more painful outbreaks of cold sores. You might have always thought that cold sores just appear by chance, and that there is nothing you can do to prevent them. You'll be glad to learn that this is not the case.

Cold sores happen when the dormant HSV I virus gets reactivated. This virus is a latent virus - meaning it doesn't usually cause symptoms - in about 80% of the U.S. population. The key to preventing them is knowing what exactly triggers the reactivation of the virus. By learning the triggers, you can learn to take active measures to prevent future outbreaks from occurring.

So what does trigger cold sore outbreaks?

The short answer is that anything that weakens a person's immune system or lowers that body's defenses can cause an outbreak of cold sores. In practical terms, this means that any sort of stress, illness, or abrupt change in the body can trigger an outbreak.

To prevent cold sores, you should take good care of yourself by eating a healthy diet that includes many immune-boosting nutrients. You should get nutrients from your food, but you may also want to take supplements that include zinc and vitamin C. Both of these have significant immune boosting properties.

Getting enough sleep is also important, since if you are overly tired, it is easier for your body to become fatigued. If you are in a chronic state of fatigue, you won't be able to handle everyday stresses very well either. Fatigue and stress can be huge triggers for cold sore outbreaks.

Cold sores are also common when the lips become severely chapped, cracked, or exposed to elements like extreme cold, sunlight, or wind. Take steps to prevent injury to the lips, and use a good UV protectant lip balm.

Women are more prone to cold sores during pregnancy, or at certain times during the menstrual cycle. This is because hormonal and physiological changes during these times can cause physical stress to the body. All of the previously mentioned ways of preventing cold sores are doubly important for pregnant women, and for women who are prone to cyclically induced stress.

In addition to these general care methods, there are certain supplements and medications that can help prevent cold sores. These include zinc and lysine to boost immune function, and for their antiviral properties; and prescription anti-viral medications for people prone to severe outbreaks.

If you are already suffering from an outbreak, you can use over the counter numbing medications and lip balms to minimize pain and discomfort. There are also two common prescription creams containing the medications pensiclovir and acyclovir that can help reduce the length of an outbreak.

There are many strategies for how to prevent cold sores, and they all boil down to taking the best care of yourself to keep your immune function and your body's defenses at an optimal level. Though you can't get rid of the virus that causes cold sores, you can reduce your chances of future outbreaks by employing these self care techniques.

Autor: Grant Dougan

Finding a cold sore cure isn't complicated - you just need to take the right steps to prevent and heal the cold sores you get.

Click here to discover an all-natural technique that anyone can use to stop cold sores and live a life without worrying about getting an outbreak.

Added: February 4, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/