What are the causes of cold sores? This article will tell you quickly. You will learn the main reasons for a cold sore. You will quickly identify the causes of cold sores for yourself.
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.
What they actually do is change your body in such a way as to encourage the activation of the cold sore virus.
The herpes simplex virus (type one or type two) is responsible for every cold sore, fever blister or oral herpes outbreak. It hides dormant in the roots of your nerves.
Under the right conditions, the herpes virus becomes active, moving to the surface. There it enters the nerve cells – destroying them as it creates new virus.
The herpes simplex virus can tell when there is any change in your body because it makes its home in your nerves. It will quickly sense the effects of the above mentioned triggers.
Here are the top three causes of cold sores. These conditions of your body will encourage cold sore virus activity.
1. pH BALANCE TOO LOW.
The acid or alkaline state of your body is its pH balance. The pH scale runs from 1 through 14 – below 7 is acid and above 7 is alkaline. Your optimal pH is 7.35, which is slightly alkaline.
As long as your body is alkaline (above 7pH) you will rarely get a cold sore. Should your pH drop into the acid zone, the herpes virus could easily activate. Of all the causes of cold sores, this is the top one.
Stress causes cold sores because it causes an acid change in your body. Illness, injury and winter weather also can lower your pH level. These triggers cause hormone and protein changes that create an acid environment.
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.
Of all the causes of cold sores, an acid pH is top of the list. The next two are also key players in creating a cold sore.
2. IMBALANCE OF LYSINE AND ARGININE.
Arginine is the main protein building block for the herpes simplex virus. If arginine is not available, your cells cannot create new herpes virus – and no cold sore will occur. This is true even if you have an acid pH balance.
Arginine is stored in the nerve cells. Lysine also is stored there. When you flood your cells with lysine, the cells will get rid of some of the arginine to make room to store the lysine.
Lysine is a protein that will not cause cold sores. The more lysine stored in your cells, the less arginine will be available. This prevents oral herpes cold sore outbreaks.
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 spark plugs of life are the vitamins and minerals you consume each day. Your immunity to disease critically depends on these nutrients.
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.
There are only about half the nutrients in today’s food as there was in 1950. For optimum health, be sure to take a high quality multivitamin daily along with a good balanced diet.
Especially important is calcium. Cold sore victims are often calcium deficient. Your body uses calcium to help keep your body in an alkaline state.
Now you know the truth. The primary causes of cold sores are a low pH balance, large amounts of stored arginine and a poor immune system with weak antibodies.
Stress, mental or physical, causes your body to go into an acid state. Stress also uses up a lot of vitamins and minerals, which weakens 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.