Plant Sterols and Sterolins

If you are like most people that get herpes outbreaks, commonly called cold sores, you have tried every treatment available with varying degrees of success. Your repertoire of virus fighters may include lysine, licorice root, homeopathic medicines, mega doses of vitamins, avoiding the sun, stress reduction techniques and more. While all of these treatments help to keep herpes under control, none of them encourages your immune system to deal with the virus. Decades of research has shown that a simple plant nutrient has the ability to enhance the cells of our immune system that seek and destroy virus-infected cells.

There are several types of the herpes virus. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is responsible for a recurrent viral infection that causes outbreaks on any area of the body, particularly the mouth or genitals. Herpes simplex virus I (HSV-I) usually causes cold sores, while herpes simplex type II (HSV-II) causes genital herpes. Herpes zoster causes chicken pox and shingles.

Herpes outbreaks appear as single or multiple clusters of small fluid-filled blisters. These blisters burst, leaving painful ulcers that can take weeks to heal. After the first outbreak the virus becomes dormant, hiding from the immune system while waiting for another opportunity to erupt. Emotional, physical, environmental or nutritional stress can reactivate the virus, causing another outbreak. Over 60 percent of those infected with herpes virus will have recurring outbreaks of herpes. While one person may only have one or two outbreaks per year others are plagued by this infectious, painful and sometimes dangerous virus several times per month.

Proactive Protection

All natural treatments to date have looked at ways of dealing with the virus once it becomes active, or else finding ways to keep the virus dormant. Effective treatment should focus on repairing immune dysfunction.

If the immune system is doing its job, the herpes virus would not get inside cells and wreak havoc. Under normal conditions a healthy immune system would destroy the virus before it had a chance to cause symptoms. Our front-line defence warriors should eliminate the virus, halting it before it gets inside cells.

If herpes is victorious and has made it inside cells then the cytotoxic T-cells, the most voracious killers, are supposed to destroy the virus-infected cells. Also, our immune systems make immune factors that halt the virus from replicating.

If the immune army is in perfect working order we would not get herpes in the first place, and if we do succumb our immune system should destroy herpes so we don't have to suffer the virus again. Exciting research using sterols and sterolins has found that these simple plant nutrients are effective at enhancing our cytotoxic T-cells and immune factors that fight viruses.

Sterols and sterolins are the missing key. Research performed over the last several decades has found that sterols and sterolins increase natural killer cells, the first warriors to attack herpes. As well sterols and sterolins increase cytotoxic T-cell activity, gamma interferon and interleukin-2, important for destroying viruses if they manage to get inside our cells.

Cytotoxic T-cell enhancement is especially important when fighting herpes because we want these cells to seek out and destroy the herpes cells. Sterols and sterolins are able to improve immune function, making it better able to deal with viral infections.

Cold Sore Treatment Plan

At the start of herpes eruptions take:

• Two caps of Moducare three times daily until sores disappear then one cap three times daily
• 2,000 mg calcium ascorbate or buffered vitamin C every hour until sores are gone
• 500 mg bioflavonoids every hour until sores are gone
• 400 IU vitamin E three times per day for three days and 400 IU daily for optimal health thereafter
• 30 mg zinc citrate daily
• 2,000 mg L-lysine daily until sores are gone and 500 mg per day for prevention
• Topical tea tree oil ointment (not diluted oil) or licorice root gel applied to the blisters as needed

Avoid direct sun, reduce your stress levels and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. If you have recurring herpes outbreaks don't eat peanuts or take nutritional supplements containing arginine. They may cause flare-ups.