Health Quote of The Week by Josh Billings
“There’s lots of people who spend so much time watching their health, they haven’t got time to enjoy it.”
by Josh Billings (1815-1885), American humorist and lecturer.
Herbs for Herpes
Before anyone use herbs to treat body and skin diseases, they must remember that herbs contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements or medications. As such, herbs should be consumed and used under the supervision of a practitioner knowledgeable in herbal medicine.
At Health and Age, there is a list of 6 common herbs used to improve herpes conditions. I have extracted some of the more commons ones here:
1. Aloe (Aloe vera)
Preliminary evidence suggests that aloe gel used topically may improve the symptoms of genital herpes. Whether this same use of aloe will apply to oral herpes lesions is not known, but it may be worth trying in order to reduce the length and severity of your symptoms. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of using topical aloe vera for herpes lesions.
3. Lemon Balm (Melissa officianalis)
Some studies suggest that topical ointments containing lemon balm may help heal herpes cold sores. In one study of 116 people with HSV, for example, those who applied lemon balm cream to their lip sores experienced significant improvement in redness and swelling after only two days. Although other symptoms (such as pain and scabbing) did not improve, both the participants and their physicians reported that the lemon balm ointment was highly effective. Several animal studies also support the value of topical lemon balm for oral herpes lesions. (more…)
