Q: I’ve recently had a bad cold sore, accompanied by a fever, swollen glands and general fatigue. It cleared up after about a week but it was horrible and I want to know what I can do to prevent it happening again?

A: Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is often caught in childhood. After the first attack many people never have another or are only affected occasionally, but some do have recurring bouts of cold sores. Attacks typically become less severe with time as the immune system builds up resistance, but the virus can be reactivated when you feel stressed or run down. Over exercising, sun burn, lack of sleep or extreme temperatures can also contribute.

To avoid another attack you need to suppress the virus as much as possible. Foods high in the amino acid arginine encourage herpes to reoccur, while those high in lysine help limit the virus. So reduce your intake of arginine rich foods, such as chocolate, nuts and gluten grains like wheat. Sadly, berries also have a high ratio of arginine to lysine so eat these in moderation too. Don’t cut them out altogether as, like nuts and grains, they are nutritional superstars – just don’t go overboard when you eat them. Oily fish, soya, live yogurt, goat’s milk, papaya, mango, apricots and cheese are all good choices as they have a high ratio of lysine to argine. You can also take lysine to help prevent cold sores recurring. Use 500mg twice a day and overtime you may be able to decrease it to just once a day to keep attacks at bay (if you can’t find lysine locally then go to the Resources Page).

It’s also important to build up your immunity. Avoid refined sugar, which lowers immunity. Caffeine and alcohol undermine liver function by limiting its ability to deal with the by-products of this virus, so cut down or cut these out. A daily vitamin B complex will help boost immunity, as will additional 15mg zinc supplements and 1000mg vitamin C with bioflavonoid supplements. The herb echinacea can help bolster your immune system too. Available in tincture and capsule form and as a tea, echinacea has been found to possess powerful antiviral and immune-boosting properties.

Take steps to reduce stress. After an infection, the virus can remain dormant and be reactivated when your immune system is sluggish, or when you are under physical or emotional stress. Yoga is an incredibly powerful way of helping your body learn how to relax and rid your mind of anxious thoughts.

And finally, too much exposure to the sun increases your risk of developing a cold sore. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you need to hide indoors during the summer months, instead simply apply sun block to your lips and face before prolonged exposure to the sun to help prevent an outbreak.

Q: I keep getting headaches and sometimes they can be a migraine attack where I feel nauseous and have to avoid light, what can I do nutritionally to help myself? 

A: One of the most important nutritional recommendations for preventing headaches is to make sure that blood sugar is kept in balance. This means eating little and often (no longer than three hours without eating) and avoiding sugar and refined carbohydrates which cause the blood sugar to fluctuate. Stimulants containing caffeine, like tea and coffee, should be avoided as withdrawal of caffeine will often give headaches and continuing the caffeine will add to the roller coaster of blood sugar swings. Avoid getting dehydrated as this can cause headaches, so it is important to make sure that you’re drinking at least eight glasses of water or herb teas each day.   

 

For anybody who suffers from headaches and migraines, you need to find out if there are any triggers – by knowing them you can take more control. Make a note of what occurred on the day of the headache/migraine. Write down what you ate, what time you ate and what you drank. Were you feeling stressed, overworked or just tired? The aim is to find a pattern or trigger.

 

Certain foods contain substances, such as tyramine, phenylethylamine and histamine, that trigger headaches and migraines. These foods can include cheese, citrus fruit, red wine, chocolate and coffee. There will be a time lag between eating the food and suffering an attack, which is why it is not always easy to spot which foods could be causing a problem. The time lag is due to the fact that the problem arises when the food reaches the liver and should be broken down by enzymes. For instance, red wine can be a problem as it contains high levels of chemicals known as phenols. Usually an enzyme destroys these chemicals but migraine sufferers seem to have low levels of this enzyme, and the red wine seems to inhibit the enzyme even further. Without these enzymes substances called ‘vasodilating amines’ are released, which expand the blood vessels of the brain. Some foods contain a number of substances that can cause a problem. Both alcohol and chocolate contain phenylethylamine, for example, and cheese contains tyramine. The same foods can also contain histamine or histamine-releasing compounds. For instance, red wine contains 20 to 200 times more histamine than white wine.

 

There are also some useful nutrients you can add in. Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and a deficiency can cause blood vessels to go into spasms, so ensuring good levels of magnesium is important for prevention. Taking magnesium daily has been shown to help not only the intensity but also the duration of menstrual migraines. Also add in Omega 3 fats in supplement form as they will help to control inflammation and pain. One study showed that migraine sufferers experienced a significant reduction in both the frequency and intensity of the attack by taking Omega 3 fatty acids every day.

Aubergines or eggplants (as they are known in some countries because of their egg-like shape) come in several sizes and colours. The most well known is the purple variety but aubergines can also be white, green, black and yellow.

It is thought that aubergines originated in China in the 5^th century, so they have been around for a long time. 

 

The most common purple aubergine has a white flesh, which turns to a grayish colour when cooked. Although it is used as a vegetable, it is actually a fruit. The aubergine is very versatile as it can be used in a number of ways including baking, grilling, stuffing and sautéing. It’s used in many recipes around the world: in Italy it can be served as Aubergine Parmigiano, in Turkey as Imam Bayildi, Baingan Bharta in India, Ratatouille in France, served in tempura batter in Japan, roasted in the Middle East and served as Baba Ghanoush, and popular in Moussaka which is served in many countries.

 

Aubergines are a good source of calcium, folic acid, potassium and beta-carotene and are low in sodium. They are high in soluble fibre so can be helpful for lowering cholesterol because they will help bind cholesterol in the gut and pull it out of the body. Because of the bright purple colour, aubergines contain good levels of bioflavonoids and an antioxidant called monoterpene, which is thought to be helpful in preventing cancer and heart disease. The National Cancer Institute has taken an interest in aubergines and others of the nightshade family to see if they can help prevent tumour growth.

 

The possible negative side of aubergines is that (like potatoes, peppers and tomatoes) they belong to the nightshade family, which also includes tobacco. It is normally recommended that people with arthritis avoid the nightshade family to see whether symptoms improve if these foods are eliminated.