How to get rid of those annoying cold sores

Just before you get that annoying cold sore (which looks like a blister), you can usually feel it tingling. If you do, try L-Lysine, it is an amino acid which will prevent the cold sore appearing. If you already have the cold sore, then you can also take it to get rid of it as soon as possible. (Mind you, the cold sore is caused by the Herpes Simplex 1 virus. Once you have this virus, it will remain in the body, L-lysine does not get rid of it!). Take 1 or 2 tablets a day with water or juice (no caffeine products or any containing protein) there are tablets of 500 or 1000mg.

Brand names: Solgar, Country Life, Solarray, Good ‘n Natural, Twinlab etc.

If you are not too keen on taking supplements, then try a cream or ointment that contains Echinacea also known as purple coneflower, a plant native to eastern North-America.

Brand names: A. Vogel (echinaceaforce)

You can find Echinacea labial-sticks as well which aren't too expensive. For the L-lysine, just check out your local herbal shop or gym shop.

L-Lysine is an essential amino acid, meaning that the human body cannot fabricate this amino acid by itself, so it has to be obtained through our diet. It is important for the bones and creation of collagen. It can be found in cereal grains, pulses, meat (especially red meat, pork and poultry), cheese (particularly parmesan) fish (cod, sardines), nuts and eggs.

Herpes Simplex 1 (HSV-1 or HHV1) is the cause of common non sexually-transmitted cold sores. It can however spread to the genitals through oral sex. HSV-1 is transmitted by contact with a herpetic sore (kissing, touching, and possibly from objects such as shared drinking glasses). The name "cold sore" or "fever blister" is given to this type of blister due to its appearance during viral infections or other febrile diseases. It also emerges during physical or psychological stress, local injury to the face, lips, eyes or mouth, as through trauma, surgery, sunburn, change of seasons and all other things that make you feel stressed.