gross

There won't be a lot of pictures on this entry because... yup, I'm about to write an entire post about cold sores (aka fever blisters.) They're gross. They're annoying and inconvenient. And I know a few tips to get rid of them quicker. (Which I didn't even realize until today when I was helping a friend out.)

Cold sores can show up for a number of reasons: stress, change in diet/sleeping patterns/exercise, eating too much of a certain food, your body has become too acidic, or just because they feel like bugging the crap out of you.

There is no cure, but changing your diet can definitely make a difference in healing time. Or, if you're prone to getting them frequently, you can change to this diet permanently and it may help keep them at bay.*

*Now, please remember, I am NOT a nutritionist. But neither is Dr. Oz. (Remember that, minions.) I do not get cold sores frequently, but I do get them when I am extremely stressed out.


Foods to enjoy:
Any food high in Lysine (an essential amino acid that helps keep cold sores away and helps speed the healing process.) including:

• All dairy products (Specifically margarine, yogurt, milk, and cheese. The fattier, the better.)
• Dark and leafy veggies (Kale, collard greens, spinach, mustard greens, beets, etc.)
• Fish (If you hate fish like I do, try to scarf it down anyway. It's incredible for you and helps in the healing process. If you ABSOLUTELY can not eat fish, eat chicken, but in smaller amounts than usual.)
• 
• Papaya, mango, pears, and figs. (These make great dessert options with yogurt!)
• Whole grains (in small amounts.)
• Raw apple cider vinegar. (1 Tbsp in a large glass of water. You can add honey if you want. I recommend doing this before each meal. This can also help prevent heartburn and helps with acne!)
• If you go on pinterest you can probably find a recipe that contains some or all of these items.

Foods to avoid:

• Caffeine (No coffee! If you HAVE to have coffee for the flavor, try this. If you HAVE to have coffee for the caffeine, switch to yerba mate.
• 
• Chocolate and sugar (Seriously. It's awful, but it will majorly speed the healing process.)
• Black tea (If you're used to drinking tea every day, switch to white or green tea.)
• White or wheat bread (Only whole wheat bread.)
• Tomatoes (Actually, just stay away from all acidic foods.)
• Red meat
• Chia seeds (While these are incredible for you and packed full of fiber, they have been proven to increase your chances of a cold sore appearing. Use sparingly. If you are needing fiber, switch to ground flax seed for awhile.)

Extra steps you can take: 

• Take Lysine. The bottles usually recommend 1 with a full glass of water at each meal. Honestly, it won't hurt you to take double that while you're fighting one off.
• Take Vitamin C. You don't need 159483096 milligrams a day, because honestly, that will just go right through you. Stick to 500mg. This will boost your immune system.
• Abreva. Once or twice an hour. This product specifically. No store brands, no rip offs... only Abreva.
• Carmex. Once or twice an hour. This product specifically. No store brands, no rip offs... only Carmex. And only the Carmex that comes in a squeeze tube or the tiny tub. Do not get the twisty chapstick type. It does not contain the same ingredients.
• Stop using the Abreva and Carmex the day after the cold sore is completely gone. Otherwise you may become addicted to this products and they will not be as useful.
• Drink LOTS of water. LOTS AND LOTS.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Avoid any and all stress.
• Do not touch it. Do not try to pop it. It will heal quicker if you leave it alone.
• You technically can use toothpaste or a sulfur mask to dry them out, but this may cause scarring.

These things have worked for me in the past, and I hope they can help you out. Do you have any other tips?