What Causes Cold Sores – This Is Where A Cold Sore Comes From

Do you want to know what causes cold sores? The answers may surprise you. Read this excellent article to uncover what causes cold sores for you.

The short answer to what causes cold sores is the herpes simplex virus.

35% of those infected never get a cold sore. For the other 65% of us, repeated outbreaks are common.

If the conditions are right, the herpes simplex virus becomes active and quickly moves up the nerve to the surface. To replicate, each virus particle enters a cell and forces the cell to create clones.

Once the cells are full of new virus, they burst open and the virus spills out. The annihilation of all these cells creates the ulcer-like wound.

Yes – the herpes simplex virus is the common cause of all cold sores. But, if you want to prevent them, you must know what causes cold sores in some infected folks but not others.

Here are three main conditions that trigger herpes replication and your cold sore events – triggers that you can easily avoid.

1. YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS TOO WEAK.

High cold sore immunity depends on strong antibodies. These are the soldiers your body creates to protect your cells. Building effective antibodies requires specific nutrients.

The vigor of your antibodies is directly related to your vitamin and mineral intake – from food and supplements.

If you get cold sores, it indicates weakness in your immunity and antibodies. Fresh, uncooked vegetables will provide the best quality of body-ready nutrients to boost your resistance.

Also, you really should begin a high-quality daily vitamin supplement plan. But don’t waste your money on worthless one-a-day pills.

Use only a high quality supplement or you will not notice any difference. You need high levels of B and C vitamins – they are important for stress situations, but need replenishing daily.

2. HIGH LEVELS OF ARGININE, LOW LEVELS OF LYSINE.

Arginine and lysine are two amino acids essential to your health. They also are very much involved in cold sore outbreaks.

Arginine offers many cardiac benefits. But it also is the primary protein used to create new herpes simplex virus. Without sufficient arginine, a cold sore will not happen.

Herpes virus cannot be created with lysine. Your cells store both lysine and arginine but the more you have of one, the less room for the other.

Flooding your body tissues with lysine will help push arginine out of the cells. You can eat fish and dairy products, but lysine supplements are the easiest way for stopping your cold sore marathon.

3. YOUR BODY HAS DROPPED INTO THE ACID ZONE.

To keep yourself in tip top health, you must keep your body on the alkaline side of the pH scale. 7 is the neutral point – above 7 is alkaline and below 7 is acid.

Your body works hard to maintain pH levels around 7.4. When you drop below 6.5, you are inviting illness – and creating the right conditions for another cold sore.

Acid pH means lower oxygen levels and weak resistance to pathogens. Contributing factors that can cause your body to be acid include soda, sugar, white flour and tobacco.

Also, winter weather causes acid pH levels. Cold air, less outdoor exercise and lower availability and intake of fresh vegetables all contribute to an acid body.

Eating more green vegetables, particularly cabbage and asparagus, will help keep your pH levels healthy. And most vitamin stores carry alkalizing supplement plans that work well.

There a few other more advanced causes of cold sores I would love to share with you, but I am out of space and time here.

However, the three specific causes you have just read in this article will likely go a long way in determining what causes cold sores for you and how to be cold sore free for life.