Some say shingles pain feels like knives. Others describe it as being more like being stabbed by a hot poker. But everyone agrees it causes some of the most intense pain they have ever experienced. Shingles is the reactivation of the herpes zoster virus – a childhood virus that affects over 500,000 Americans each year. If you ever had shingles, you know exactly what I mean.

The only way you can get shingles is if you had chickenpox as a child. The virus lives on in your body and can cause a shingles outbreak years later.

Like cold sores, shingles is a form of the herpes virus. And like cold sores, stress can activate it. Any form of stress – physical or emotional – can set it off, especially if your immune system is low. Since stress lowers the immune system, one important key to prevention is to manage your stress.

Usually, shingles occurs in people over 50. Most commonly, it breaks out on the trunk or the face. It can begin with flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, fatigue, and digestive problems. Then, three or four days later, a pain and burning begins along with a red rash along the site where blisters will appear.

The burning and painful blisters may be in clusters or in a row, and they can last for three to five days or longer. But the intense, unrelenting pain may continue. This is when it’s important to be extra careful, because these blisters contain the herpes zoster virus, and they are infectious for up to a week. Be careful that you don’t spread it to people around you.

After the blisters dry and disappear, which is usually in about two weeks, the pain, known as postherpetic neuralgia, caused by irritation to the nerve, may continue for weeks, months, and even years. I have had patients who fall into this category and are in constant pain. Their doctors have no idea how to alleviate their pain other than to give them painkillers. But these drugs can have nasty side effects, such as severe liver toxicity. Often, a patient will settle for whichever treatment is the most bearable and appears to be the least harmful. But they don’t get well.

If you haven’t ever had shingles, you can’t fully understand the intensity of this persistent burning pain. It can be so bad that some people have had surgery to cut the nerves to the affected area.

Fortunately, there are better solutions. I found both pharmaceutical and natural ways to reduce the pain and duration of shingles.

Antiviral treatments, steroids, and vaccines

When my friend Beth had shingles recently, her doctor put her on an antiviral drug. These include drugs like acyclovir and valcyclovir. These drugs are the traditional treatment for shingles. They can stop the virus from replicating. And they can shorten the duration of the attack. So it’s worth talking to your doctor about them. For Beth, they worked wonders.

Oral steroids are often given to reduce the pain of shingles, as well as to prevent postherpetic neuralgia. Take whatever painkillers work for you that do the least harm. You need to be able to sleep. You won’t get better without sufficient rest. Take painkillers according to your doctor’s instructions, not just when you hurt. It’s easier to keep pain under control than to repeatedly get it under control.

If you get a second outbreak of shingles, or to prevent a second outbreak, talk with your doctor about getting the shingles vaccine. The shingles vaccine, Zostavax, contains a weakened live virus that helps stimulate your immune system. Studies show it reduces the risk of getting shingles by half.

The vaccine is said to be harmless, but known side effects reveal the possibility of bruising, flu symptoms, itching, diarrhea, muscle pain, and severe or a painful skin rash — the same symptoms you want to avoid. If vaccine side effects don’t typically affect you, the vaccine could be worth taking.

Supplements

L-lysine and l-arginine are amino acids that affect all herpes viruses. L-lysine prevents herpes from growing, and l-arginine causes it to replicate. Increase foods high in l-lysine, such as fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, lentils, and soy. Limit foods high in l-arginine like nuts, grains, and chocolate.

L-lysine supplements can be very helpful. You can find them in any health food store. If you have an outbreak, take 1,500 mg of l-lysine three times a day for 6-12 months. Then reduce the amount to 500 mg. To prevent an outbreak, I suggest taking 500 mg of l-lysine three times a day.

Herbs

In addition to drugs and supplements, there are many herbs that can help. You can use most of these herbs and herbal tinctures topically, and several of them orally. Give each one several months before going on to the next. Different people respond differently to these herbs, tinctures, and oils. Some people respond quickly. Others take weeks or months to respond.

Licorice root extract (Glycyrrhiza glabra). Apply it topically at the first sign of any type of herpes outbreak, including cold sores, genital herpes, and shingles. This extract is made from dried licorice root, not licorice candy!

Lemon balm essential oil (Melissa officinalis). This herb contains natural chemicals that have anti-herpes properties. Dilute it with a little olive oil. If you can’t find the essential oil, make a strong tea from the dried or fresh herb, and apply it gently with cotton balls four times a day. If you can find an ointment containing lemon balm, it may be even more effective than the oil.

Capsaicin is the active ingredient in cayenne, or chili peppers. It blocks the pain signals from nerves that are located right under your skin. Many preparations found in drugstores to stop pain contain capsaicin. Use any oil or ointment containing 0.025% to 0.075% capsaicin topically four or five times a day.

Garlic is a strong, inexpensive anti-viral. If you like it, add one or two raw cloves to your diet. Or take a few garlic capsules twice a day for a few weeks. Cooked garlic does not have as much antiviral activity, but it’s so cheap that it’s worth including in your diet.

Homeopathy and essential oils

Homeopathy is a form of energy medicine. It either works or it doesn’t.

Historically, people have used individual homeopathic remedies to treat shingles. If you can’t find the dose I mention below, use the one closest to it.

Mezereum 12x or 6c for severe pain and burning. Take one dose four times a day for three days.

Ranunculus bulbosus 6c for pain, especially on the chest or back.

Rhus tox 30x or 15c for a red, swollen rash. Take one dose four times a day for three days.

Staphylococcinium 30c shortens the length of the outbreak.

Sulfur 12c decreases the risk of postherpetic neuralgia.

Arsenicum for intense burning that’s aggravated by cold temperatures.

A number of essential oils with antiviral and antimicrobial properties can be used topically for shingles. They include lavender, eucalyptus, oregano, tea tree, and sage. Always dilute them with olive or almond oil to avoid burning or irritation.

Final (important) information

Shingles, and other forms of herpes, thrive on sugar. Keep all sugars (including alcohol) very low. If you crave sweets, eat more protein. And use Stevia, a natural sweetener that doesn’t affect blood sugar levels, in your coffee or tea. You can find it in powdered and liquid form in health food stores.

What to Do When Your Favorite Foods Make You Sick

Georgia thought she would never give up her favorite foods: bread and pasta. But when her digestion went from poor to horrible, she was willing to give up anything that would allow her to get a good night’s sleep. During the day, Georgia was fine. But at night, as soon as she went to bed, she had urgent diarrhea. Not just once, but as many as a dozen times per night.

When she came to see me, Georgia was exhausted, weak, and ready to try anything. Her diet was one that most people would consider to be healthful, full of vegetables, protein, and whole grains. Plus, she was taking over a dozen different high quality supplements. Still, she was thin, pale, and looked undernourished.

I began, as I do with many patients with digestive problems, by asking Georgia to stop eating anything with gluten in it. “Not even soy sauce in your stir-fry,” I insisted. “You may be eating a healthful diet, but you could have either celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity that is causing inflammation and leading to malnutrition.” Eliminating gluten was an inexpensive way for her to rule out this association.

Georgia told me that she had given up most foods containing gluten for a month, but it didn’t help her digestion. “A mostly gluten-free diet won’t work,” I explained to her. “You need to stop every bit of it. And one month isn’t long enough to get the benefits from a gluten-free diet. For some people, it takes a year or more.”

If gluten was one of her dietary problems, I doubted that it was Georgia’s only one. After having her keep a food diary, it became clear to me that dairy caused some of her symptoms, as well. That didn’t surprise me, because dairy and gluten need the same digestive enzyme.

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition that causes chronic inflammation in the small intestines. This is where many nutrients are absorbed, which is why chronic inflammation frequently leads to malnutrition. The only way to diagnose it is by taking a biopsy of the small intestines. This will reveal whether or not the intestinal lining has been damaged.

Georgia was fortunate. Instead of getting a biopsy of her small intestines, she stopped eating all foods with gluten and her digestive symptoms vanished. But not everyone gets these results.

I’ve worked with people who reported benefits including weight loss, increased energy, clearer thinking, and the resolution of various digestive problems. But this can just mean that there is a temporary absence of an irritant. You have to stop irritating the small intestines completely for a long enough period of time to allow the body to heal. Don’t fool yourself by thinking that symptom-free is the same as being cured. It’s not.

The majority of conventional doctors believe that a strict gluten-free diet is a fad. They say that only people with celiac disease need to avoid gluten. Thousands of people who have been helped by a gluten-free diet disagree. They may not have celiac, but they have either a sensitivity or an allergy to gluten.

And they know they feel better when they eliminate this inflammatory protein, which is found in wheat, rye, triticale, spelt, and barley.

Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity cause the intestinal lining to become more porous. This allows partially-digested protein molecules to get into the bloodstream where they can irritate tissues and cause inflammation. This is a symptom of intestinal permeability known also as leaky gut syndrome.

You are not what you eat

That old adage we’ve all heard for years isn’t true. We are not what we eat. We’re what we eat, digest, and absorb. If you can’t get the vitamins, minerals, and essential fats out of your foods and into your cells, you may be eating an ideal diet and taking high-quality supplements, but you will still be malnourished.

Eating just a little gluten, like soy sauce, which is made from wheat, causes inflammation. And inflammation can lead to malnutrition. Either you’re gluten-free or you’re not. If you’re not completely off gluten, you won’t be able to heal the lining of your small intestines and calm down inflammation in your digestive tract.

Eliminating gluten entirely is the first step in your healing. Once you’ve omitted it from your diet, your second step is to concentrate on repairing damaged tissues.

What if it’s not gluten?

Gluten sensitivity may not be causing your symptoms. However, it is likely to be at least part of your problem. Why? Because today’s wheat is a hybridized variety of the grain that is known to be difficult to digest, it bears little resemblance to the wheat your grandparents ate. We are not able to digest it well, and your small intestines can become chronically inflamed. If you get EnteroLab’s comprehensive stool test, it will show whether or not you have a sensitivity to other foods as well as wheat.

You will also want to take anti-inflammatory supplements to heal these irritated tissues. These include quercetin, glutamine, probiotics, and pancreatic enzymes (two with each meal). You also should not replace gluten with sugar and processed foods. Sugar feeds inflammation.

Begin by taking glutamine, an amino acid that prevents and reverses damage to the intestinal lining. In addition, glutamine reduces bacterial overgrowth. You can find glutamine in health food stores and on the Internet. Take one 500 mg capsule on an empty stomach three times a day for two months.

Finally, be patient. You’ve stopped the problem from progressing. Now, allow your body to heal. Expect it to take at least 6-12 months. Don’t be surprised. It took much longer to create the problems.

Rotate high quality probiotics after each bottle. I like Culturelle (888-488-2488), Natren’s Healthy Trinity (in most health food stores), and Advanced Probiotic Formula (800-791-3395). Take double the suggested dosage twice a day to boost your colonies of friendly bacteria.

Doing This Daily Will Keep the Doctor Away (Hint: It’s Not Eating Apples)

I once had a patient who was an extremely popular university professor. His popularity had little to do with the subject he taught or the way he delivered it. It had everything to do with what he said and did at the end of each class. That’s when he announced to his students, “Everyone needs at least three hugs a day. Is there anyone here who wants one now?” His students lined up to get his hugs.

They didn’t know it, but this professor was helping to keep his students healthy. The hugs did more than make them feel good. Hugs protected them from stress-associated illnesses.

A new study from Carnegie Mellon University found that hugs do really protect people who are under stress from getting sick. And if they do get sick, their symptoms tend to be mild.

“We know that people experiencing ongoing conflicts with others are less able to fight off cold viruses,” said Sheldon Leonard, head researcher of this study.
He went on to explain that people who have social support get some protection from the effects of stress, like depression and anxiety.

For this study, over 400 healthy adults completed a questionnaire that evaluated their perceived social support, as well as the frequency of conflicts they had with others. Then they received hugs on 14 consecutive evenings. These study participants were then exposed to a cold virus and watched to see whether or not they became ill.

Some did, but the participants who received more frequent hugs and had increased social support had fewer symptoms. In fact, hugs were responsible for one-third of the protective effect of their social support. Frequent hugs had a protective effect among those who were infected whether or not they were stressed.

So, hugs work well to reduce stress and keep us healthy. But who is it we should hug? We tend to hug people we like and trust. Not everyone is hug-able. Nor do we want hugs from everyone. But hugging and receiving hugs from a friend or family member could explain why we feel at least some support and protection against infection. One advantage of this approach is that — unlike with apples — you never run out of hugs.

Carnegie Mellon University, “Hugs help protect against stress, infection, say researchers.” ScienceDaily, 17 December 2014.

Nutrition Detective

Statin Statistics Are Exaggerated and Misleading

Statins do lower cholesterol. But they are not the wonder drugs that pharmaceutical companies would have you believe. They not only fail to prevent strokes and heart attacks, they also have serious side effects. It all depends on whether you’re looking at the “absolute risk” or the “relative risk.”

According to a paper published in the medical journal Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, many reports of statins’ effectiveness are using misleading statistics to exaggerate their benefits. The paper was written by Dr. David M. Diamond, a professor of psychology, molecular pharmacology, and physiology at the University of South Florida, and Dr. Uffe Ravnskov, an independent health researcher and cholesterol and cardiovascular disease expert. So the paper carries a lot of weight and getting attention from the medical community.

The paper claims that “statin advocates have used statistical deception to create the illusion that statins are ‘wonder drugs,’ when the reality is that their modest benefits are more than offset by their adverse effects.” The absolute risk of a drug is the rate of beneficial and adverse effects on a population. Statins’ absolute risk shows that the drugs benefit only 1% of the population. In other words, if 100 people take a statin, one fewer person will have a heart attack than if they had taken nothing.

Of course, that’s not a very compelling number. So instead, statin researchers report the relative risk, which suggests that 30 to 50% of the population benefit from statins. This doesn’t take into account the negative effects that statins can have.

And there are a lot of those. According to Dr. Diamond and Dr. Ravnskov, “The adverse effects suffered by people taking statins are more common than reported in the media and at medical conferences. Increased rates of cancer, cataracts, diabetes, cognitive impairments, and musculoskeletal disorders more than offset the modest cardiovascular benefits of statin treatment.”

In particular, the low cholesterol levels associated with statin use are associated with cancer risk as well. Most statin studies are short – too short to see if cancer risk increases. However, one long-term study found that women who took statins for more than 10 years had a significant increase in their breast cancer risk.

Many health care and research leaders are calling for more transparency from the drug companies. They want records of adverse effects released, and they also are encouraging more journals to adopt stricter standards for authorship. The British Medical Journal requires that “clinical education articles will be authored by experts without financial ties to industry.” Drs. Diamond and Ranskov hope that more journals will follow suit.

We’re all looking for a pill that will make us healthy, but when it comes to heart disease, the solution is making lifestyle changes: eat right, exercise, and reduce stress. You may be tempted to take a statin. Don’t! Instead, try a good multivitamin, such as Healthy Resolve or a formula to lower stored toxins, such as PectaSol Detox Formula. Both of these are available by calling 800-791-3395.

You’ll help keep your heart healthy without putting the rest of your body at risk.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/ 150220110850.htm.

LETTERS

Q: I’m a vegetarian. I used to take vegetarian digestive and metabolic enzymes. They worked like magic for me. When I switched to an extra- strength formula, they stopped working. The original formula didn’t work, either. No enzymes work as well as they did at first. Can you help me? — C.T., e-mail

A: The only difference between digestive and metabolic enzymes is how you use them. Digestive enzymes are taken with meals to help you digest the foods you eat. They need to match the composition of your food.

If you’re eating protein, you need to take enzymes that digest protein (proteolytic enzymes). If you want help in digesting carbohydrates, you need amylase or amylitic enzymes.

Metabolic enzymes are taken in between meals and act like pac-men (or women) to clean up undigested debris. Again, they need to be the right type of enzymes.
Your problem may not be with the specific enzymes, but with the pH, or acidity, in your stomach.

Try eating more alkaline foods (like fruits and vegetables) and then go back to the original enzymes. Vegetarian enzymes made from aspergillis, a fungus that leaves no remaining fungi after enzyme production, are often stronger than pancreatic enzymes. So you’re on the right track.

For more information, see The Complete Book of Enzyme Therapy by Dr. Anthony Cichoke.

Q: I’m 39 years old and have had an embarrassing problem — bad breath — for three years. Several doctors said it was a digestive problem and I would have to figure out what foods my body can’t digest. I don’t know how to do this, and the problem is getting worse. My health is good, but I have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) occasionally, depending on my diet. Please help. — D.O.B., Hesperia, CA

A: I’ve talked a lot about digestive problems in the past. They cause a huge number of problems, bad breath being only one of them. Your IBS is part of your digestive problem. Here’s what I suggest you do:

First, chew your food very well. Next, take two digestive enzymes with each meal. You can get a strong formula from Advanced Bionutritionals called Integrative Digestive Formula (800-791-3395).

Bad breath means you have a lot of bad bacteria in your stomach, and perhaps in your digestive tract. I’d use two capsules of Essential Formula’s strong probiotic. It’s called Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12-Plus (call 877-262-7843 to order).
I’d chew the capsule up before swallowing the contents and the capsule. The probiotics have a pleasant taste, and by chewing them, you know they’ll get right into your stomach where you want them.

Try these probiotics for at least three months and see what happens. Remember, you can go to my website, www.womens-healthletter.com, and get all the past articles on digestion and probiotics.