Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Are bone broth and collagen safe with Herpes or Epstein Barr viruses? If you are using collagen powder or bone broth for your daily soup or smoothie you may be making a mistake.
Broth and Collagen can be excellent protein choices when you are well. But if you struggle with recurring Herpes, Shingles or EBV these protein foods feed Retroviruses with high Arginine.
Most people are aware that Herpes is activated by stress and high Arginine diets (or supplements with Arginine) but may not realize that many common foods have much more Arginine than Lysine. These two articles on my website explain these foods in detail – check either this one or this one on Best & Worst Foods for Herpes to understand what may be keeping you from subduing these viruses.
In brief, nuts, seeds, chocolate, coconut meat, coconut milk, many beans and all grains are too high in Arginine to consume freely. In addition to Bone Broth and Collagen. Yes, you can take Lysine with them, but I prefer food to be my first line of medicine. Then add the correct Supplements. See the list of products I use in my clinic and in the Online Store below.
Are Bone Broth and Collagen Safe with Herpes?
There are many graphs and food charts on the relative amounts of Arginine and Lysine in foods. There are two key distinctions to observe: the ratio of Arginine to Lysine, and the amounts in a standard serving of the food.
Spinach, for example, has more Arginine than Lysine, but the amounts are so small it doesn’t really count.
It’s the big numbers to look for and that’s where Bone Broth, Collagen and Collagen Peptides come in. Both are higher in Arginine than Lysine in a standard serving, potentially leaving you in Lysine deficit unless you load up with higher Lysine foods at the same time. The above food articles tell you more on that…
What is Arginine anyway?
There are 20 amino acids that combine to make various proteins in our food and in our bodies. Nine are “Essential” and must be eaten. Eleven are “Conditional” and can generally be made from the other aminos. Lysine is an “essential”. Arginine is “conditional”.
Arginine, like all amino acids, has many valuable jobs in the body. We’d die without it. It’s a precursor to growth hormone for example and is popular with athletes because of this. But those muscle-boosting or anti-aging collagen supplements with high Arginine may be causing you problems.
Foods high in Arginine
All nuts and seeds (cashew, pumpkin and macadamia nuts are not as bad as the others but still bother “sensitives” like me), nut and seed protein powders, nut milk, nut flour, coconut flour, coconut cream, canned coconut milk, chocolate, all grains (wheat, oats, rice, corn), rice protein powder, peanuts, bone broth, collagen and collagen peptides.
Foods high in Lysine
All meats and seafoods, real cheese and whey protein have abundant Lysine and a high Lysine to Arginine ratio. The Ancestral Paleo diet I teach works well for this. Vegetarians will have trouble.
Arginine/Lysine neutral foods
Veggies and fruits are pretty neutral as they don’t have much protein. All FATS are neutral as fat contains no amino acids (protein). Coconut Oil is fine for example, but nothing else from the coconut. Beans can go both ways. If you want to take the trouble to soak and cook beans correctly, and eat just a few tablespoons (they are high in carbs), look up which are more neutral.
Quantity and Timing Matter
If you are well and happy and not subject to recurring outbreaks – congratulations! If your immune system is stressed, you are tired, angry or depressed, your MicroBiome is challenged by antibiotics, sugar, acid blockers and NSAID’s then it’s best to watch how much and how often you choose from the high Arginine list.
Eating grains and a chocolate collagen shake everyday can fire up that dormant Herpes virus.
Herbal Support for Herpes
These products in my online store are proven helpers against viruses. Sometimes you don’t need them. Sometimes you need them two to three times daily for a while. It’s individual to YOU. Take a look at Systemic Formulas VIVI – Virox, Monolaurin, SBI Protect (the only non-dairy immunoglobulins available, as you would find in Colostrum but without the dairy!) and Lysine.
This Olive Leaf from Supreme Nutrition is not like other Olive Leaf on the market. I use this product personally as it works well for me. Stay current on your Vitamin D (test your levels annually) with Systemic Formulas DV3 containing D, A, K2 plus several important nutrients for the immune system.
This Melissa herbal extract is the newest addition to the team. Check it out and add it to the others.
If you want assistance coordinating diet and supplements, I offer Consults to help you.
This article on support for Herpes and Shingles tells more about natural options I have used to treat my own viruses.
