Canker/Cold Sores

Canker/Cold Sores

Foods to Eat More Of:

Fruits: Apples, apricots, berries, grapes, papayas, pears
Vegetables: Arugula, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collard greens, kale, onions, romaine lettuce, squash, watercress
Fish (especially halibut, salmon, sardines & tuna)
Legumes (except chickpeas), nutritional yeast, sea herbs, sprouted beans, yogurt
Garlic

Foods to Avoid or Minimize:

Whole grains, nuts, chocolate, carob, bacon, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, mushrooms
Alcohol & caffeine

Essential Oils:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.

Bergamot, blue cypress, galbanum, geranium, German & Roman chamomile, hyssop, laurel, lavender, lemon, tea tree, oregano, rosalina, sage (throat, bottom of feet, on location)
When you feel the tingling of a sore starting, try rubbing tea tree directly to area and it will sometimes prevent the sore from developing.

Natural/Herbal:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.

Astragalus, birch, burdock, calendula, cayenne, cloves, dandelion root, echinacea, elderflowers, garlic, ginseng, lemon balm, noni, parsley, St. John's wort, sumac, yarrow
Can be worsened by stress, try yoga & meditation
Zinc Lozenges: 1 lozenge every 2 hours for 3-4 days (do not exceed 150 mg zinc daily from all sources).
Daub with apple cider vinegar, cornstarch, alum powder or Goldenseal tincture.
Rinse with Epsom salt water.
Swish liquid echinacea in the mouth for 2-3 minutes, up to 3 times daily.
Mix myrrh tincture with warm water and swish in mouth for 2-3 minutes, up to 3 times daily.
Melissa Cream: apply cream to sores 2-4 times daily (also called lemon balm); Can also make a tea out of lemon balm and apply liquid with cotton ball.
Flaxseed Oil: 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) a day; take in the morning.

Yoga Therapy:

Yoga For Anxiety and Stress (27 minutes - Yoga With Adriene)
Yoga for Anxiety (16 minutes - Yoga With Adriene)
Relax & Restore Yoga (10 minutes - Sadie Nardini- BeFit Yoga)
Meditation for Anxiety (14 minutes - Yoga With Adriene)
Instant Stress & Anxiety Releasing Yoga Meditation (4 minutes - sadienardini)

Supplements & Homeopathic:

Lysine: 1,000 mg L-lysine 3 times daily (take on empty stomach, do not take with milk, discontinue when sores heal).
Vitamin C/ Flavonoids: 1,000 mg vitamin C and 500 mg flavonoids 3 times daily (reduce if it causes diarrhea).
Vitamin A: 25,000 IU twice daily for 5 days (pregnant women should not exceed 5,000 IU daily).
Echinacea/ Goldenseal: 200 mg echinacea and 125 mg of goldenseal 4 times daily.
Selenium: 600 mcg a day only during flare-ups (don't exceed 600 mcg daily; higher doses may be toxic).

Licorice (DGL): Chew 1-2 deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) wafers (380 mg) 3-4 times daily between meals.
Vitamin B Complex: 1 pill each morning with food (look for B-50 complex with 50 mcg vitamin B12 and biotin; 400 mcg folic acid; and 50 mg of all other B vitamins).
Lactobacillus acidophilus: 4 tablets 3 times daily.
Natrum Muriaticum 6c: 3-4 times daily until symptoms improve.
Mercurius Sol 6c: 3-4 times daily until symptoms improve.
Arsenicum Album 6c: 3-4 times daily until symptoms improve.
Borax 6c: 3-4 times daily until symptoms improve.

Mind-Body Connection:

Can represent feelings of blame, or having a fear of expressing nasty/angry words out loud.

Recipes - Food Medicine:
*Note: Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets. Recipes naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free are marked as such (V=Vegan; GF=Gluten-Free).

Smoothies/Beverages:

Meals:

Sides & Salads: