What Might Your Herpes Outbreak Be Telling You?
I have lived with herpes for over 15 years and believe me, I have learned a few things about the causes of my herpes outbreaks. Like many, I had to learn the hard way of what triggered my outbreaks. While many people are triggered by a high arginine content in their food, heat, friction, sunlight, or their menses, my number one cause of herpes outbreaks was emotional stress. Stress is by far the number one cause of herpes outbreaks! So, if you don’t have your stress levels under control, herpes will rear it’s ugly head.
Most people in America have absolutely no idea how stressed they really are until their health fails. I can remember sitting in the office of my chiropractor as I attempted to tell her that my life wasn’t very stressful. She looked at me and smiled as she carefully reflected the stressful events that had occurred in the past several years of my life. She reminded me of how I went to medical school and graduated at the top of my class, relocated to a town where I didn’t know anyone, started my own Wellness Center in a town filled to capacity with other healers and doctors, how I got married and had a very challenging pregnancy, wrote a book, started a non-profit, had 3 miscarriages and an emergency appendectomy in a short period of time. I could go on, but there is no need to.
My whole point is that sometimes we are totally unaware of how stressed out our bodies are. Especially if you are a positive, optimistic person like I am. I was shocked to hear her tell ME what my body, mind and soul had been through. So, what might your herpes outbreak be telling you? You are STRESSED! Maybe you don’t get enough sleep, you have a poor diet, your a workaholic, or your finances and relationships are stressing you out. Frequent herpes outbreaks are a great reminder that you might be more stressed than you realize.
The first step in managing stress is to acknowledge it. It is from this point that you can actually then do something about it. I want you to think about the past year of your life and what you have been through. Be inquisitive, but also very compassionate and loving towards yourself as you review this time in your life. This will give you a feel for what it is like for the herpes virus to be living in your body. When your stressed, herpes thrives! Think back over the past year and determine what major changes or life events have occurred. Here’s some areas to consider:
Health: changes in diet, sleep, exercise, illness, hospitalizations, changes in recreation Work: new job, longer hours, unemployment, transfer, promotion, demotion, troubles with coworkers or boss
Home and Family: new home, loss of loved one, pregnancy, miscarriage, new baby, marriage, divorce, problems with family member, illness in family
Personal or Social: change in personal habits, change in social activities, new relationship, an accident, change in religion, major personal acheivment
Financial: major purchase, loss of property, investment or credit difficulties, increased or decreased income While some of these changes are positive, it might come as a surprise that they can also be stressful.
Once you acknowledge what you have been through, you can begin to integrate the emotions associated with these changes in a positive manner. Spending time in meditation DAILY is extremely powerful. Even 5 minutes a day can alter your mood, relax your body and help your body to dissipate stress. There is not a single person that doesn’t have 5 minutes a day to meditate. You can’t afford NOT to! Journalling is also an excellent tool to help us to process and integrate our emotions. Whether you have frequent herpes outbreaks or not, take the time to be still each and every day. Your body will thank you in the long run.
If you would like to learn to manage your herpes outbreaks holistically and to reclaim you life, check out my new book: Live, Love and Thrive with Herpes: A Holistic Guide for Women
