HSV Meal Plans

When I first attempted to manage my dietary protein intake, I found it frustrating. I thought that by eliminating all foods containing arginine (an amino acid that feeds the herpes virus), I could hold onto the hope of becoming symptom-free from herpes. However, I soon discovered it was impossible to go that route because not only would it severely restrict my diet, but it would also make me look old before my time. Arginine plays a key role in assisting the production of collagen (that stuff that holds us together and keeps us wrinkle-free, among other things). Arginine, it turns out, is beneficial for our health. Furthermore, I enjoyed foods containing arginine, such as blueberries and walnuts.

 

 

  • Foods Highest in Arginine

 

  • Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, onions, chives, cabbage, mushrooms (except white and enoki), peas (green), corn, yams, collards, squash (except spaghetti), sweet peppers (even though red bell pepper is a histamine healer), cabbage (except purple), chicory, kahlirabi, plantains (raw), and rutabagas. Also garlic, olives (except olive oil), mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise (except mayonnaise made with olive oil)
  • Fruits: Oranges, grapes, raisins, tangerines, blackberries, blueberries, dates, mincemeat, and mixed berries (frozen packages)
  • Grains: All, except sorghum and amaranth
  • Seeds and Nuts: Flaxseed, walnut, and sesame seeds (and oils made from them), almond, walnut, and tahini (and butters made from them), hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds
  • Chocolate

 

For a time, I referred to my guide, The Comprehensive L-Lysine Versus Arginine Food Ratio Guide, which is a fantastic tool I created to look up foods higher in lysine (the amino acid that helps keep herpes in remission) than in arginine, which feeds the herpes virus. Still, I didn't want to refer to it every time I sat down to eat something. So, what to do? I decided to print out my guide and circle all the foods I tended to eat more often than others from the "higher in lysine" list, which worked well until I realized I was also histamine-sensitive (frequent herpes outbreaks can lead to Histamine Intolerance, which is why so many herpes diets fail to work. 

 

 

  • Foods Highest in Histamine

 

  • Fermented foods: Kefir, kimchi, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, soy (fermented), tempeh, and "sour" foods
  • Fruits: Avocado, citrus (not all), strawberries, tomato, banana, and dried fruit (especially apricots, prunes, dates, figs, and raisins)
  • Grains, Nuts, and Seeds: Nuts (cashews and walnuts are highest), and legumes
  • Vegetables: Spinach, eggplant
  • Spices: Anise, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne, curry powder, nutmeg, paprika, and store-bought seasoning packets
  • Other: Specific fish (anchovies, mackerel, mahi mahi, sardines, tuna, and fish sauce), all canned, prepackaged foods, foods labeled "with spices", smoked, cured, leftovers, aged cheese, vinegar (except gluten-free white distilled and apple cider vinegar, such as Bragg's), vinegar-containing products (olives, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise), and alcohol 
  • Salt: Sea salt is allowed, but not salty foods or "regular" table salt.

 

Then I realized that inflammatory foods were a problem too. However, most are eliminated by removing foods high in histamine.

 

 

Histamine Liberators

 

Histamine liberators are foods and substances that don't contain histamine but encourage the release of histamine in the body, such as alcohol, bananas, chocolate, cow's milk, nuts, papaya, pineapple, shellfish, strawberries, tomato, wheat germ, many artificial preservatives, and dyes.

 

 

Inflammation-Causing Foods

 

  • Breads, crackers, pasta, tortillas, and baked goods using white flour (also high in arginine)
  • Cereals, except oatmeal (also high in arginine)
  • Potatoes, except sweet potatoes
  • Sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Sodas
  • Fruit juice
  • Hard cheeses (especially nonorganic)
  • Ice cream and frozen yogurt
  • Jams and jellies (because of sugar content)
  • Chocolate may cause inflammation, as it's histamine-liberating. It's also high in arginine. Any chocolate eaten must be 60% cocoa, or it becomes highly inflammatory due to its sugar content. 
  • Cinnamon
  • Dairy
  • Beans
  • Fermented foods
  • Gluten, whether you're gluten-sensitive or not (in most grains)
  • Peanuts
  • Soy

 

Removing high-arginine and anti-inflammatory foods from your diet may not help reduce outbreaks unless you also remove high-histamine foods. Furthermore, eating a lysine-rich diet may not always help reduce outbreaks, because many lysine-rich foods can actually trigger inflammation, which in turn can release histamine and contribute to outbreaks. There are many testing options available to determine what you're dealing with: food sensitivities or allergies, histamine levels, DAO, and others. Your doctor can order these tests. That's the best way to find out if what you're experiencing is an allergy, histamine intolerance, or Mast Cell Dysfunction. If those are ruled out, you need only be concerned with high-arginine levels in your diet. 

 

Because I also live with Interstitial Cystitis (which can be triggered by histamine and herpes), I decided to eliminate foods from my list that were highest in histamine, were histamine liberators, or reduced DAO, to see if I would feel a difference (and I did!). I also examined highly inflammatory foods and eliminated a few of those. 

 

You'd think there wouldn't be much left to eat, but that wasn't the case. I'm a creature of habit anyway (most of us are). I ended up with an absolute "clean" list. I add things in and take things out from time to time, according to what's seasonally available (and my taste buds). Your list will, no doubt, be different depending on your food preferences. 

 

  • Meats & Eggs: All meats and eggs (except cured, smoked, canned, spiced, pickled, fried, or leftovers)
  • Dairy: Soft cheeses (like cream cheese and cottage cheese), Mozzarella, and some yogurt (organic)
  • Fruits: Apples, cantaloupe, cherries, melons, pears, apricots, nectarines, plum, peach, and mango (no canned)
  • Vegetables: Asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage (raw), beets, broccoli, celery, green pepper and red pepper (not hot), kale, lettuce (all), sprouts, mushrooms (white), sweet potatoes, zucchini, turnips, Summer squash, and potatoes (any)
  • Beverages: White tea, herbal tea, pure water, and some green tea (green tea blocks DAO)
  • Fats: Olive oil, olive oil mayonnaise, and cocoa butter
  • Seaweed: Nori and wakame are low-to-no-histamine foods and are usually easily tolerated. However, wakame contains higher levels of iron, which can pose problems for those living with certain health conditions. Additionally, viruses "love" an excess of iron. 
  • Other: Sea salt, nutritional yeast (high in lysine), and psyllium husk

 

Note: Please keep in mind that these are my personal food choices. There are plenty of other foods to choose from. 

 

 

In Summary

 

Avoid highly inflammatory foods, foods high in histamine, foods and substances that liberate histamine, foods that block DAO, foods high in arginine, and foods and substances you often eat or use that cause poor pH. You may also want to review my Oxalates & Salicylates Foods & Substances Lists to check off any items that might be triggering your outbreaks. For example, green tea, while providing many excellent health benefits, can work against you if you drink too much of it or consume the wrong brand. It contains a high amount of oxalates and also shuts down DAO in the gut, which metabolizes histamine.

 

Most grains are off limits on a herpes, histamine, and anti-inflammatory diet. I know. I love bread and cereals too. What I do is make my own with all-natural ingredients and eat one to two servings daily, along with lysine-rich foods (such as milk or dairy products) or take a lysine supplement to counterbalance any potential side effects. I follow Schnelle Rezepte on YouTube. He has some of the best recipes for all-natural, sugar-free bread and cereals. 

 

Keep in mind, it's not about obliterating favorite foods from your diet. It's about making conscious choices and using wise management skills. One of those skills is learning to prepare food in different ways. Instead of frying, baking. Instead of sugar, honey. Instead of bread, a lettuce wrap. That kind of thing.

 

From my final, self-approved grocery list, I created meal plans, which proved much easier than counting food ratios or looking up histamine information all the time. My meal plans also helped me quickly recall food combinations that I could easily grab or prepare and eat without worrying about triggering a herpes outbreak or histamine symptoms, such as bladder pain. I share a few of my meal plans below. Please don't feel you have to use them. They're just healthy suggestions for when you don't want to put much thought into meal planning. If you like, you can grab a copy at the bottom of this page. 

 

 

HSV Meal Plans

 

Breakfast

 

  1. Boiled eggs
  2. Quiche with zucchini, mushrooms (White), and cheese (use Mozzarella)
  3. Cheese omelet (use Mozzarella)
  4. Organic coffee with half-and-half (one 8-oz cup). You can add raw honey or coconut sugar.
  5. Egg and potato hash (browned in ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil)
  6. Lean meat (not fried, canned, cured, smoked, or leftover)
  7. A steamer made with organic milk, organic vanilla, and honey to taste
  8. Plain, organic yogurt and mixed fruit (acceptable fruits)
  9. Toast with butter and cottage cheese (toast is high in arginine, but cottage cheese contains enough lysine to balance out the meal)

 

 

Lunch

 

  1. Lettuce, egg, celery, and cottage cheese
  2. Cauliflower (browned in butter) with blanched lettuce leaves (toss leaves in at the last minute)
  3. Kale, chicken, and apple
  4. Tuna (not canned) and lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing (made with olive oil)
  5. Large lettuce leaves, sprouts, celery, and beets (raw, cooked)
  6. Lean meat, egg, and kale
  7. Lettuce, sprouts, and white mushrooms
  8. Dark leaf lettuce with Mozzarella
  9. ​Cut veggies and mayonnaise dip (mayo made with olive oil)

 

 

Dinner

 

  1. Lettuce-wrapped chicken (a no-bread sandwich)
  2. A large lettuce (and other veggies), meat, and boiled egg salad
  3. ​Egg drop soup with a green salad
  4. ​Baked potato, beets (or beet greens), and roast beef 
  5. Red potato, asparagus, and wild-caught salmon
  6. Sweet potato, zucchini, and grilled chicken 
  7. ​Turnip greens, corn (cut off the stalk), and pork chops
  8. ​Asparagus, mushrooms (White), and fish (acceptable varieties)
  9. Green pepper (stuffed with meat and potato) and a green salad​

 

Note: All meat portions should be 3-6 ounces (about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand).

 

 

Okay Fats

 

Okay Fats: Olive oil, ghee, butter, coconut oil, coconut butter, mayonnaise (made with olive oil)

 

While coconut meat is an HSV trigger because of its high arginine content, coconut oil doesn't contain any amino acids. It's safe to add one teaspoon of coconut oil 3 to 5 times a week to already cooked foods, smoothies, and turmeric tea.

 

 

Okay Beverages

 

Organic/decaf coffee with whipped cream or half-and-half (once daily), organic milk, white or herbal tea, and pure water (no tap water, which contains toxins). Use raw honey, stevia, maple sugar, or coconut sugar to sweeten your dishes. Non-dairy milks and creamers contain arginine. You may want to avoid them while first learning to put HSV in remission. 

 

 

Snacks & Desserts

 

You can live with herpes and still eat your cake or pie. However, you'll want to stick to approved foods or counteract it with other foods high in lysine (or take a lysine supplement). Also, when you snack (and we all do), make sure your snacks are on the approved food list. It's best to reach for some protein or fat (or both) between meals. Desserts can be included along with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

The HSV Meal Plans PDF

The Anti-HSV Cauldron includes a 30-Day Menu Plan for those living with HSV, Interstitial Cystitis, and Histamine Intolerance. It includes a Monthly Grocery List and Easy-to-Make Recipes.

Bon Appetit!