Shingles causes include: stress,
cancer, using
anticancer drugs, and immune system deficiency. Physical or emotional
stress can also be a consideration. Even a minor injury or cold may
cause an
attack. Shingles affects over 875,000 Americans every year. It
may affect persons of any age, but is
more common in people over 50 years old. Since this is when the body's immune function naturally
starts to decline. Shingles normally lasts only a few weeks, however, severe cases may last longer and require
special treatment. There are some cases, where the pain lasts
for months and even years. This type syndrome is known as postherpetic neuralgia.
If shingles develop near the eyes, the cornea may be affected and
blindness may result. Around 20% of people who get shingles suffer
repeats of the disease. For people who have immune system
deficiencies, shingles can be very damaging. It is capable of
affecting the internal organs, and causing damage to both
kidneys and lungs. Shingles can also cause permanent injuries
including: blindness, deafness, and paralysis. If shingles goes
untreated, death may occur.
Shingles is a type of infection caused by the virus called "varicella
zoster". The virus is a member of the herpes family and chickenpox is
also caused by this very same virus.
Shingles affects the nerve endings in the skin. Commonly, the skin of the
abdomen under the ribs, leading toward the navel, are most
affected, but shingles may occur anywhere on the body. Many adults
have already contracted chickenpox. This childhood disease
causes a fever and a rash that itches really bad, but rarely does any
permanent damage. However, once the varicella zoster virus enters the
body and has caused chickenpox, it doesn't just go away. It may lie dormant
in the spinal cord and nerve ganglia for years until activated,
usually by a weakening of the person's immune system.
Then the varicella zoster infection spreads to the very ends of the
nerves, causing them to send impulses to the brain that are processed as severe pain, itching, or burning, and rendering the
overlying skin much more sensitive than usual. An attack of shingles
is often preceded by 3 - 4 days of chills, fever, and achiness.
There also may be pain in the affected area. Then groups of tiny
blisters will appear. The affected area becomes very painful and
sensitive to touch. The other symptoms may include: numbness,
depression, tingling, shooting pains, fever, and
headache. This
phase of shingles lasts 7 to 14 days. The blisters normally form
crusty scabs and drop off. The chances of a shingles attack can be
increased by several factors, including stress, anxiety,
cancer, the use of anticancer drugs, and immune system deficiency.
However, serious illness is not required to activate the virus. Any
type of physical or emotional stress can make one susceptible. Often,
something as innocuous as a minor injury or a mild cold can lead to an
attack in an otherwise , healthy person. In most cases, it is never
determined just what the trigger is. Shingles can appear at any age,
but is most common in people over 50 years old, when immune
function naturally begins to decline as a result of
aging.
Most cases of shingles run their course in a few weeks. More
severe cases may last longer and require special treatment. In
some cases, the pain continues for months, even years, after the
blisters have gone. This syndrome, called postherpetic
neuralgia, is more likely to occur in older people. If shingles
develop near the eyes, the cornea may be affected and blindness can
occur. About 20% of people who get shingles will suffer a recurrence of the disease. For people with immune
deficiencies, shingles and its aftermath can be devastating. The
disease is capable of affecting the internal organs, attacking even
the lungs and kidneys. Disseminated shingles can cause permanent
injury including blindness, deafness, or paralysis, depending upon the
area of the body that is served by the infected nerves if it goes
unchecked. Death can occur as the result of a secondary bacterial
infection or viral pneumonia brought on by shingles.
Nutritional supplementation, dietary changes, and other lifestyle
changes listed on this webpage can help shingles as well as good
general health.
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance
( 1 - 10 ) |
Helpful notes |
Calcium
|
10 |
mineral
that helps nerve function, healing, and also help combat stress |
Magnesium |
9 |
mineral
that works with calcium |
Essential
omega acids
|
10 |
promotes healing of
both nerve and skin tissue. They are found in fish oil, flax seed oil, and borage seed oil |
Multi-vitamin
and Mineral supplement |
10 |
contains vitamin E,
vitamin A, vitamin
C, vitamin E, vitamin B complex, calcium, magnesium, selenium,
and zinc which all are helpful in
both the treatment and prevention
of shingles (herpes zoster). The nutrients in a daily supplement are required for general good health and
well being. |
Selenium |
9 |
this
mineral is an important antioxidant |
Bioflavonoids |
9 |
bioflavonoids are
natural antioxidant and free radical destroyer. They also
boost the body's immune system to help
it fight the shingles herpes
virus |
vitamin
A |
9 |
important in helping
the
immune system and thus protection from infection. It is good for eye
function and health. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant to promote healing. |
Echinacea |
8 |
herb that helps the
immune system and it works well with reishi mushroom in an herbal blend |
vitamin
C |
9 |
works with
bioflavonoids to promote healing in the body |
vitamin
E |
9 |
helps body healing
process and it also serves as a powerful antioxidant to help
prevent formation of scar tissue |
vitamin
B12 |
9 |
good for
nerve health and stress |
Pantothenic
acid |
9 |
vitamin B5
helps in forming antibodies |
Pyridoxine |
9 |
vitamin B6
helps immune function |
vitamin
D |
9 |
aids in
tissue healing and required for calcium absorption |
Grape
seed extract |
8 |
strong
anti oxidant that protects skins cells and helps prevent
blisters as well as provide general healing. |
Garlic |
8 |
herb good
for healing and immune system |
vitamin
B complex |
8 |
is needed
both for nerve
health and eye cell
metabolism |
Zinc |
9 |
strengthens the
body's immune
system to protect against infection. It has been shown that
a zinc deficiency is linked to many various eye disorders |
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
-
eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
-
nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
-
juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
-
do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
-
a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
-
do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
-
do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
-
use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
-
brown rice is good to eat
-
avoid red meat and animal fats
-
reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
-
fast a few days a month
-
get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
-
avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
-
do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
-
do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
-
do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
-
do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
|