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Natural Treatment for Shingles: A Naturopathic Guide

A member of the herpes family, shingles is caused by varicella zoster, the same virus that causes chickenpox in children. Shingles, on the other hand, affects mostly those over fifty.

If you have had chicken-pox as a child the virus could return from dormancy, decades later, in the form of shingles. Clumps of blisters erupt on the skin, following the path of the infected nerve. It may circle around the abdomen or chest, and can sometimes affect the neck, lower back, forehead and eyes. During an attack of shingles, you tend to feel pretty lousy all over. The area around the blisters can be excruciating, and for some people this may last for weeks after the blisters have disappeared: when this happens it is called postherpetic neuralgia.

Why Me?

  • You can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles, but not vice-versa.
  • Usually an attack of shingles occurs when you are run down, physically or emotionally.

What To Do

Diet

  • The herpes virus thrives on one particular amino acid, arginine, and has a strong dislike for another amino acid, lysine, which inhibits its replication. At the time of an attack it is wise to reduce foods relatively high in arginine including chocolate, peanuts, soya beans and other legumes, nuts, seeds, carob and coconut. Foods with a good lysine:arginine ratio include eggs, fish, chicken, milk, cheese, brewer’s yeast and most fruits and vegetables.
  • Avoid coffee, alcohol and sugar.

Herbs and Supplements

  • Take a vitamin B complex each day to prevent further recurrences.
  • Take at least 500 mg of vitamin C daily, plus a 22 mg zinc tablet, to boost immunity and healing.
  • The herb St John’s wort is excellent for shingles. Take it on its own or in combination with one or more of valerian, passionflower, chamomile, and vervain. If you can obtain some St John’s wort oil, apply it to the blisters.
  • To dry the sores, bathe the affected area with apple cider vinegar diluted with water.
  • Dab aloe vera gel onto the area after bathing to dry out and heal the sores.
  • After the sores have healed and dried, massage in the contents of a vitamin E oil capsule every day to prevent scarring.
  • Take a warm bath each night with several drops of lavender oil, and use an oat sock instead of soap.

Other Steps

  • For the pain, dissolve a soluble aspirin tablet in about a cup of water. Saturate a face cloth in the aspirin solution, then wrap this in plastic and put it in the freezer for a half an hour before applying.
  • The shingles virus emerges from hibernation when you are at your lowest ebb physically and emotionally. Establish some good eating, sleeping and exercise habits to prevent yourself sliding down again.
  • Shingles and stress go together. Learn to meditate and manage your stress.

At a glance

Good food
Eggs, fish, chicken, milk, cheese, brewer’s yeast and most fruits and vegetables.
Food to avoid
Coffee, alcohol and sugar, chocolate, peanuts, soybeans and other legumes, nuts, seeds, carob and coconut.
Remedies to begin
St John’s wort, vitamin B complex, cold aspirin compress, zinc, vitamin C.
Lifestyle
Stress management.
MindBody
You need to be nurtured like a child.

Beyond Diet: The Essential Tool for Stress and Immunity    

As a Naturopath, I know that Shingles (Varicella Zoster) outbreaks happen when your immune system is at its lowest, often triggered by intense physical or emotional stress, or chronic lack of sleep. You can be ticking all the boxes with lysine, vitamin C, and zinc, but if your body is running on empty due to stress, the Varicella Zoster virus will always find a way to pop up.

This is why, over my career, I’ve incorporated BreatheWell (my Buteyko approach) as a foundational tool for Shingles prevention and recovery.

How BreatheWell (Buteyko) Supports Your Immune System

My Buteyko method provides the necessary physiological support your immune system needs to keep the Varicella Zoster virus dormant:

  1. Flipping the Stress Switch: The single biggest trigger for Shingles is stress. Chronic over-breathing, even slight amounts you don’t notice, forces your body into a constant state of ‘fight or flight’ (the sympathetic nervous system). This state diverts energy away from crucial immune functions. BreatheWell exercises are scientifically proven to calm the nervous system, physically shifting your body into a ‘rest and repair’ state. This immediately frees up your immune system’s resources to keep the virus in check. 
  2. Optimising Sleep for Recovery: Your body does its deep immune repair while you sleep. If you are a snorer or mouth-breather, you are not getting restorative sleep, leaving you chronically “run down.” BreatheWell retraining restores efficient nasal breathing, ensuring you get high-quality, deep sleep. This is non-negotiable for keeping your body’s defences high and preventing viral flares.
  3. Reducing Postherpetic Neuralgia (Chronic Pain): Shingles pain can be excruciating and linger long after the blisters are gone (Postherpetic Neuralgia). By calming the nervous system, Buteyko techniques help to relax nerve pathways, reducing the intensity and duration of chronic nerve pain, a massive boost to your quality of life during and after an outbreak.

If you are prone to recurring Shingles or feel constantly stressed and tired, address your breathing. It is the core habit that dictates your body’s internal environment.

Ready to Boost Your Resilience? Let’s explore how Buteyko (BreatheWell) can help strengthen your immunity and calm nerve pain.

Book your FREE 15-Minute Chat with me. It’s a quick, no-pressure chat to see if breathing therapy is the simple, foundational tool you need to stay on top of your health.

Want to Take a Step Further? Learn Buteyko Breathing to Treat the Root Cause

Inefficient breathing (chronic over-breathing) is often the missing foundational habit that drives systemic stress, poor sleep, and anxiety.

Learn how to quickly normalise your breathing volume to calm your nervous system and improve your overall systemic health. 

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