Epstein Barr Cures Blog

It is estimated that over 60% of Westerners are chronically sleep deprived. This is a worry because inadequate sleep is known to decrease the number and effectiveness of natural killer cells – the white blood cells that kill Epstein Barr.

It’s no coincidence that many of my patients report that their Epstein Barr began during or after a period of intense stress and the sleep deprivation that accompanies it. Stress may be the final, busy years of school, the pressures of university exams, the challenges of a new job, long hours at work, the loss of a job, the birth of a baby or the death of a loved one.

Picking up a virus like Epstein Barr is when the stress catches up on the body. In really bad cases some people find that they can’t get out of bed, their body is racked by muscle aches and pains, they have constant nausea, a raging sore throat, painful swollen glands and feelings of being helpless and totally overwhelmed.

Unfortunately without taking the time out to rest the body and rebuild the stress-coping chemicals, the body will never fully recover. I have seen far too many patients who try to push through their symptoms and struggle with daily life, only to find that they end up with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or fibromyalgia – a chronic condition of fatigue and muscle pain.

If you are recovering from Epstein Barr or mononucleosis, it is essential that you get at least 8 – 10 hours sleep a night. This is when your body produces growth hormone which help repairs your body.
Resolve to get to bed at a reasonable time – preferably by 10 p.m., and no later than 11 p.m. During the day, a power nap of 30 – 60 minutes will help recharge your batteries and magnify your body’s healing powers.

Many mononucleosis patients are so exhausted that rest and sleep is about all they can do! However it is the quality of sleep that really counts. The majority of patients go into a light, restless sleep punctuated with nightmares and bad dreams, as fevers run their course. They wake up exhausted, unrefreshed and feeling just plain awful.

If this sounds like you, you need to work with the simple natural therapies that help you enjoy a deep, rejuvenating, unbroken sleep. This can include taking some natural sleep-inducing herbs like valerian, skullcap and passionflower, taking some nutrients like magnesium, vitamin C and the B complex, and doing some stress-reducing techniques like meditation, yoga and deep breathing.

All the tips and techniques to turn your sleep patterns around are in my Mononucleosis Cures e-book.

Welcome to part 2 of the common mistakes people make when treating the Epstein Barr virus that causes mononucleosis or glandular fever.

Mistake 4 – Eating the wrong foods

One of the cheapest and easiest way to treat Epstein Barr is with good healthy foods. How well your immune system functions is closely linked to what you eat.

If you cram your body with all the wrong foods like sugar, white flour products, processed foods, alcohol, coffee and excess fats then there is no way you are going to make a good recovery from mono. Your body needs the right vitamins, minerals, enzymes and essential fats in order to boost your immune system, reduce fatigue and help your body cope with stress.

The right diet for Epstein Barr treatment is based around good quality foods like fish, organic chicken, lean red meat, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes. Each meal should have an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables – at least 80% of your plate should be fruit or vegetables. Add to this some essential healthy fats like fish oils, avocado, cold pressed olive oil or flaxseed oil, and you have a good balanced meal that will help you treat Epsetin Barr effectively.

Mistake 5 – Treating Epstein Barr virus with antibiotics

Antibiotics are of no use in the treatment of Epstein Barr virus. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria not viruses. In some cases using antibiotics to treat Epstein Barr can result in skin rashes, candida, digestive upsets and suppressed immunity.

Mistake 6 – Not taking the right nutrients to boost your immune system

One of the fastest ways to treat Epstein Barr is to add some supplementary nutrients to your regime. I give all my Epstein Barr patients vitamin A, C, E, zinc and selenium with good results. The B complex and magnesium are also fantastic to help with the fatigue and ensure a good night’s sleep.

There are also some great herbs for the treatment of Epstein Barr.

These include Olive Leaf extract, echinacea, garlic and astragalus. The right amounts of nutrients for you will vary according to your age, the severity of your illness and how much food you’re eating. For more specific information check in Chapter 2 of my e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures“.

Mistake 7 – Resuming activities too early

Getting back into exercise or daily activities too early is a sure fire way to put you back at square one. I can’t tell you how many times my patients have started to feel better, and have rushed back to their previous sport or work, only to find they get a relapse and start feeling awful again.

The best advice I can give here is too take things slowly. Start off with some gentle walking and monitor how your body responds. Perhaps go back to work or college for half a day and see how you cope. Build up slowly over a few weeks taking time to rest your body, eat well and drink plenty of water.

Remember the Epstein Barr virus is a latent virus, so once you’ve had it, it can reappear if you overstress your body or do too much.

I hope this information helps you in your recovery from Epstein Barr. More details can be found in my e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures“.

DISCLAIMER This e-mail is not to replace medical advice given by your health professional. It is recommended that you consult your doctor or health professional before following any therapeutic advice, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Never reduce or discontinue your prescribed medication without the consent of your doctor. The author cannot take medical or legal responsibility for illness arising out of the failure to seek medical advice from a doctor. © Wholistic Therapy Centre 2007

Today we’re going to talk about the 7 common mistakes that people make when treating the Epstein Barr virus that causes mononucleosis or glandular fever. These mistakes can slow your recovery and in some cases even cause chronic Epstein Barr virus or chronic fatigue syndrome.

So lets go through these common mistakes:

Mistake 1 – Not resting your body

Firstly the most common mistake people make is not resting when they are first diagnosed with Epstein Barr. Most people feel pretty bad when they are diagnosed. Epstein Barr symptoms can include extreme fatigue, sore throat, swollen glands, muscle aches, headaches, nausea and sometimes fever. Despite these debilitating symptoms some people try and struggle on and keep going to work, school or college, running a household, rushing around after their family. 

Mistake 2 – Not getting adequate sleep

Carrying on from this first mistake is the second mistake – not getting adequate sleep. Your body specifically needs good quality sleep when recovering from Epstein Barr.It is during sleep that your body produces a hormone called growth hormone. Growth hormone is your body’s repair hormone. Now going to bed too late, this is after about 11 p.m. your body produces less growth hormone. So please make sure you are in bed and asleep by 11 p.m.

Now to ensure you are asleep by 11 make sure you are not watching TV, playing computer, drinking caffeine or rushing around before bedtime. Get into a routine of unwinding before bed. Having a relaxing bath, reading quietly in bed, meditating or enjoying a chamomile tea before bed are all good ideas you can try.

Mistake 3 – Lack of adequate water

Now the third mistake, and this is probably the most common mistake I see in my patients, is not drinking enough water to flush out the viruses and toxins from your system.

I realize that in some people the throat can get really sore and inflamed which makes it hard to swallow. In these cases a hot lemon and honey tea can help soothe the throat and make drinking easier. Alternatively sucking on ice cubes can numb the pain and get the fluids into your body.

Now your aim should be at least 8 glasses of fluid a day. Fluids can include pure water, herb teas, lemon in hot water, broths, soups and freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices. Your fluids should not include tea, coffee or alcohol which will just dehydrate you and make you feel worse.

Part 2 of these common mistakes will appear in the next post. I look forward to talking with you then.

Elizabeth

Hi

Welcome to the Epstein Barr Cures blog. I’m Elizabeth Noble – a qualified Naturopath and Director of the Wholistic Therapy Centre.

Having had chronic Epstein Barr (mononucleosis or glandular fever) myself for 15 years I know that it can be a very frustrating and difficult time. With very little support and advice from the medical community, it can also be a very lonely condition.

One of the aims of this site is to make you feel supported and valued. It’s important that you are aware that other people are going through exactly what you are going through right now.

For this reason I encourage you to share your story, ask questions, offer encouragement to those in need, or just have a friendly chat with others from around the world. I believe that with the help, support and strength of others you can overcome any challenge and achieve your goals.

I’m committed to helping you get over your current symptoms as soon as possible… then building up your immunity and health so you’re jumping out of your skin with health and vitality!

Best Wishes

Elizabeth