Top Foods for Shingles

Foods high in B-vitamins — The nervous system is under attack by the shingles virus; therefore, B-vitamins such as grass-fed beef, cultured dairy, eggs, organic chicken and wild-caught fish.

Water — is the key to flushing out the virus from your system. Try to drink 8 ounces every 2 hours.

Garlic and onions — Both contain allicin, which can help boost immune function.

Foods rich in vitamin C — 

Add orange and yellow fruits and vegetables to increase your vitamin C intake, which will help to boost your immune system and speed healing.

Green leafy vegetables —  are high in beta-carotene and calcium, which can boost immune function.

Foods to Avoid For Faster Healing

Sugar — Decreases white blood cells.
Fruit juices — Although orange juice contains some vitamin C, it is not as high in vitamin C as whole fruits or vegetables.
Caffeine — Depletes the body of hydration, so avoid it.
Carbonated beverages — Try to avoid  
Fried foods — NO

Shingles Supplements 

Vitamin C 5,000 mg for  immune system 

 
Echinacea is an herb known for helping the body fight off infections and viruses.Echinacea (500 mg 3x daily)

Oregano oil a powerful antiviral effect, (500mg 2x daily)

Vitamin B12 (1000-5000 mcg daily faster recovery and pain.

Zinc has an antiviral effect  -  50 mg daily

Essential Oils

Geranium Essential Oil

Geranium essential oil has been studied and shown to actually reduce pain due to post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) following a shingles outbreak. With topical application, essential oil of geranium has been shown to relieve painful sensations within mere minutes. It even outperformed topical capsaicin, which is often recommended for shingles pain, but can take weeks to improve the pain. (7)

Other essential oil options for shingles natural treatment include: (8)

• Lemongrass essential oil
• Lavender essential oil
• Peppermint essential oil

You can take 2 drops of an essential oil and mix it with 1/4 teaspoon of coconut oil and rub it on areas of shingles pain. It’s a good idea to perform a patch test on a less sensitive area of skin to make sure you don’t have a negative reaction to the essential oil. You can also diffuse these essential oils for their antiviral benefits.

Other Natural Treatments

Honey

Applying honey topically to shingles rash is another scientifically-backed shingles natural treatment.  A 2012 in vitro study showed that both manuka honey, as well as clover honey, showed significant antiviral activity against varicella-zoster virus. Simply apply the honey directly to problem areas a few times per day. (9)

Colloidal Oatmeal Baths 

A shingles natural treatment that doesn’t cost a lot, but can really help with the common shingles symptom of itching, is bathing in water infused with colloidal oatmeal. Make sure the bath is on the cooler side since hot water will only make itching worse. (10)

Stress Reduction

According to Mayo Clinic, reducing stress in your life as much as possible is actually a key shingles natural treatment. This lifestyle change can help to prevent and treat shingles since stress reduction is such an overall immune system and health booster. (11)

Related: Top 7 Benefits of Green Tea: The No. 1 Anti-Aging Beverage