Food as Medicine: Managing Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Through Diet

There is no perfect diet for fighting Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). There are ways to improve the diet and make it more effective in the healing process, but you don’t need to eat perfectly to heal. 

What you eat will vary depending on your current health issues, your digestive function, and your food sensitivities and allergies. Do what works for you and use this information to guide your choices. 

Get back to the basics of eating as much of a whole foods diet as you can. Our diets are more than just “what we eat.” Our diets are shaped by our finances, food availability, personal likes and dislikes, cooking skill, time in our schedules, and our family’s needs.  

Eat what’s available to you, what you can afford, and what’s easiest for you to prepare. A whole foods diet is supportive of health no matter what health issues you’re dealing with and any positive changes you make will only help you. 

What About the High Lysine-Low Arginine Diet?

This is a diet that many in the EBV community have heard about. Lysine and arginine are amino acids that are similar enough to each other that they can compete for absorption. The virus needs arginine to mature into a viral cell that can leave the host cell and go out and infect your other cells. When lysine is present, the virus can’t mature and so this stops it from reactivating. This is why lysine is often recommended for EBV therapy. 

When it comes to the amino acids in foods it gets a little more complicated. Foods can have both lysine and arginine in different ratios. Generally speaking, pork, turkey, nuts, seeds, and chocolate have high arginine content. 

I wouldn’t get too caught up in the lysine/arginine content of food because it can overcomplicate the diet. You may already be reducing or avoiding certain foods and I’m not a fan of reducing foods unless you have a good reason to do so. 

You’re probably taking supplemental L-lysine anyway so this will tip the balance in your favor. If it’s not too overwhelming, you could reduce or eliminate pork, turkey, nuts, seeds and chocolate from your diet to lower your arginine intake. 

Eating a balanced, varied, whole foods diet is what to really focus on. That will help you more in the long term than worrying about the arginine content in foods. 

What If I Have Food Sensitivities? 

Many of the foods that I’ll go over here can also be common food sensitivities. These include wheat (gluten), dairy, eggs, soy, and nightshades. If you already know that you’re sensitive to these foods, then I’d suggest keeping them out of the diet because they’re just going to impair your gut and immune system and increase overall inflammation in your body. 

If you’re not sure if these foods are a problem, you can try eliminating them from your diet for 2-4 weeks, then reintroducing them back in and see how you feel. I’d suggest keeping a symptom journal during this time. 

Let’s Start With The Basics

Eating whole foods means choosing foods in their natural state as much as possible and reducing your intake of processed foods. If you’re eating foods that have been processed, check out the label and try to find foods with the least amount of ingredients and ones that you actually understand.

Part of eating a whole foods diet is also knowing where your food comes from and how it was raised, grown or prepared. Foods might be shipped long distances depending on season, which adds to their environmental impact. Animals may be raised in different ways, which can impact the nutritional value of the meat, dairy or eggs that are produced. The beneficial phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are impacted by how they are grown and how far they were shipped. 

These are things to think about when choosing your food. Think about supporting local producers and growers at your farmer’s market or store if you can. 

Animal Protein

Keep in mind how the animal was raised as this will impact the quality of the protein.

If you can, choose grass fed beef. It will have more omega-3 fats and less omega-6 than conventionally raised. 

Fish can be a good source of omega-3 fats but they get it from eating algae so go with wild raised over farm raised. There may be higher mercury content, especially in tuna, so avoid daily consumption. 

• Wild salmon

• Haddock

• Mackerel

• Herring

• Sardines

• Trout 

  
  

Pork and poultry - These meats have higher arginine content so make sure to take extra lysine if you eat them often. 

Eggs

Eggs can be a good source of lysine. Try to choose cage free and pastured. They can be a common food sensitivity and allergen so don’t eat them if this is true for you. If you’re curious, try eliminating them for 2-4 weeks and see if it changes how you feel. 

Dairy

Foods like milk, yogurt, butter and cream are common food sensitivities so if you know you’re sensitive, don’t include them in your diet. You can also go with non-dairy alternatives like coconut and almond. There are many options out there.

If you’re dairy free and worried about calcium you can also get it in leafy greens, seaweed, garbanzo beans, quinoa, hazelnuts and almonds.

Fruits and Vegetables 

Many fruits and vegetables are great options. They provide immune supportive nutrients, protective antioxidants, fiber, and energy. Eat a variety either fresh or frozen. 

If you have sensitive digestion, cook your vegetables to make them easier to digest. Soup is a great way to do this and keeps the nutritional value intact. 

Try to get organic when you can. Check the EWG list for what produce is most likely to be grown with pesticides so you can make informed choices when you’re shopping that will fit within your budget.

If you have one near you, check out your local farmer’s market and eat in season. 

Fruits - choose a variety!

Apples

Apricots

Avocados

Bananas

Berries

Cherries

Grapes

Guava

Kiwi

Melons

Mango

Oranges

Papaya

Peaches

Plums

Pomegranates

Vegetables - Choose a variety!

Artichokes

Asparagus

Beets

Broccoli

Brussel sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Chard

Collards

Cucumbers

Eggplant*

Kale

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Parsnips

Peppers*

Potatoes*

Pumpkins

Radish

Sprouts

Spinach

Sweet potatoes

Yams

Sea vegetables are also a good option and provide iron, iodine and calcium. These include arame, dulse, kombu, and nori. 

*A note about nightshades: Nightshades are the potato family (potatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes) and can be a food sensitivity, especially in those with autoimmune disease. 

Whole grains 

Whole grains are going to provide more fiber and nutrients (like magnesium) than refined grains. 

Gluten free grains

Amaranth

Brown rice

Buckwheat

Millet

Quinoa (is also a complete protein!)

Teff

Wild rice

Oats (if they are certified GF) 

A note about gluten: Gluten is a common food sensitivity. Grains that contain gluten are wheat, spelt, kamut, rye, and barley. Oats may also contain gluten if they’re processed in facilities that process wheat so look for gluten free oats. 

Legumes

Legumes provide fiber, minerals and are a source of protein. Go with lentils, peas and split peas. Soy is a complete protein and may be genetically modified so choose organic. Beans can include adzuki, black, fava, butter, garbanzo (chickpea), kidney, mung, navy, and pinto.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts are sources of omega-3 fats and minerals like calcium and selenium. Seeds are great sources of minerals, protein, vitamin E, omega-3 fats and fiber. Avoid too much salt and sugar. Choose nut butters without hydrogenated oils. Try to get organic. 

The fats in nuts and seeds can be delicate so keep them refrigerated and away from heat and light. If eating sesame, chia, flax, or hemp seeds, make sure to grind it to get the most nutrition out of it. If you don’t grind them, they’ll still be great sources of fiber! 

Nuts

• Macadamia

• Hazelnut - calcium

• Almonds - calcium

• Pecans

• Walnuts

• Brazil nut - selenium

• Pine nut

• Walnuts - omega-3 fats

Seeds

• Pumpkin - zinc

• Flax and chia - omega-3 fats

• Sesame

• Sunflower 

• Hemp - complete protein, omegas

Sweeteners - Use less refined sugars and use substitutes like dates, raw honey, and maple syrup.

Oils

These provide antioxidants and vitamin E. Find cold pressed in dark, glass bottles. Store omega-3 oils in the fridge and don’t use them for cooking. To balance the omega ratios, try to increase consumption of omega-3 fats and decrease omega-6 fats. 

• Extra virgin olive oil - low or no heat

• Coconut oil - high heat (good for those with sensitive digestion)

• Dark roasted sesame oil for flavor

• Omega-3 fats: flax, hemp (must be kept cold)

• Omega-6 fats: sunflower, safflower, corn, soy, vegetables oils (use sparingly)

Seasonings

This is food as medicine! The beneficial phytochemicals in herbs give them their medicinal qualities but they also make your food taste great. Use fresh or grow your own.

Basil

Cayenne

Cilantro

Cinnamon

Dill

Garlic

Lemon

Lime

Mint

Nutmeg

Onion

Orange  

Parsley

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme

Water

Try to drink 8 glasses of water a day (water in your food counts!). Use filtered water. 

Try teas like:  

• Rooibos - minerals

• Nettle - minerals and iron

• Elderberry - antiviral and immune support 

• Rose hip, hibiscus - vitamin C, immune supportive 

• Green tea - antioxidant  

• Dandelion root - liver support

  
  

In Summary…

There is no perfect diet for managing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Eating nutrient dense, minimally processed foods that are affordable, accessible, and sustainable for your lifestyle is the most effective long-term strategy. I go over the different food categories including protein, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, fats, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes and seasonings. Dietary choices should be based on your current health conditions, digestive function, and food sensitivities. While a high lysine–low arginine diet may help limit EBV reactivation, it's more important to maintain a balanced, whole foods diet rather than worry over amino acids. Consider possible food sensitivities like gluten, dairy, eggs, and nightshades when choosing what to eat. 

If you liked this post and found it helpful I'd love to know! Feel free to share this post with anyone who might like to read it. 

If you’d like to stay in touch, follow me on socials. If you'd like to work with me 1:1, book a consultation call. 

Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time!

-Dr. Jamie 

Resources

Kines, K. (2018). The Epstein-Barr virus solution: The hidden undiagnosed epidemic of chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disease - how to heal and regain your life. Holistic Nutrition Press

Jones, E. (2008). Clinical resources and reference guide: Infectious diseases, Epstein-Barr virus.

Pedrazini, M. C., & de Oliveira, J. R. (2022). L-lysine: Its antagonism with L-arginine in controlling viral infections. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 88(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.15444

This website is not intended for the purpose of providing medical advice. All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.