Vegan Diet for HPV Treatment

HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. HPV can be transmitted by skin to skin contact and people infected may not even notice any symptoms. Although there is no cure for HPV, some medications and lifestyle changes can control the symptoms. Consult your physician if you have HPV and are planning to take any herbal supplements or to make any dietary changes.

HPV

HPV causes warts to form in some individuals. HPV is a name given to 100 different viruses, and 30 of these viruses are sexually transmitted. It is estimated that 50 percent of men will contract HPV in their lifetime and 80 percent of women will have the infection by the time they are 50. More than five million new cases of sexually transmitted HPV are reported every year in the United States. Some symptoms of HPV include plantar warts, genital warts, precancerous cells and other types of warts.

HPV Vegan Diet Treatment

There is no cure for HPV and the infection often goes away within a year. There also is an approved vaccine to prevent infection. Treatment does exist to control the symptoms of HPV. Although there is no conclusive research, some dietary changes have been suggested. Eating a diet with many fruits and vegetables and avoiding any type of animal protein is considered a vegan diet. Some preliminary research suggests that food that contains micronutrients and lycopene may help treat the infection.

Vegetables and Fruits

Micronutrients, or essential vitamins, are found in many plant based foods. A 2010 study published in “Cancer Research” examined anal HPV in 279 women. Researchers found that micronutrients reduced the risk of anal HPV infections developing into cancer. Another study published in “Molecular Medicine” in 2005 found that indole-3-carbinol, an ingredient in certain cruciferous vegetables, helps to inhibit the development of cervical cancer in vivo 4. Lycopene, found in tomatoes, papaya, grapefruit, watermelon and pink guava, may also help women to remove HPV from their body faster.

Animal Protein

HPV is often a precursor to cancer, especially cervical cancer. Numerous studies have linked the consumption of meat to the development of many types of cancer. Research published in the “International Journal of Cancer” in 2011 found that the consumption of meat and dairy were positively linked to several forms of cancer. However, more studies need to be done. There is no specific research on animal protein and the development of HPV, so more studies are needed.