The virus lies dormant in the body until an outbreak is triggered. Outbreaks can be triggered by many things, but the main offenders are stress, poor diet, or a lowered immune system (such as when a sufferer has the flu or some other sickness).

If you are reading this, you are probably familiar with the genital herpes outbreak. It can take on many forms, but the most common is the appearance of blisters on the groin and genitals. These blisters vary in size from person to person, but they are usually coin sized, weeping blisters, that can be quite painful. They will eventually seep and scab over before healing up. Without treatment, the outbreak can last from 10 to 14 days.

Prior to the outbreak, a person with genital herpes may experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache and fatigue, as well as an itching and burning sensation in the groin area.

Even if you cannot get rid of herpes, being diagnosed with the disease does not mean the end of the world. Many people with herpes are still able to live normal lives. Their secret? A healthy, stress-free lifestyle centered around a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.

Like most diseases caused by a virus, genital herpes is a disease that is affected by a person's lifestyle. As mentioned earlier, outbreaks can be triggered by stress and other lifestyle factors. So the trick, therefore, is to avoid having outbreaks by ensuring that you live a stress-free lifestyle as much as possible. There are a lot of ways to avoid stress.

Avoid stressful situations as much as possible (for some, this may mean vast changes to work or home life), and try meditation or relaxation therapy. Regular exercise can really lower stress and keeps you healthy overall, so work out regularly. All of these things can significantly take away the stress in your life.

Of course in addition to the above, getting the right treatment is also very important. There are a variety of treatments available, including persciption anti-virals and effective natural remedies. If antivirals are too expensive or you are experiencing side effects, consider the benefits of a homeopathic blend as a gentle and natural method to prevent outbreaks and keep your immune system in top shape.

Don't let herpes ruin your quality of life. Despite the stigma associated with the disease, genital herpes is a very controllable and treatable condition, it does not mean the end of the world, or even the end of your love life. Even if you cannot get rid of genital herpes there are things that you can do to be able to avoid outbreaks and live a healthy normal life despite having the disease.