It's not an experiment I'd care to try, Jason.

The reasons why herpes decides to get active are very complex and it's not as simple as some sort of immune system health index. The Duke University research I mentioned adds another piece to the puzzle, but it's still very much a mystery.

Myself, I rarely have active outbreaks, but when I do, it doesn't seem related to having a cold, or a lot of stress, or having eaten some trigger food. Other people have better luck identifying their triggers. For example, one woman I know, always got outbreaks when the racing season started in the Spring because she'd be out in the sun a lot. She started taking valtrex suppressively when racing season was about to begin.