Catch up with Part 1 here.
Parasites can be a Big Silent Problem
According to Body Ecology, many of us are hosting a parasite party in our intestines, blood, and skin, and some of these sneaky creatures thrive without symptoms. In fact, sexually transmitted parasites are at the top of the list of infections that can be affecting Americans. That’s right, this is not only a problem in foreign countries.
What Exactly Are Parasites?
Parasites are micro-organisms that live on or inside their host. They get their food from their host and are able to multiply, often causing illness, infection and disease. The three types of parasites affecting humans are: protozoa, helminths and ectoparasites.
Different types of parasites live in different parts of your body, including your gastrointestinal tract, blood, tissues, lymphatic system or skin.
If you thought parasites were only in undeveloped countries, you may be surprised to find out how common they are in the U.S., for example:
- According to the Centers for Disease Control, Trichomonas, a sexually transmitted disease, is the most common parasitic infection in the U.S. accounting for 7.4 million new cases annually.
- More than 60 million people in the U.S. are infected by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes the disease toxoplasmosis and can be symptomless, cause flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph gland or organ damage.
A pregnant mother can pass this infection to her fetus in the womb. Her newborn baby may have no symptoms at birth, although some develop brain or eye damage and others develop symptoms later in life.
Have you Tested Positive for Parasites?
If you’ve been given the unfortunate news that you are suffering from a parasitic infection, your medical doctor may put you through a standard treatment regimen involving a high-dose anthelmintic medication along with possible anti-diarrheal meds to help with the uncomfortable digestive symptoms that can accompany such an infection. Anthelmintics themselves can cause a host of unpleasant side effects, ranging from hypersensitivity to yeast infections to an unpleasant taste in the mouth. It is important to assist in the cleansing of your body so that the anthelmintic can do its job the very first time you take it — considering the fact that, many times, it is necessary for those with parasitic infections to take repeat doses of the medication before it works completely.
A few supplements and herbs to consider
- Propolis, a substance collected by bees to construct their hives, can be taken in liquid or tablet form to help rid the body of parasites. It has been shown to be especially helpful in children with parasitic infections. Though this substance will not work to rid the body of parasites on its own, it helps to prevent further reproduction of parasites already in the body. Propolis has relatively few side effects but should never be taken by individuals allergic to bee honey or bee stings.
- Garlic, whether taken in tablet form, or ingested wholly, has been shown to help greatly in killing both parasites and fungal infections in the body. It also has a host of other health benefits, including the ability to lower cholesterol and to protect against heart disease and stroke.
- Goldenseal, an herb that comes from dried woodland plants, can be taken orally to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation and help rid the body of parasites with very few side effects to worry about.
Diet is Key, as Always
Allowing your diet to help you heal during treatment is also important. Though you may want to consider a detoxifying or parasitic-removing diet program, such as Colonix or a colon cleanse, including foods that are helpful (and being mindful of those that are not) is of the greatest importance.
Eat more of these
- pineapple
- garlic
- probiotic foods like kefir and young coconut kefir
- pomegranate juice on an empty stomach
- dried prunes
- oregano
- cinnamon
- cloves
Always Avoid
- refined sugar
- undercooked meat
- coffee
- alcohol
- fatty foods made with butter or cream
Take Caution
Even herbal remedies can trigger dangerous side effects when combined with prescription drugs. We urge you to check, not only with your doctor, but also with your pharmacist before combining remedies.
Adrienne writes for special-interest magazines and has worked on the production of women’s lifestyle channels at AOL as well as at E! Entertainment Television. She graduated from CUNY Baruch, where she served as the editor-in-chief of the award-winning student newspaper The Ticker.
Gina Laverde says
we will have to look into that. I use the same toothpaste. side note:Tom’s natural for children contains xanthan gum (woah)
David Askaripour says
Hahah… I’d figure Toms would be better than that! I love Toms… hope they don’t start slacking off.
Michelle says
since i think i might have parasites in my system just to let everyone know to tak care of your body i havent been eating the right foods for so long but when i heard about parasites feasting on your intestines i got scared and i was shocked i didnt know what to think hte first thing that came to my mind was to start eating right and take care of my body because a bad colon that is dirty can cause many dieseases that can lead to death in a few years this is something that you need to be alert about ! these tips are very helpful!!
Gina Laverde says
Michelle, this is why we share information. These kinds of things can happen to anyone. And it happened to me too, so I know how u feel. thank you for sharing. It is never too late to get yourself healthy.
I am the biggest advocate of body ecolgy diet for ridding yeast, parasites, fungus, taking care of endocrine and digestive, system. its a great place to start. they sell a supplement for parasites.
as u know illnesses never really happen alone. there are probably other underlying infections. healing layer by layer is the best.
you can get tested for parasites…. just go to a hollistic doc. make sure u actually have them. otherwise u risk not healing as quickly as u can
James J says
While it’s not the nicest of topics, it’s good to see this information getting out there. Parasites are a far more common problem than most people realize and they are also very difficult to diagnose due to the wide variety of symptoms that can result from a parasitic infection.
Foods from the tropics like coconut and the pineapple you mentioned are often effective against them. Papaya seeds have also been shown in studies to have an anti-parasitic effect. This page has a lot of comments from people using them to clear out tapeworms and the like http://superfoodprofiles.com/papaya-seeds-parasites