When bringing up parasites to clients or people I know, I often get a side-eye look as if I’m crazy for even mentioning parasites.
“I haven’t been to a third-world country!”
“I don’t have any pets!”
“I have good hygiene practices, there’s NO way!”
All of these thought processes may lead us to think this is impossible to have any sort of issues with parasites. It’s just unheard of here in the United States! I’m here to share with you this mindset is really limited and could really be holding you back from feeling so much better when it comes to your health.
Introduction to Parasites
I remember the first time I heard about parasitic infections being a huge contributor to chronic health issues and it’s not what you may think. As I was dealing with painful periods, cystic acne, no energy, horrible digestive issues and inability to lose weight back in 2016, I came across an herbalist sharing her experience of working with Chinese Medicine (you may know Organic Olivia). She shared her before and after photos of her skin finally clearing up and her laundry list of symptoms she was dealing with almost all went away from incorporating parasite cleansing.
Her explanation all made sense but of course, I was weary of doing something that sounded so disgusting!
At this time, I was desperate to try ANYTHING so I headed to my local GNC and purchased “The Cleanser” and my goodness did that ever make me sick. At this time there was not much information on parasite cleansing except for extremely harsh anti-parasitic herbs and definitely NO info on how to prepare the body to do a parasite cleanse. Still, I continued to routinely take these “detox” herbs and I thought they were working because of everything coming out of my body.
Fast forward to 2020 when my health came completely crashing down on me – what I was doing trying to DIY my health with herbs, supplements, nutraceuticals, nutrition and “detox” was NOT working anymore. As lockdowns began, more and more holistic practitioners began to flood social media talking more about how to properly detox your body and more on drainage pathways, parasite cleansing, mold toxicity, Lyme and coinfections, bacterial and viral chronic infections.. You name it! The more they began speaking on what parasites can do in the body, the more I was intrigued.
A few things to note on parasites and what they can do in the body:
- cause an immune response; TH2 dominance
- certain parasites can mobilize, infecting different organs in the body and also creating blockages (brain, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, bladder etc)
- migration through tissues (causing pain)
- Malnutrition (they absorb nutrients in our body)
- Anemia (eating up iron stores)
- mucosa damage (inflammation in the lining of the intestines)
- abnormal cell growth
- virus reactivation (often Epstein Barr)
- release toxins that can cause respiratory issues
- harbor bacteria, mold, Lyme and co’s, viruses and other toxins
How are we exposed to parasites:
#1 – They are a part of our ecosystem, the point is to never completely get rid of all parasites in the body but when there is an imbalance they can cause major issues.
- Having pets (licking our face, cleaning their litter box etc)
- Eating meat that is not cooked enough
- Eating sushi or fish
- Pork products
- Eating produce that hasn’t been washed enough (Therasage Ozone bubbler can be helpful for this)
- Not having enough stomach acid to kill off pathogens when exposed
- walking barefoot outside
- unfiltered water
- can be passed sexually/kissing
- swimming in ponds or lakes
- kids often get parasites (pinworms, lice etc)
What are some of the signs + symptoms associated with parasitic infections?
- abdominal pains/discomfort
- skin issues such as acne, eczema, rashes, hives etc
- feeling irritable
- weight loss/gain (not always instant)
- teeth grinding
- itchy bum
- allergies/asthma
- other digestive issues such as bloating, SIBO, gassy, diarrhea, crohns, ulcerative colitis, nausea, IBS/IBD, constipation, loss of appetite, h. pylori etc
- mood disorders anxiety/depression/bipolar/ocd
- dairy sensitivity
- worsened symptoms around a full moon
- autoimmune
- poor immune system (sick often)
- brain fog
- sleep disorders
- headaches
- white spots on nails
- painful periods
Types of parasites:
- Protozoan – single-celled parasites that need a microscope to view. These include Babesia (Lyme co-infection) Giardia, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, and Dientamoeba – just to name a few.
- Helminths – visible to the naked eye including roundworms (nematodes) and flatworms (flukes + tapeworms). These include liver flukes, Strongyloides, Ascaris, and Taeniarhynchus to name a few.
- Ectoparasites – these are bugs that attach to your skin and can even get under your skin. These include Ticks, Mosquitos, Bed Bugs, Lice, Flies, Fleas and Bed Bugs.
How can I test for parasites?
This is tricky, parasites know how to hide in the body and often times stool tests do not show parasitic infections very well and is not reliable. Often functional blood chemistry markers can show patterns indiciating a possible issue with parasites in the body along with my utilizing a Creating Balanced Health scan which shows energetically what the body is resonating with. Going by signs and symptoms is usually an incredibly helpful tool to go by for clients vs testing.
Considering we live in a much more toxic world than our ancestors plus how generally sick the US population is, I wouldn’t skip this step for clients.
Most people are in a rushed state, eating their food quickly NOT in a parasympathetic (rest and digest) for each meal. This contributes to the body not being prepared to properly digest foods and creates a less than ideal process in the body to not only absorb food but have the proper first lines of defense when it comes to pathogens on our food we may encounter.
FAQ:
“I’m scared to see what comes out!“
The saying goes…better out than in! Parasites are killed with anti-parasitic herbs in the body, so it’s not like they are coming out moving. Most parasites are actually microscopic and are not visible to the naked eye.
“Will alive worms come out?”
No… again majority of parasites are not visible to the naked eye. Herbs are meant to paralyze and kill parasites inside the body.
How can I support my body against parasites?
- SLOW DOWN when eating your meals, take 5 deep breathes before eating and get the body into a rest + digest state, chewing each bite 25-30 times
- Digestive enzymes can be incredibly helpful, these area available in my Fullscript dispensary
- Parasite cleansing WITH a knowledgeable practitioner (working 1:1 with myself, this is a main focus for each client) please do not try to parasite cleanse on your own, you can make things SO much worse as parasites hold onto toxins and these can be released back into the bloodstream if not properly supported
- Minimize exposures where you can
- Don’t live in fear!
- Routinely parasite cleanse once you’ve worked with a practitioner
Foods that are anti-parasitic
- organic coconut oil
- raw pumpkin seeds
- papaya seeds
- garlic
- tumeric
- reishi/medicinal mushrooms (I have a whole post on the benefits of Reishi here)
Where can I begin on my own?
Check out my “How to open Drainage Pathways” guide which walks you through supporting and prepping the body available for purchase here
Order your own Creating Balanced Health full scan here with discount code AMANDACWELLNESS to see what your body is energetically resonating with along with remedies based on your results
It’s important to remember parasites are only a piece of digging into root causes – parasite cleansing will not make all problems go away but it is something that should be incorporated for routine preventative health!
Disclaimer
The information provided in this guide is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a replacement for medical advice. Amanda Bishop (Amanda C Wellness LLC) does not diagnose or treat disease or prescribe medical treatment.
The information provided is intended to help you make informed decisions about your health, and is not meant to serve as a replacement for the advice of your primary physician. Amanda Bishop/or Amanda C Wellness LLC is not liable or responsible for any harm, damage or illness arising from the use of the information contained in this guide.
Please contact your physician before implementing any new diet, supplement, exercise, food or health tool.
Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15023017/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25741835/
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