So, I am getting ready to do a teleseminar on Monday evening about parasite testing. I was reading and preparing a basic overview of parasites – and have decided I will never walk barefoot again, probably won’t let me dog kiss me on the lips, may never eat out again and I am even contemplating never drinking water again! Seriously, the presence and easy transmission of parasites is really scary.
So, what have I found out? Here is a really brief overview:
- about 50 million American children are infected with worm parasites
- approximately 90% of all parasitic infections are due to microscopic single-celled parasites
- a parasite is an organism that needs a host to live – us and they inhabit our body and feed off tissues or body fluids
- there are parasites for every single tissue of the human body
- they get in through: Drinking water • Skin contact with contaminated water • Food • Insects • Air • Pets • People • Soil.
- Symptoms: GI symptoms include pain, bloating, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation, cramps, poor digestion and poor absorption of nutrients, bleeding, irritable bowel, leaky gut and excess mucus secretion. Systemic symptoms include anxiety, depression, allergies, fatigue, nausea, neurological issues (brain fog, memory loss, poor coordination), eczema, psoriasis and other skin rashes and disorders, joint and muscle pain and other problems, fever, headache, immune deficiencies, insomnia and weight loss or gain. We can see mild to serious symptoms and many parasites can be fatal over time.
- Another class can be even more serious, the helminths. These are parasitic worms that are ingested, they hatch and the larva migrate through the intestinal lining, lymphatic/blood vessels, the hepatic portal system, liver, right heart and lungs. They are then re-swallowed and establish as an adult worm in the small intestine. Allergic responses to the metabolic byproducts of adult worms are known to cause asthma, insomnia, eye pain, and rashes. If the larva migrate in other patterns, which they do, we can see inflammation and reaction in places like the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, and brain. The lungs may become infected and symptoms like coughing, fever and difficult respiration may show up. Pneumonitis is a possible complication and this can be lethal. The intestines may become blocked and this can lead to a state of toxemia and death. Adult worms are able to penetrate the wall of the intestines and cause complications like hemorrhage, infection in the abdominal cavity and appendicitis.
- Not everyone who is infected with parasites has symptoms.
- Not everyone who has symptoms tests positive for parasites.
- The Naturopathic Approach
In general, Naturopathic Doctors and practitioners with similar training are always striving to accomplish several things: find and fix or remove the deepest underlying cause of any illness, help with relief of symptoms, and stimulate the healing ability of the body to fix any damage that has occurred. What might we do: Diet, Lifestyle, Botanicals, Supplements and of course: - Homeopathy: This is perhaps one of the deepest and most curative modalities, especially for clearing parasites from the body. There is much historical discussion and case evidence that homeopathic treatment can effectively clear the organisms and induce healing. However, there may be instances, especially in long-term infection, where homeopathy is not enough and has to be combined with other treatments.
- Additional Resources: I have read every single publication by Dr. Omar Amin. If you are interested in reading his work visit the following page: http://www.parasitetesting.com/publication2.cfm
