22 Apr 10 common human parasites to know about

The most common parasites in humans are protozoa, worms and flukes.

(exerpt from ‘Digestive Solutions-101 proven methods to solve your tummy problems naturally’ by Michele Wolff)

www.digestivesolutions.com.au

Protozoa are single celled parasites that can cause serious illness as they take over the intestinal tract. Some protozoa produce a cyst, which means they can be transported through food and water from one person to another. When they are in this cyst state they cannot be destroyed by digestive juices. Common protozoa that can cause illness are: giardia, entamoeba, cryptosporidium, blastocystis hominus, trichomonas vaginalis and toxoplasma.

Some protozoa

Giardia is microscopic, travels through the blood stream and can affect the whole body. It is protected by an outer shell that allows its survival outside the body and in the environment for long periods of time.

Most people become infected through food and water sources like tap water, streams or rivers. Giardia is also commonly transferred from a pet and by poor hygiene habits.

Blastocystis hominus is a very persistent parasite that seems to be on the increase and it’s a more difficult one to treat. At low levels it can live in your intestines for years with no symptoms. When you are under stress, have a compromised immune system such as a virus or bacterial infection it can flare up and increase in numbers. Often it is not diagnosed properly and thought to be irritable bowel, allergies or stress. When it flares up, the symptoms can be relentless and include diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal cramping, excess wind, dark circles under the eyes, itching anus and exhaustion.

It is one of the hardest parasites to get rid of and usually needs professional naturopathic attention.

Toxoplasmosis usually occurs through raw or rare meat. It is one of the most common infections around the world.

Worms (nematoda) are multicellular parasites that often don’t cause symptoms unless the infestation becomes severe. Common worms are roundworm, hookworm and pinworm.

Common worms

Nematoda (pinworms, hookworms and roundworms) easily travel around the body infecting organs.

 

Pinworms are tiny little white worms that wiggle when they come out. They are about 3/4 of an inch long and live in the intestine. At least 1 in 5 children get pinworms. They cause anal itching.

Hookworm are grey, curved and about 6 inches long. They come to a point at both ends and are shaped like a fishhook. One quarter of the world’s population has hookworms, and one expert thinks that 50% of Americans have them. They are usually found in tropical areas where the soil is warm and moist. They lay eggs or larvae and usually incubate in soil. Hookworms burrow into the skin usually through the soles of the feet.

They can live inside the human body for up to 15 years!

Hookworms are the only worms with teeth. They often cause anaemia and are responsible for low birth weight and retarded growth of children as they suck the protein nutrients out of the blood of the mother, depriving the foetus. Unless you have a large infestation there are few visible symptoms apart from anaemia or pale looking skin and loss of energy. This makes the hookworm especially dangerous as it may go undetected.

Roundworms can vary in length from a centimetre up to a metre. Mature female worms have been estimated to produce an average of 200 000 eggs per day. They are common in tropical climates. Often there are no symptoms until a worm comes out of the anus, mouth or nostril! Ascaris are the most common. They can be up to 40 cm in length and often cause eczema in children.

In large numbers they can obstruct the bowels and there is one documented case where on autopsy of a two year old South African child was found to have over 800 giant roundworms weighing 19 ounces inside of her intestines. She had internal gangrene. Unfortunately you can get roundworms from your dog or cats. Experts have projected that at least half of these pets are infected with parasites. Think about that next time your dog gives you a loving kiss. Regularly deworm your pets as well as yourself.

Tapeworms (cestoda)

These parasites have been known to grow from an inch to 36 inches long and even longer. They can survive up to 25 years in the body.

 

Pork tapeworm taeniasolium from eating undercooked pork.

Fish tapeworm diphyllobothriumlactum from eating raw freshwater fish.

Tapeworm hymenoplepis from eating material contaminated by flour beetles and cockroaches.

Flukes (trematoda) are flattened oval or worm-like animals, usually no more than a few centimetres in length, although they can be as short as 1 millimetre or as long as 7 centimetres. Their main external feature is the presence of two suckers, one close to the mouth and the other on the underneath of the animal. They can be found anywhere where human waste is used as fertiliser and are most common in Asia. Schistosomiasis, which is also known as bilharzia, bilharziosis or snail fever is an example of a parasitic disease caused by one of the species of trematodes; platyhelminth infection, or “flukes.”

Common trematoda – flukes

Lacer liver fluke dicrocoelium denriticum from ingesting ants

Liver fluke – fasciolosis from fresh water snails

Fasciolopsiasis – intestinal fluke from eating infested water plants or drinking infected water

Metagonimiasis – intestinal fluke from eating of undercooked or salted fish (freeze fish to avoid tapeworm)

Paragonimiasis – lung fluke from eating raw or undercooked freshwater crabs, crayfish or other crustaceans

 

How to prevent them

It’s important to wash your hands before eating. What you touched might have parasites on it. Faecal contamination is another problem. Many times, human intestinal parasites are transmitted to another person via faecal contamination of water and foods. It’s particularly true in less developed countries.

An extra precaution is to wash all vegetables and fruits especially before eating them raw. Because most vegetable growers use fertiliser they run the risk of contamination by faecal matter infested with human intestinal parasites.

They are commonly contracted from pets especially when your immune system is low.

Unwashed foods and raw animal products can contain parasite eggs so freeze meat for 2 weeks to destroy parasites.

If you have a vulnerable digestive system you can get parasites by walking barefoot in moist warm climates. 

Pay attention to hygiene especially around infected people. Do not share towels, bars of soap, toothbrushes or kitchen utensils.

Avoid acidity and maintain a healthy pH.

If you feel you have a weak immune system wash your hands after shaking hands with people, without becoming obsessed!

Managing parasites

Eat fresh whole foods and keep carbohydrates low.

Avoid refined and processed food, sugar, soft drinks, caffeine, dairy and fruit juice.

Avoid damp food like dairy, sugar and wheat.

Increase intestinal flora (see Ch.9).

Strengthen digestion and immunity (see Ch.11).

If you have diarrhoea drink the liquid after cooking white rice.

Minimise stress.

Wash sheets and bedclothes every day whilst infected. This can be exhausting but is short lived.

Avoid sharing utensils and any other personal household items.

Consume protein at every meal.

Food is best cooked to minimise fermentation in the gut. Soups and stews with lots of garlic, turmeric and cloves. Miso broth and vegetable juices are also helpful.

Practice good hygiene.

Deworm pets.

Incorporate prebiotic food into your diet, this helps hold onto probiotics. Garlic, leeks, onions, artichokes and chicory root help.

Garlic in high doses is anti-parasitic. Use in cooking, in dips and spreads. Parsley takes away bad breath cause by garlic.

Adding cloves in your diet help kill eggs, pumpkin seeds and pawpaw seeds help kill parasites.

Citrus seed extract is very potent, powerful and has a strong taste. Take 4 drops in water 3 times a day. For herbal medicine see a naturopath.

Probiotic foods include fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut and plain yoghurt.

Solvents like benzene and propyl alcohol used in lotions and cleaning products help eggs to hatch faster. Without these, eggs pass through before they have time to hatch.

Drink filtered water.

Have colonic hydrotherapy/irrigation as part of your treatment plan.

Incorporate apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and bitter foods to help your upper digestion.

Under guidance, fasting on green vegetables, lemons and ginger can help starve them out.

Have you been on a very restrictive candida diet for months and are still not 100% well?

You may be harbouring a parasite or two or even a dozen! Parasites or worms are often the silent enemy hidden in your body. Please note, these symptoms can belong to another diagnosis so it is always best to get a professional diagnosis.

We use colonics and herbs and change the gut environment to kill parasites but diet is very important too! Here are some useful home remedies:

Food can be used to kill parasites:

1. Chew one handful of raw brown rice for breakfast – eat nothing else. Other meals during the day can be normal.
2. Between meals, eat 1 clove of garlic and 1 small handful of pumpkin seeds. Those who cannot tolerate raw garlic may slice the garlic and eat it between 2 slices of apple.
3. When 2 or more hours have passed since the last meal of the day, drink one cupful of mugwort tea (artemisia vulgaris).
4. Chew on a few cloves (the herb) until the taste has gone.

Follow this for 10 days, stop for 7, then resume for a final 10 to allow for any newly hatched eggs to die.

See pawpaw seeds in Ch 11 Kitchen Pharmacy.

It is most important to do this diet under the supervision of a health care practitioner to ensure optimum health.