 |
Why You Are Affected By This Silent Epidemic&The Number One Natural Remedy |
This
topic may be uncomfortable for some and you might be tempted to turn away from
the information simply out of disgust...but I really hope you don't because
this is a very sneaky global epidemic affecting literally every person
on this planet. Keep reading if you’ve ever had weight or health issues, if you
want to find out how to attack the cause of your health issues, and unleash
more energy and health than you’ve ever had.
A
lot of people in-the-know argue that certain tiny (sometimes microscopic) bugs are
often the silent culprit behind many ailments (especially chronic), sometimes even Autism.
Okay, enough with the suspense…I’m talking about parasites. I'll be the first to admit that parasites are gross to think about, just the word gives some the heebie-jeebies, but please hear me out. The great news is that parasites are becoming less of a fringe issue that was mostly discussed by people in the "health-nut, tree-hugger, alternative health world," and is now being talked about by mainstream celebrities like Dr.Oz. We just have to get over the "ew" factor and man up, because this is important (I'm talking to myself, too)!
Okay, enough with the suspense…I’m talking about parasites. I'll be the first to admit that parasites are gross to think about, just the word gives some the heebie-jeebies, but please hear me out. The great news is that parasites are becoming less of a fringe issue that was mostly discussed by people in the "health-nut, tree-hugger, alternative health world," and is now being talked about by mainstream celebrities like Dr.Oz. We just have to get over the "ew" factor and man up, because this is important (I'm talking to myself, too)!
Most
of us, when we hear of people being infected with parasites, we think of third
world countries who don't have easy access to the amenities that we enjoy, like
clean water and medical healthcare, etc. I know that's what came to my
mind initially. I never would have thought that I (or the people around
me) could have parasites...until I did a little more digging.
So,
I read about parasites and parasite cleanses a couple years ago, and while my
mind was open to the information, I didn't actually do anything about it.
I think I just needed a re-awakening to the information and, most importantly,
to be in a mental state of willingness to take action. It wasn't until very
recently when I came across this life-changing article by OrganicOlivia that it finally clicked and I
told myself, "Yeah, I need to do this!" As I write this, I am
currently undergoing a parasite cleanse, which I'll detail below, and I’ve
brought together what I feel to be the best information on the subject so you
won’t have to dig like I did.
But
I'm getting ahead of myself. Yes, this is a rather long post, I try to be
thorough and comprehensive so you get the best info, but a 20 minute read is a
minuscule fraction in the scale of your lifetime. Lasting health starts here
and you owe it to your body (especially if you have any health issue)!
 |
Why it’s important for everyone to do a parasite cleanse (and some facts). |
1.
I think we all know that parasites are organisms that live off of the
nutrients from another organism, or host, often times to the detriment of
the host. Think of parasites like thieves, stealing all your nutrients and
letting you nutritionally starve.
2.
Everyone has parasites, even you. Yep, you have parasites. Yes, you do!
Take a minute to come to terms with that. Even the healthiest person on Earth
has parasites. Even a germ-o-phobic shut-in has parasites. And there's no way
to completely escape them 100% since they start out microscopic and hide on
everything you touch, eat, or drink, just like germs do. It doesn't matter how
squeaky clean you or your environment is, they are there. I'm not saying this
to scare you into being a germ-o-phobe, but to inform you. They are just a part
of the natural cycle of life. When they weaken the host (you) and start
multiplying like crazy is when it becomes a problem. Then it becomes an
infection. But don't freak out, there are natural ways we can keep them from
proliferating and ways we can reduce becoming infected (I'll explain how
below).
3.
Parasites aren’t just confined to your intestines. They can inhabit any
organ or place in your body – intestines, liver, lungs, heart, brain, eyes,
blood, and muscles, to name a few. If you have an organ (which, obviously you
do), there’s a species of parasite that prefers to make that spot their home.
4.
You can get parasites in just about any conceivable way. You can get
them if you breathe, if you’ve ever walked barefoot or touched dirt, if you
ever eaten meat (no matter how well-done), eaten fruits and vegetables (washing
helps, but it doesn’t always get them all), been around children or animals,
shaken someone else’s hand, been in any public place like a store or a
hospital. So, yeah, that pretty much means all of us. They’re not just bugs
that you pick up while abroad, they’re right in your backyard, so to speak.
Washing hands and food and keeping frequently-touched surfaces clean can help
reduce your exposure (but not 100%).
5.
There’s over a thousand different types that can infect
humans. And they can all have different effects depending on species
and location in the body. Some common ones are tapeworm, hookworm, groundworm,
pinworm, flukes (e.g. blood fluke, liver fluke), Giardia, and Cryptosporidium.
Some parasites can live 25+ years in your intestines, some species can even get
up to 50feet long, and some can lay 30,000 eggs in one day. That’s just the tip
of the iceberg. We can see 30% of the parasites that infect us, the other 70%
are microscopic. It’s highly unlikely and unusual for a person to be infected
with just one type of parasite – we usually have many different types.
6.
Symptoms of a parasite infection are often sneaky, silent, or masquerade as
other ailments. Especially chronic ailments. Cory Pemberton, who wrote a
really quick, amazing, informative article over on PaleoHacks.com,
says, "The tricky thing with parasite infections is that they can cause
just about any known symptom. That’s because ultimately, parasites are often
the culprit behind almost every medical condition known." The most obvious
signs are going to be abdominal distress, but here are some unexpected symptoms
of a parasitic infection (this list is not comprehensive):
Common
Symptoms
|
Lesser
Known Symptoms
|
IBS
Abdominal pain
Digestive
issues
Diarrhea
Dysentary
Rash/itch
around genitals
Gas
Bloating
Stomach
pain/tenderness
Nausea/vomit
Fatigue
|
Mood disorders
Depression/anxiety/nervousness
Chronic fatigue
Memory problems
Headache
Acne
Itching
(particularly mouth, nose, anus)
Teeth
grinding/bleeding gums
Asthma
Junk cravings
Excess hunger
or decreased appetite
Food allergies
Anemia
Vitamin/mineral
deficiencies
Sore
joints/arthritis-like conditions
Candida
PMS/sexual
dysfunction
|
7.
Health starts in the gut and if your gut is
clogged up or leaky, it's going to affect literally everything
about you, even your mood, and it's going to pave the way for parasites to
infect you more easily. A clogged gut means you're not absorbing the nutrients
from food (no matter how healthy you eat), which means you will most likely be
deficient in essential vitamins/minerals and other cellular building blocks for
health, which means lowered immunity, which means lowered ability to naturally
fight off and repel parasites (and other infections). In fact, there are some
who argue that there may be a parasite outbreak at the heart of every disease.
8.
Your physician probably isn't well-versed about parasites. I'm sure your
doctor is a well-intentioned person, but they aren’t usually trained to look
for a parasite infection as the root of your ailments, whereas a
parasitologist, infectious disease specialist, or naturopath practitioner are.
Your doctor can test you for parasites, but they can only test for a very tiny
bandwidth of them, which doesn’t do much good when there are a thousand types.
So you can test negative for parasites in your doctor’s office and still have a
parasite infection. Or your doctor can prescribe you a medication to get rid of
the one type you tested positive for, but it’ll only affect that one
type. Again, that doesn’t do a lot of good when humans are hosting many
different types all at once. Our medical technology just hasn’t caught up yet.
Luckily (and as usual), nature provides the cure (keep reading).
9.
You probably didn't know about parasites because the U.S.A. has really lost
the cultural practice of parasite cleansing. Pretty much every culture
around the world has a built in tradition of parasite cleansing once or twice a
year. I’m guessing we probably lost ours when the modern medical and
pharmaceutical corporations propagandized and vilified ancient medicine and
alternative practices decades ago. These are the same corporations and agencies
that recommended smoking cigarettes for health. Plus,
anything icky and unpleasant we tend to shrink away from, I'm no exception. We
as a culture tend to sweep it under the rug because if we can't see it or hear
it, it's easier to forget and comfortably live our lives without question or
challenge.
|
Okay, so now you know you have parasites...now how the hell do you slap 'em with an eviction notice?! Good news! You only need one natural, budget-friendly product! |
(Super obligatory (please-don’t-sue-me-I-have-no-money-lol)
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or healthcare professional, the following is
based on opinion (and lots of research) and experience and should not be used
to diagnose, treat, or cure yourself or others. Always consult with your
physician, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions or chronic
symptoms. Never undertake a detox or cleanse when pregnant or
breastfeeding or sick. If you have an allergic reaction, discontinue use
immediately and/or seek medical care. I do not get paid to recommend these
products. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent
any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration. Listen to your body and your healthcare provider.)
The
BEST, number one, natural, effective, and cheap parasite remover to get is
Diatomaceous Earth (Food Grade Only). There are two types of Diatomaceous Earth
(shortened to DE) – 1) Food Grade (which is safe for humans and animals) and 2)
Non-Food Grade (which is toxic and used in pool cleaners), so make sure to ONLY
get FOOD GRADE! If it doesn’t say Food Grade, don’t get it. DE is
better and more effective than the medication a doctor can give you because it
affects every parasite type, not just the one or few that
your doctor is targeting.
Never
heard of the awesomeness that is DE? DE (Food Grade) is a powder-like substance
made of microscopic skeletons of phytoplankton, which are shaped in such a way
that they scrape the exoskeletons of bugs and parasites but are harmless to
humans and animals. It looks and feels like flour and has no taste or smell. DE
is so freaking effective at killing just about every bug and parasite type,
that farmers even use it on and in animals or in the garden and grain silos. DE
is also great if you have an allergy to the herbs I mention below since
virtually no one is allergic to DE. It's cheap and a little goes a loooooong
way. I could go on for days about the host of benefits of this amazing natural
pesticide/fungicide/vermifuge. DE has so many health benefits and uses that it
really deserves its own post, but I'll just give you the concise low-down:
Diatomaceous Earth (Food Grade Only)
Health Benefits and Uses
|
Recommended DE Articles
|
|
All natural
Cheap
Long lasting
Vermifuge/fungicide
Is 84% silica
(which plays a huge role in body function and mineral absorption)
Has 20 trace
minerals
Effective
Detoxifier
Flushes toxins,
heavy metals, and radiation
Can aid in
Weight Loss
Improves teeth,
hair, skin, nails, bones, and general health.
|
Used to de-worm
humans
Used to de-worm
livestock and other animals (topically and internally)
Used to control
garden pests
Used to store
with grains for pest-control
Kills adult,
larva, and egg parasite stages
|
|
DE
(Food Grade) can be found at most feed stores, some health stores, and many
locations online (like here). I got mine at my local feed store,
2lbs for $8, which will probably last my husband and I like 1-2 years. If
you have a significant other, they need to do this cleanse with you as they can
re-infect you. You can also give your adult dog or cat small doses of it,
too (start small and slow), or use it topically for flea control.
A Word of Caution
|
Some
sites claim you can take DE while breastfeeding/pregnant. I would never
do this and highly advise against it. Never do a detox/cleanse while
breastfeeding or pregnant as toxins are re-released into your body so they
can be flushed. You can pass these on to your baby and make them sick or
worse. Here’s a source for more information. Some
sites say you can give to children as well…I just personally wouldn’t give it
to very young children or toddlers. Always exercise caution, use your best
judgment/intuition, and consult a health practitioner if you intend to give
it to children. On another note, you may be able to use it indefinitely –
I’ve found no time limit anywhere in my online research (but if you have,
please send me the link and I will update). Always listen to your body.
|
Ok, you’re sold, right?!Now how do you use DE? How much can you take and how often? |
Some
people say they consume a teaspoon of DE (Food Grade) or even up to a
tablespoon a day, dissolved into 16oz. (or more) of water, juice, or smoothies.
But you need to start really low and work your way up to the full dose.
The reason for this is that as parasites die, they release toxins and ammonia
into your system, which can cause detox symptoms of headache and nausea, to
name a few. GO SLOW TO AVOID CRAPPY DETOX SYMPTOMS! Yes, that needed to be
yelled in all caps and I’ll talk about the importance of knowing about detox
symptoms below and how to counteract them.
DE
is best used on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before breakfast. But you don’t have to do it perfectly
for it to work; if you can’t take it in the morning before breakfast, that’s
okay – as long as you take it, that’s the important thing! Drink an additional
cup of water after each dose and drink a ton of water throughout the day since
it can make you thirsty. Some people take it indefinitely in smaller doses
(that is what I plan on doing). The great thing about this is that it’s so
easy; take it once a day and done.
When
I first took DE at full strength (a teaspoon), I had a major headache and
nausea for hours – which indicated I took too much for my body and I needed to
dial it back down. Here's the dose schedule I've been doing (to avoid detox
symptoms) and would highly recommend, especially if your body is
sensitive like mine...in fact, you may even need to go slower,
depending on how infected you are; I'm currently on week 3 and up to 1/2 tsp
with no signs of headache or nausea or anything unbearable like I'd previously
experienced.
Also,
you must do a maintenance parasite cleanse once or twice a year so they don’t
get out of control again. This is not a do-it-once-and-you’re-done-forever kind
of thing. Your body requires maintenance since you will always be exposed to
these bugs. I’ve included two different maintenance options at the end of the 6
Week Schedule. Again, always listen to your body (yes, I’m going to harp on
this).
Diatomaceous Earth (Food Grade) 6
Week Schedule
|
||||
Dosage
|
Frequency
|
Length
|
||
1/8 teaspoon
|
Once in the
morning, preferably before breakfast
|
One week
|
||
¼ teaspoon
|
Once in the
morning, preferably before breakfast
|
One week
|
||
½ teaspoon
|
Once in the
morning, preferably before breakfast
|
One week
|
||
¾ teaspoon (½ +
¼ tsp)
|
Once in the
morning, preferably before breakfast
|
One week
|
||
1 teaspoon
|
Once in the
morning, preferably before breakfast
|
Two weeks
|
||
Optional Indefinite Maintenance Dose
|
||||
1/8 – ½
teaspoon
|
Once in the
morning, preferably before breakfast
|
To Take
Indefinitely (to make a hostile environment that parasites will avoid)
|
||
Alternative Maintenance Follow-Up
|
||||
Redo
the 6 week cleanse once or twice a year
|
||||
There
is an alternative to DE and additional natural supplements that you can take,
but I have put them in a separate post because I find DE to be the best option on
every level. If you do a little “googling,” you'll find a lot of articles
touting the incredible natural effectiveness of what I call The 3 Heavy
Hitters that have been used traditionally in ancient medicine for parasite
removal. You can read my article here, along with my Pros and Cons of their use
over DE.
 |
But what can you expect while you do this cleanse? The Not-So-Good and The Good: |
The Not-So-Good:
|
|
I
don’t like to cast a negative view on anything but, the crappy (literally) news
is that you will see some parasites come out in your stool. Gross, I know. But
you’re trying to get rid of them, you want them to come out. Some “adventurous”
people even use gloves and special sanitary tools to dig into their stool and
find the parasites and take pictures to show their doctors (and whoever else).
My
stance on that – aw, hell naw! Nope, nope, nope with a side of screw that! So
if you’re like me, you can just flush it down. Now, I’m a little bit of a
curious cat and I have looked in the toilet bowl after doing my business
and here’s what you can expect to see: some of them are quite obvious, no
digging necessary, especially pinworms and some eggs, but most of the time they
will be hiding inside the stool. I screamed the first time, I admit it. Seeing
it made it so real for me! I could intellectually understand that I
more-than-likely had them, but it was REAL. Yuck, and sorry if it’s TMI, but
I’d rather you be prepared. The other bad thing that I’ve mentioned several
times is detox symptoms and side effects.
 | A very important word on detox and parasite die-off symptoms and side effects&how to minimize them! |
As
parasites die inside you, they release toxins, ammonia, and even other
parasites. Even parasites have parasites! You’ve heard the phrase “It gets
worse before it gets better,” right? Yeah. The key is to kill them slowly.
Now, I know this sounds counter-intuitive; you’ve just read that everyone is
infected with them to a certain degree and they can cause all these (often
chronic) ailments and now you want them out, dang it! You want them the heck
out now!
Patience,
young Padawan…and here’s why: you don’t know how infected you are. Some people
have a larger overgrowth, a bigger population of parasites than others,
especially if your immune system is lowered or compromised because that’s when
they thrive. So if you have a huge population and you go gung-ho on
exterminating them, too fast too soon – you could end up with toxic shock.
That’s worst-case-scenario if you decide to ignore my warnings.
So,
cool your jets. Slow your roll. This is why I did (and recommended) the small
dose schedules that I did, to keep you safe and minimize your detox symptoms. I
am having great success going slowly. All cleanses have detox side effects
which can range from minor to major and just plain make you feel like crap.
It’s part of the reason why cleanses can be so challenging. But it’s also part
of the healing process. You're cleaning out the gook in your body from years of
neglect, it has to circulate so it can find its way to the intestines and
eventually flush out. If any of these symptoms last over 3 days, consult your
health practitioner. Here’s some symptoms to be aware of:
Common
|
Lesser known
|
Fatigue
Brain fog
Headache (dull
and/or prolonged)
Nausea
Digestive upset
Itching
Junk cravings
Frequent
urination
Abdominal pain
Loose stools
Cold/flu-like
feelings
|
Bad breath
Joint pain
Muscle pain,
numbness, tingling
Skin sores
Mouth sores
Bruising
Weakness
Crawling
sensations
Anxiety
Emotional
instabilities
Facial pain
Pain around
eyes
Sleep
disturbance/insomnia
|
According
to Helena at LivingFood101.com,
“Basically any area of the body where the parasites are dying or getting
restless will be sore and painful until all the parasites and toxins are
released. This includes the stomach, back, legs and muscles.”
I
wish I had read this before I jumped into my parasite cleanse! Symptoms can
come and go; you may have none the first week and have a bunch hit you in the
third week, or they can get all mixed up. Everyone is different and your body
is going to react in all sorts of ways. These symptoms should pass within a few
days and some lucky people don’t ever experience parasite die-off side effects
(ya jerks!). These can be a good sign that they are dying and leaving so you
can start healing. But luckily, if you feel some of these symptoms like I did,
you can reduce the effects!
 |
The
Good:
Here’s some strategies to minimize
parasite die-off side effects.
|
|||
|
The best thing you can do is to have a bowel
movement as often as possible so the toxins are not lingering in your system.
The longer they stay in there, the more die-off detox symptoms you will feel.
You need to take a good probiotic to replenish the good gut bacteria while
you do this. Here are some ways you can increase your frequency:
Take a gentle stool softener every other day
(This is all I’ve needed to do. Consult your doctor).
Do an Enema
Eat a diet heavy in fiber and easily
digestible foods (take a break from meat/gluten/dairy)
|
||||
|
Take a Hot Detox Bath for pain and itch:
1)Fill tub with water as hot as you can
stand
2)1 cup Baking Soda
3) 1 cup Epsom Salt
4)A few drops Essential Oil of choice
(optional)
4) Soak 20+ minutes
|
 |
|||
|
Get a Message to “help to reduce the pain
and increase the blood flow so that the toxins can begin to leave more
efficiently,” says Helena.
|
||||
|
Exercise! You want your blood carrying all
that DE (or 3 Heavy Hitters) to all your organs and muscles, to wash over the
parasites, kill them, and flush them to your digestive tract for elimination.
|
||||
|
Use a heating pad where it hurts, a pain
reducing essential oil blend, or (if you have to) an OTC pain killer.
|
||||
|
Journal or talk to a friend, family member,
or counselor to deal with the anxiety or emotional instability.
|
||||
|
Meditate/pray. Remind yourself that this is
necessary for lasting health and this too shall pass.
|
||||
|
Additional foods, supplements, and strategies
to aid parasite removal.
|
||||
|
Garlic
Onion
Papaya seeds
Pineapple
Almonds
|
Garlic capsule
supplements
|
Exercise
Increase bowel
movements
Eat healthy
whole foods that are easily digestible
Stay away from
refined sugars, gluten, processed foods, GMOs, pesticides, and herbicides
Do an organic
juice fast for a few days
|
||
More Good! Pile on the Good! Positive side
effects of the parasite cleanse (to name a few).
|
||
Reduction/eradication
of chronic ailments
Weight Loss
Mental clarity
Better memory
|
Less/no asthma
Clear skin
Increased
energy
Less/no
bloating
Less/no joint
pain
|
Decreased junk
cravings
Decreased
appetite
Better sleep
Generally
feeling better/healthy
|
 |
||||
Here’s why I knew I needed to do a parasite
cleanse, other than the obvious. I had:
|
||||
Chronic
Depression
Chronic
Anxiety/Panic Attacks
Chronic
fatigue
Memory
problems
|
Mental
fog
Asthma
Junk cravings
Excess hunger
|
Excess
weight
Anemia
(iron deficiency)
Vitamin
D deficiency
PMS
|
||
I’m
moving into the fourth week of my Diatomaceous Earth (Food Grade) 6 Week
Schedule. All I take is is my DE dose in the morning in water and a gentle stool softener every other day. I’ve lost 10lbs and 4.5 inches off my waist, which is just a perk. I’m eating better
and exercising. I’m feeling really great and I’ve gotten my husband and
neighbor to join me. My husband has osteo-arthritis from the hips down, so his
knees and feet hurt most of the time – he’s on his second week of this cleanse
and he reports significant reduction
of pain in his feet and knees, more energy, and weight loss. My neighbor
reports gallons of excess energy – she said, “I feel more energized than I did
in my twenties.”
The first
week, most of my detox symptoms were mild and manageable; my main complaint was
the brain fog and increased anxiety, everything else was very minor. In fact I
barely noticed the other symptoms until I cross-referenced common symptoms and
checked off the ones I had, almost as an afterthought. Within 5 days I saw obvious parasites in the stool and that
was only using 1/8 teaspoon dose!
The second
week though, I had a moderate, irritating
sensation in the back of both my thighs (but especially my left) that lasted
for 5days – it wasn’t quite pain and it wasn’t quite numb, but both and neither
at the same time. And it felt restless just in that spot and sometimes it
radiated out through the whole leg on and off. It was so irritating that I lost
two nights of sleep. And I knew it wasn’t a clot or circulation issue since I
have discussed that with my doctor before and I am not at risk for that. It was
at its most intensely uncomfortable stage when I forgot to take my stool
softener that day (so toxins were lingering). The sensation lasted for 5 days
and greatly lessened to a mild irritant when I remembered to use my stool
softener and it completely disappeared when I started exercising.
The third
week has been a breeze and I’m hardly seeing any more obvious bugs/eggs in my stool.
The Hot Detox
Baths, the heating pad, and Ibuprofen were what got me through the leg pain,
since I was too tired/irritable to exercise (although I’m sure that would have
helped immensely). I didn’t know about detox symptoms (or search for them)
until I had the sensation in my legs and I felt like it was due to the cleanse
– that’s when I went looking and that’s why I compiled the huge list for you,
since I myself didn’t know when I started my cleanse.
Detox and parasite die-off side
effects that I’ve experienced so far:
|
||
1st Week
|
2nd
Week
|
3rd
Week
|
1)Brain fog
(lasted 10 days)
2) Increased
anxiety
3)Increased
fatigue
4)Itching in
ears/nose
5)Increased
asthma
6)Frequent
urination
7)Junk cravings
8)Slight
dizziness
|
1)Mild –
moderate muscle pain/numbness in legs, back of thighs
2)Sleep
disturbance (because of the muscle pain)
3)Itching in
ears/nose
4)Crawling
sensation
|
Nothing but a
little facial acne
|
Positive symptoms that I’ve
experienced so far:
|
||
Weight loss
(7lbs)
Less bloating
Slight mental
clarity
|
Decreased
appetite
Less asthma
(after 1st week)
More mental
clarity/sharpness
Better memory
More energy
Clearer skin
|
Weight loss
(3lbs more)
More motivation
More creativity
Feeling
generally better
Fewer junk
cravings
Sleeping
through the night (fewer night disturbances)
|
I
feel this is the first step to lasting vibrant health and I plan to do more
targeted cleanses that I’ll write about in the future (mucoid plaque, liver
cleanse, oil pulling, etc.). Now I won’t have thieves stealing my nutrients and
making me crave crap. I’m really passionate about it and I’m trying to spread
the word and be very thorough, which is why I’ve littered this article with all
my sources. Share this with your friends, family, and doctors. I'm hoping
you'll help me spread the word by sharing this article! And please tell me
about your experiences with parasite cleanses or share any resources you find
helpful in the comments!
Here’s
all my sources:
On Parasites:
On Gut Health:
On Diatomaceous
Earth (Food Grade):
https://naturopathiccontrol.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-get-rid-of-human-parasites.html#.WORH5Ge1u70
On Recommended
Products:
On Detox/Parasite
die-off and Safety:
Misc:
