Another Malaria Drug Is Failing to Work

Malaria causes over 400,000 deaths a year.  Ninety-two percent of those deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, although a total of 91 countries still report cases each year. We know that malaria is primarily spread through the Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax species of mosquitos, but recent developments have made it clear that we need to adjust our prevention and treatment of the disease.

Typically, malaria prevention takes the form of insecticides sprayed inside houses and the deployment of nets treated with insecticides. The two most common species of mosquito spreading malaria have different territories. Plasmodium falciparum is concentrated in Africa, and Plasmodium vivax is everywhere else. Plasmodium vivax is already displaying resistance to the most popular antiparasitics, especially in South-East Asia. A team in London is now reporting the first failure of the anti-parasitic drug artemether-lumefantrine contracted from travel in Africa.

Heed the Resistance

More than 1,500 people a year in the U.K. are treated for malaria after foreign travel. The four cases of malaria that resisted the usual treatment were from individuals who traveled to Uganda, Angola, and Liberia. The treatment failures happened from October 2015 to February 2016, and the four patients were eventually treated with other means. Four doesn’t seem like many cases, but those four cases are from over a year ago and reported in a country where malaria is exclusively imported.

Drugs and Drug Combinations are Failing

The World Health Organization recommends that malaria drug regimens be routinely monitored. This is not the first time a treatment for malaria has failed. Another common malaria treatment is artemisinin-based combination therapy, a mix of artemisinin and piperaquine. While malaria has officially shown resistance to artemisinin (a derivative of sweet wormwood) since 2008, the combined use of the drug with piperaquine has yielded results until last year, when Cambodian doctors reported the drug combination had completely failed.

Controlling malaria and the carriers of the disease is becoming more difficult for a variety of reasons, and malaria’s actual drug resistance is not the only uprising occurring. Mosquitos, malaria’s long term carrier and partner-in-crime, are developing a resistance to the pesticides used to reduce their numbers. Mosquito netting sprayed in insecticide is a common prevention strategy, and more nets are being sprayed with two different insecticides. Who knows how long the double dose of insecticide will work, and at what point is the constant exposure to these pesticides considered too harmful for humans?

Running a Rigged Race

Here’s the bottom line: the bacteria and diseases are evolving and we aren’t. In fact, our ability to fight off infection through a strong immune system and a healthy, varied gut environment is going backward.

Scientists see this drug resistance as a warning sign rather than an invitation to panic. But these solutions do not help us to reclaim the microbiome diversity that we need to maintain a strong immune system. Diseases like malaria have already proven that conventional anti-parasitics have a shelf life. We’ve passed the warning sign, but have we hit the brakes yet?

Recommended Reading:
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Super Lice – New Strain Resistant to Chemicals

We’ve seen it before. Over time, bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. Roaches become immune to bug spray. Weeds become immune to herbicides. Adaptation wins. Chemicals lose. Such is life.

The newest winner is lice. A champion strain of “super lice,” now reported in 25 states, is proving resistant to the chemicals commonly used today to kill them – both the over the counter and the prescription drugs. When are we going to learn that chemical warfare will always result in creating super bugs?

It isn’t necessary to poison lice with chemicals that harm us and our environemnt. You can kill them naturally by suffocation. Even if over the counter treatments and prescription treatments still worked, do you really want to slather neurotoxins on your child’s scalp? Or yours?

Natural Remedies for Lice and Super Lice

There are several methods to go to war on lice and a few preventative treatments as well. As always, the better you eat, the healthier you are, the less susceptible you are to infection both inside the body and outside. This is true for internal parasites and external parasites like scabies, fleas, and lice. If you’re dealing with any infection (or ailment for that matter), it behooves you to load up on fresh, raw vegetables; to eliminate processed foods; and to seriously restrict any excessively sweet whole foods (like grapes and bananas for instance).

Manual Delousing

First of all, check your child’s scalp on a regular basis – once a week at the very least if lice have been a recurrent problem in their daycare or school, daily if there is a current infestation.

Check all over the scalp, but pay special attention to the area around the ears. Look for lice and look little dark specks. If you find the dark specks, these are nits – otherwise known as eggs. You can use a nit comb to remove lice and nits.

Now, of course, the manual method works, but it is tedious and time-consuming. If you’ve ever tried to remove fleas from a cat or dog with nothing but a flea comb, you know the drill. But if you catch lice early enough and your child only has a few lice and nits, the manual method alone may work.

If you spray any area that has nits with apple cider vinegar (or dab it on with cotton balls), the vinegar will dissolve the “glue” that attaches the nit to the hair shaft, making manual removal much easier.

How To Smother Lice

Mayonnaise, olive oil, and coconut oil are all used to smother the little suckers. Some suggest beginning with an apple cider vinegar rinse, leaving it on until it dries, and using the nit comb as the first step. Some suggest doing this as the last step.

Cover the entire scalp with mayo, olive oil, or coconut oil. Oil can be used with or without the addition of essential oils (tea tree, rosemary, cinnamon, or peppermint oil are good choices).

Cover the head with a shower cap and leave it in place for 2-8 hours. Some say the little monsters can hold their breath that long. Other say 2 hours does the trick.

Don’t forget this important step: wash everything that could be infested with lice and use the dryer! Bed linens are not the only concern. Hats, hoodies, coats, clothes – wash them all at the same time you do a treatment. In fact, if you do the 8-hour treatment, wash the linens before and after.

One treatment will probably not be enough. If you miss one nit, it will grow up to lay 8-10 eggs a day. So… plan on repeating the treatment every 7 days for a few weeks. (Of course you may not find any lice and be home free after one treatment. But check carefully!)

Other Natural Methods of Killing Lice

Reports of using strong salt solutions or diatomaceous earth look promising. One mother successfully treated lice by using ½ pound of salt to 2 quarts of water. Her instructions are to pour the saltwater over the child’s hair while the child is in the tub,  leave on for 10 minutes, rinse, and condition. Repeat daily for 3 days and again every 7 days for 3 weeks.

Diatomaceous earth is a little trickier. You want to leave this dry powder on overnight after working it into the hair and follow with a vinegar rinse and nit comb. Since you don’t want to breathe this dust and you don’t want your child breathing it and you have to devise a method to keep this on the scalp overnight, it seems oil would be a better, easier method.

How To Prevent Lice Infestations

Yes, there are idiots out there who will say that your child caught lice because you did not keep his or her hair clean. Others say that lice prefer clean hair. Cleanliness is not the issue.

The one thing you are responsible for is the health of your child. Feed your child the best possible diet. All parasites do seem to prefer unhealthy hosts, and they all love sugar! If you do feed your child a healthy diet, and he or she still picks up lice, don’t waste your time looking for fault or blame. It’s time to deal with it in a healthy, responsible way.

In addition to diet, lice really hate essential oils and will avoid them. Spritzing your child’s backpack, coat, and hat with a spray of water and essential oils (10 drops of peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, or cinnamon oil to one cup of water) may deter lice.

Conclusion

Maybe the evolution of super lice is a good thing. Maybe the result will be  a revolution in awareness of natural treatments. Remember that the skin (scalp included!) soaks up any chemicals that are placed on it. Why would anyone ever want to expose their child to poisons, to neurotoxins, to anything that might harm your child this way?

One can only hope that Big Pharma doesn’t respond the way other scientists have – to replace a failing insecticide with a new, stronger one. They probably will. We’ll see.

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Destroy Parasites with Natural Herbal Remedies

Human parasites are unwanted inhabitants of the gastrointestinal system that have the potential to cause serious damage to their host.  These pathogens consume key nutrients from the foods we eat and release waste products that harm the human body.  They also puncture holes in the intestinal membrane which leads to leaky gut syndrome and chronic inflammation.  Use natural herbal remedies to reduce inflammation and restore integrity to your digestive system (1)

Parasites can range from 10 foot long tapeworms to microscopic amoeba.  These organisms can drop their eggs into the gut lining where they can enter the circulation and travel to major organs such as the liver and cause serious harm.

The Power of Anti-Microbial Herbs

Various different forms of herbs have antimicrobial factors that reduce pathogenic bacteria, yeast and parasites.  These herbs can be used to reduce the microbial load and be an important part of reestablishing a healthy microbial balance.  Here are some unique ones that are clinically proven to be effective:

Sweet Wormwood

Also known as Artemisia annua, sweet wormwood is one of the bitterest herbs on the planet and this bitterness works to drive out worms and parasites.

This is also a potent anti-malarial agent and can kill the most deadly malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum (2).  It works to break down iron bridges in the pathogenic organism, causing massive oxidative stress and death of the parasite.

Pumpkin Seed

Pumpkin seed extract is a rich source of zinc and B vitamins and helps to reduce parasite formation.  The vermifugal properties have been demonstrated in studies to be extremely effective at reducing gastrointestinal nematode (roundworm) levels (3).

Grapefruit Seed Extract  

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) has very high amounts of disease-fighting, free-radical eliminating antioxidants and phytonutrients called bioflavonoids. One of these powerful bioflavonoids (plant antioxidants) include the chemical component hesperidin, a well-known natural immune system stimulator and booster.

A recent study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that grapefruit seed extract was effective in killing over “800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of single and multi-celled parasites.” (4) No other naturally occurring anti-microbial can come close to these results.

Wormseed

Wormseed, also called Chenopodium ambrosioides, are seeds that contain a compound called ascaridoles, which is highly toxic to fungus (5).  Wormseed has been shown to reduce skin infecting fungus and fungal spores on food (6, 7).  It has also been shown to be very effective against gastrointestinal worms (8).

Guarana

These seeds contain a strong antimicrobial and anti-oxidant effect against a wide variety of microorganisms (9).  These seeds have a similar nutritional makeup as cacao and are a natural source of caffeine so they are stimulating and speed up metabolism and fat burning properties.

They also contain cardiac stimulants such as theophylline and theobromine and polyphenol anti-oxidants catechin and epicatechin (ECGC also found in cacao and green tea).

Passion Flower  

This herb has been used for centuries to treat anxiety, hypertension, and insomnia.  It has mild sedative qualities that improve mood and relaxation.  This herb contains plant alkaloids, phenols, glycoside flavonoids, and cyanogenic compounds that have been shown to have profound antimicrobial effects against pathogenic microorganisms (10).

Lavender

This popular essential oil has great anti-microbial, anti-fungal, sedative, antidepressant, and carminative effects in the body (11). Research has shown it is effective against antibiotic-resistant staph infections (12).  Other research has shown that it is highly effective against yeast overgrowth (13).

For more information on testing and overcoming parasitic overgrowth see What Type of Parasites do You Have?

Recommended Reading:
Sources:
  1. History of Human Parasitology – American Society for Microbiology
  2. Artemisinins: their growing importance in medicine – PubMed.gov
  3. Anthelmintic efficacy of pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepo Linnaeus, 1753) on ostrich gastrointestinal nematodes in a semiarid region of Paraíba State, Brazil. – PubMed.gov
  4. The effectiveness of processed grapefruit-seed extract as an antibacterial agent: II. Mechanism of action and in vitro toxicity. – PubMed.gov
  5. Composition and antifungal activity of the essential oil of the Brazilian Chenopodium ambrosioides L. – PubMed.gov
  6. Fungitoxicity of essential oils against dermatophytes. – PubMed.gov
  7. In vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of essential oils of Cymbopogon martini and Chenopodium ambrosioides and their synergism against dermatophytes. – PubMed.gov
  8. Effects of aqueous extracts of Mentha piperita L. and Chenopodium ambrosioides L. leaves in infective larvae cultures of gastrointestinal nematodes of goats. – PubMed.gov
  9. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of guarana seed extracts – Science Direct.com
  10. Antibacterial properties of Passiflora foetida L. – a
    common exotic medicinal plant. – Academic Journals.org
  11. Biological activities of lavender essential oil. – PubMed.gov
  12. The antimicrobial activity of high-necrodane and other lavender oils on methicillin-sensitive and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA). – PubMed.gov
  13. Antifungal activity of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil against Candida albicans yeast and mycelial form – PubMed.gov



Herbs and a Protocol that Eliminates Parasites from the Body

Parasites are more common than most people realize. There are many different kinds. Internally, there’s a pretty good chance that you and a third of the people you know have them. If we consider the possibility that there are many common parasites that we are as of yet unaware of, most of us could be suffering from them. If you want to take it a step further and consider candida a parasite (most don’t group them together, but candida does fit the description), then it could be argued that most people in the world suffer from adverse health effects due to parasites.

Because I come in contact with raw meat regularly (I feed my dog raw meat, vegetables, and some supplements), I do a parasite cleanse every other month. I also eat well most of the time. I eat lots of salads with lots of vegetables and garlic, which parasites don’t much care for.

We use the word herb loosely here, it should really read “Foods, herbs, other things you can eat to kill parasites.” But that’s not a very good title.

Herbs that Parasites Hate

Garlic

Garlic is anti-bad-stuff. Viruses, fungi, bacteria, parasites, cancer, and vampires all hate garlic. It’s an absolutely amazing herb and the best in the business at killing bad stuff. It even chelates heavy metals (removes them from the body). Garlic is also a very powerful deterrent for blood sucking parasites like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.

Black Walnut-Nuts & Hull

The nuts and green hulls of black walnut (Juglans nigra) are loved by herbalists for their ability to cleanse the blood and the intestines. Black walnut hull is used to cure fungal infections. The juice from the green hulls are used to kill parasites. Only green hulls should be used.

Wormwood

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is a perennial herb with tiny yellow-green flowers. Leaves and flowers are used to treat stomach problems and wormwood is a powerful remedy for intestinal worms. Wormwood should be avoided by women who or nursing. Wormwood has strong antimicrobial properties and is used for other infections as well.

Cloves

Clove essential oil is used to dissolve eggs found in the intestines that have been left behind by worms. It’s believed to be the only herb that actually does destroy almost all parasite eggs. When used in conjunction with black walnut and wormwood, the trio break the parasite’s lifecycles. Clove is also antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. Clove oil has powerful broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties.

Thyme

Thyme is one of the best herbs for stimulating the thymus, a major gland of the immune system. Thyme helps stimulate the body’s natural defenses and works very well with echinacea to boost the ability of our immune system. Oil of thyme can eliminate growth of many parasites, and it kills them in the intestinal tract.

Oil of Oregano

Oil of oregano is infused with extremely high levels of free-radical-crushing antioxidants, and it is antiparasitic, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. It is a powerful, indiscriminate killer that can reset the microbial environment in the intestines. Many studies show the effectiveness of oil of oregano with everything from parasitical infections to cancer.

Chinese Goldthread

Goldthread (Coptis chinensis) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat all types of infections, including bacterial, parasitic, yeast, and protozoan. It contains a substance called berberine, which is responsible for the broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties.

Diatomaceous Earth

Food grade diatomaceous earth absorbs methyl mercury, E. coli, endotoxins, viruses, organophosphate pesticide residues, and drug residues. Its positive effects include killing intestinal parasites, balancing the intestinal flora, killing viruses, and absorbing toxins. It’s great for intestinal cleanses. The only side effect known is its ability to irritate the lungs if inhaled; it is a very fine powder.

Capsaicin /Cayenne

Cayenne by itself is not going to kill parasites well enough to be on this list, but it has other properties making cayenne worthy of mentioning here. It deters parasites from setting up home (or biting, burrowing), and capsaicin has tons of other beneficial properties, plus, it makes other herbal treatments much more powerful.

Goldenseal

Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) is a natural remedy for many internal parasites. It’s also a good ingredient to look for in mouthwash and eyewash formulas and recipes. It’s also a topical treatment of eczema and psoriasis. Goldenseal is not only antiparasitic; it’s also antibacterial, and antiviral. It’s also great for detoxifying the blood. It is a good supplement to have in any detox regimen.

Echinacea

Echinacea supports the body’s immune system. Clinical trials determined that there was a 70% reduction in the winter incidences of infections when Echinacea was taken routinely throughout the winter. Echinacea increases white blood cell count. Use Echinacea for anything involving the immune system. Echinacea is also helpful with acute infections including urinary and intestinal tract infections.

Oregon Grape Root

The active chemical found in Oregon grape root is berberine. Herbalists sometimes substitute Oregon grape root for goldenseal or the Chinese herb coptis. The herb is used for constipation, bloating, intestinal issues, psoriasis, and other skin diseases. It kills parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Berberine

Berberine is a major immune-enhancing alkaloid found in many plants, including goldenseal, Coptis chinensis, Oregon grape, barberry, Indian barberry, and turmeric. Berberine provides broad-spectrum immune support, promotes healthy respiratory mucus membranes, maintains healthy immune response, and it also helps maintain the body’s normal intestinal flora.

Reishi

Reishi mushrooms grow wild on decaying logs and tree stumps in the coastal provinces of China. Reishi mushrooms are anti-tumor and anti-oxidative. They lower blood pressure, glucose levels and LDL-cholesterol. They treat hepatitis B, glomerulosclerosis, cancer, and ulcers, and are antifungal and antiparasitic.

Systemic Enzymes

Systemic enzymes take apart foreign proteins, so it kills viruses, bacteria, yeasts, parasites, and any other pathogen.

Yellow Dock Root

Yellow Dock Root is a powerful blood purifier and a lymphatic cleanser. It improves colon and liver function and it’s used to treat many skin ailments, intestinal parasites, inflammation, and more.

Pumpkin Seed

Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil are rich in fatty acids, zinc, copper, sterols, anti-inflammatory agents, and amino acids. Pumpkin seeds are used to treat worms, especially tapeworms. It’s not the fastest parasite killer; the recommendation is to eat raw pumpkin seeds every day for several weeks.

Pomegranate Seed

Pomegranate has been touted as a superfood with many health benefits and for years it has also been used to treat infections from the most common parasites found in humans: roundworms, pinworms and tapeworms.

Precautions with Herbal Remedies

Not every herb or herbal remedy should be taken with another one. Use caution when working with herbal remedies. Do your research. Though the good news is that any side effects are less likely to bother you than anything on the warning label of every single pharmaceutical. Do plenty of research and/or ask a knowledgeable herbal practitioner before taking any of the above while pregnant or nursing.

A healthy diet should be followed whenever attempting to restore health, but especially when taking broad-spectrum antimicrobial supplements. You will kill off some of your beneficial flora, and it is vital to feed the body healthy foods in order to rebuild a healthy ecosystem.

As I mentioned, I detoxify from parasites once a year. Here’s how I do it:

Michael’s Parasite Detoxification Regimen

I normally eat lots of salad with many different vegetables, as well as lots of raw garlic, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, spices, and herbs. I take my salads very seriously. For more on that, check out Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included. I also generally drink lots of cranberry stevia lemonade, and with a parasite cleanse it’s a good time to step up your fluid intake. That article has the recipe for cranberry lemonade as well. It’s great for the liver, the kidneys, the lymph’s, etc. Also, see Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This.

Whenever I do a parasite cleanse, or any detox, I always clean up my gut and eliminate excess candida, too. Check out How To Heal Your Gut for more on that.

Antiparasite Supplement Stack – Heal the Gut & Kill Pathogens

This list below is in order from what I think is most important to the least important. The first four supplements should be plenty for most people, and I usually do the first seve for my detox protocal. There is a little bit of overlap, Abzorb and Syntol AMD are both probiotics and Microdefense has Berberine and it has Wormwood which the intestinal detox also has. Taking the recommended dosages shouldn’t be a problem even with the overlap. You could take all of them within the same protocol, or just pick and choose based on your needs.

If you believe you have (or know you have) a parasite infection, diet is critical. No refined foods, no sugar, no artificial crap, no junk food! Junk feeds them. Don’t skimp on the diet! No amount of supplementation will make up for a poor diet.

Related Reading:
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Common Parasites and How to Kill Them

Parasite. Now there’s a word that conjures up an uncomfortable images. But we Americans tend to frame those images in faraway landscapes- mostly the tropics. We don’t like to think that parasites can get to us right here in the U.S. of A. But they do.

Contents:

Types of Parasites

The three basic types of parasites are:

  • Protozoa–single celled organisms that live inside the body
  • Helminths— multi-celled organisms that live inside the body (worms–flatworms, ringworms, roundworms, tapeworms)
  • Ectoparasites–parasites that live off of or in our skin (mosquitoes, bedbugs, ticks, fleas, mites, lice, botflies, etc.)

Common Protozoa Parasites

Protozoa, the single cell parasites, are responsible for malaria, sleeping sickness and a variety of other illnesses found in other countries. Those most familiar to Americans are giardia (which tends to sweep through daycare centers) and toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis, a disease usually transmitted through cat feces. (Some estimates state 30% of the worldwide population is infected with this parasite).

Giardia intestinali, also called giaradia, is a protozoa that can be spread very easily, especially among young children in a school or daycare setting. Cysts are shed through feces that can live on surfaces for weeks and in cold water for months. Infections are spread through fecal contact, through infected food, water, and soil, and via oral/anal sex. Groundwater, lakes, rivers, and streams can become contaminated through agricultural runoff. Water contamination can include municipal water, pools, water parks, and well water.

Symptoms include diarrhea, gas, stomach cramps, fatigue, and nausea. Infections may resolve without treatment after 4-6 weeks or an infected person may become asymptomatic and continue to be a carrier, infecting others through poor hygiene. Severe infections result in destruction of the villi in the small intestine, the tiny hair-like structures needed for nutrient absorption.

Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite believed to infect up to one third of the global population. It may cause no symptoms in a healthy adult, but in infants and those with weakened immune systems, such as HIV/AiDS patients, it may develop into toxoplasmosis, a serious and sometimes fatal disease.

Infection is spread through contaminated dirt and water, fruits and vegetables, undercooked meat, organ transplant, blood transfusions, and cat feces.

Once ingested, this parasite enters the bloodstream. A healthy immune systems prevents further infection, but dormant cysts remain in skeletal and heart muscle as well as in the brain and eyes. But if a pregnant women becomes infected, the parasite crosses the placenta and can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or health problems for the infant including blindness and encephalitis. Encephalitis can also occur in persons with a weakened immune system. A strong immune system is the best defense against this parasite along with good hygienic practices, especially in regards to dealing with cat feces.

Common Helminth Parasites

Helmiths, the worms, infect our bodies internally. Though many of these organisms are generally found in tropical areas, many infect Americans as well. Generally, we think of these critters living in our intestines, but not all take up residence there. Some do; they merely eat our food. Some attach themselves to the intestine wall and suck blood. Others burrow through the wall of the intestine and travel to the lungs or the liver. One burrows in the stomach lining. Another in the blood and lymph. Or the parasite may go straight through the skin into the bloodstream.

Roundworms

Anisakis is a roundworm found in fish and eels. Although this parasite cannot survive more than a few weeks in the human body, it can cause stomach pain and nausea during that time. To avoid this parasite, gut fish immediately after catching, freeze at -40 F for a few days or cook well.

Ascaris lumbricoides, the giant roundword, is estimated to infect 25% of the world’s population, though more in the tropics than other countries. Infection is passed from one human to another through food, water, or dirty hands that have become contaminated with feces from an infected person. Eggs hatch into larvae that penetrate the intestinal wall to enter the bloodstream. They stop in the lungs (pulmonary arteries) for a few weeks then break through the alveoli (the small spaces in the lungs) and travel up to the throat to be swallowed again. Good sanitation and hand washing help prevent this infection.

Enterobius vermicularis, commonly known as the pinworm, is the most prevalent worm infection in the United States. Infection causes anal itching. These worms live inside the intestines, eating our food, and generally travel outside of the body when the person is sleeping to lay eggs in the skin around the anus.

Pinworms are highly contagious. Generally the whole family should be treated at once, and if small children are in the household the school or daycare should be notified since chances are others are infected. Good sanitation and clean bedding are essential to eliminate the problem.

Ancylostoma duodenale (ancylostomiasis) is the hookworm. The hookworm enters the body through skin (usually the feet) and is common among barefoot fieldworkers. Hookworms travel through tissue until they reach blood or lymph, then they travel to the lungs where they are coughed up and swallowed. They take up residence in the gut and suck blood. Sometimes larvae migrate to muscle tissue and lie dormant. Pregnancy “awakens” the larvae then travel to the mammary glands and infections are passed through mother’s milk to babies. Good sanitation helps prevent this infection.

Flukes

Fasciola hepatica, also known as the liver fluke, is prevalent where cattle and sheep are raised. Infection is caused by drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated water vegetation (such as watercress), or eating raw or undercooked liver from a contaminated animal. This parasite travels through the intestinal wall into the body cavity before finding its way the liver where it eats liver tissue. Eventually the mature worms block the bile duct causing liver inflammation.

Tapeworms

Diphyllobothrium Latum, the fish tapeworm, is ingested through raw fish. Infection is usually asymptomatic, but symptoms may include stomach pain, weight loss, diarrhea, or constipation, bowel obstruction, vomiting, fatigue, inflammation of the bile duct or gall bladder. This parasite is also associated with B12 deficiency, as it absorbs most of the body’s B12 intake and can cause pernicious anemia.

Hymenolepis nana, the dwarf tapeworm, is the most common human tapeworm; it is found worldwide in temperate climates. Eggs are ingested through dirty hands, food or water containing eggs. Food and water can be contaminated with eggs through infected rodent droppings, and infection can also pass to humans if they accidently ingest infected insects, (beetles or fleas.) Eggs develop into adult tapeworms in the intestines. Tapeworms eat a human’s food and cause inflammation of the intestines. Other symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, changes in appetite and weight loss, vomiting, weakness, headache, muscle spasms, seizures and more. Prevention includes washing all fruits and vegetables, washing hands, and avoiding putting fingers in the mouth and nose.

The cattle tapeworm, the pork tapeworm, and the fish tapeworm are not common in the U.S., but be aware that undercooked meat could cause infection.

Common Ectoparasites

We are all, of course, familiar with ectoparasites. Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, lice, bedbugs, and scabies bite us and suck our blood. Lice and mites (such as scabies) move in and make themselves at home on our bodies. Lice live in our hair. Mites, such as scabies, live in tunnels burrowed in our skin.

Bedbugs

Bedbugs are certainly making a comeback. In the last few years, news of infestations in hotels and homes have become commonplace, but recently there was news of an infestation in a movie theatre. The best treatment for bedbugs is high heat or extreme cold. Starvation doesn’t work. They can live for years without feeding and are difficult to kill. In many cases, carpets, furniture, and fabrics all need to be replaced. Prevention is the key with these bugs; be careful with traveling and used furniture.

Scabies

These are mites that live in and on the skin. The females burrow tunnels just under the skin, laying their eggs along the way. The result is a rash with intense itching. Once a scabies infection is fully underway, the typical parasite supplement and diet protocol is standard, but the immune system must be rebuilt. Unlike internal parasites, you can treat scabies topically with undecenoic acid, clove oil, neem oil, oil of oregano, peppermint oil, lavender, cayenne, garlic, and any antiparasitic oil. This works well, but these tenacious parasites will bounce right back no matter what you do topically in someone who has a weak thyroid, gluten reactions, serious Candida, or anything else that will cause a compromised immune system. These mites can live up to three days without contact with a host and the dryer kills them too.

Mosquitoes

There are many essential oils to choose from to repel mosquitos. A healthy diet with lots of raw garlic tends to do the trick, too.

How to Prevent Parasite Infections Naturally

For any protozoa and helminth parasites such as ringworms, malaria, and giardia, the most important thing you can do is stay healthy and keep your immune system as close to bulletproof as possible. With a diet full of tons of fresh, raw, organic, nutrient dense produce, lots of garlic, and next to no refined, processed crap food, the body makes a poor host for parasites. Simple, processed foods like white sugar feeds them well. Parasites also like to feed off of damaged and decaying cells. Their mere presence, in large enough numbers, will cause cells to malfunction and die. Keep your cells healthy and your body full of food that doesn’t feed the bad microorganisms.

If you eat meat, only eat meat from a farm that treats the animals well. Factory farming promotes pathogens.

Good plumbing and other obvious sanitization make a huge difference in a population’s ability to defend against parasitic infections. Areas that have poor conditions where their drinking and cooking water comes in contact with their wastewater contaminated with fecal matter have the highest incidences of parasitic infection.

On the other hand, anyone in any country, no matter how developed their environment, no matter how clean they strive to be, is likely to have internal parasites at some point in their lives. Keeping the immune system strong so as not to succumb to the parasites is paramount. If they are going to try and make a home inside of us, a healthy body will not give them what they need to multiply and flourish. If your diet is decent, detox once or twice a year. Even better, always be detoxifying by eating right (see the two articles below) and keep your body healthy so you’re not easy prey, and be very cautious with uncooked meat (sushi is a common way to get a parasite).

Related: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
Related: Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

How to Kill Parasites Naturally

Parasites hate gentian root, ginger, blackberries, raw cabbage, coconut oil, aloe, pineapple, pumpkin seeds, and papaya. Be sure to have some or all of these in your diet.

The most powerful antiparasitic herbal ingredients I know of are wormwood, berberine, oil of oregano, clove, and black walnut, and they can be taken together. MicroDefense has most of these in one capsule. I recommend getting black walnut and oil of oregano separately, along with extra berberine which has too many health benefits to list here. Also, consider diatomaceous earth.

Natural Remedies for Protozoa and Helminth Parasites

Doc Shillington’s blood detox and MicroDefense by Pure Encapsulations are two of the most potent combinations to kill parasites. For a bad infection, adjusting the diet, cleaning the colon, and fixing the entire immune system may be required (and should be done regardless). In most cases, a parasitical infection, or even just the suspicion of one, signifies it’s time to detox and fix the body.

Natural Remedies for Ectoparasites

Keeping the body healthy is paramount for external parasitic defense as well. Follow the same advice from the section above for protozoa and helminth parasites. The difference is you also have a ton of essential oils at your arsenal with ectoparasites (tea tree is my favorite, see recommended supplements). If you or anyone in your family is suffering from a parasitic infestation, replacing the furniture may be in order. All of the potentially contaminated laundry should be done to kill these bugs, and the dryer should run for extra time. Clean the home with essential oils like peppermint, clove, lavender, etc. and vacuum as many times a day as possible (bags should be tossed immediately, or the vacuum put somewhere so the bugs don’t simply climb back out to re-infest).

The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Eliminate Parasites

Heal the gut! If parasites are making a home in your body your gut is not healthy. If you suffer from any chronic disease you almost certainly have gut issues along with an abundance of Candida. Candida makes it easy for almost anything to pass from the gut into the bloodstream. An unhealthy gut is an open door for other infections. Killing parasites repeatedly won’t do much good in the long run with an unhealthy gut. See How To Heal Your Gut for more on that.

A healthy immune system fights parasitic infections. And a truly healthy diet aids the immune system in two ways: the body receives the nutrients it needs to fight a parasitic infection, to repair cells, and build new tissue and it provides the fiber from a diet consisting of 80% raw, organic, produce to help eliminate parasites in the small intestine and colon. Anytime someone suffers from a parasitic infection, it’s a good time for a full body detox and a long look at adopting a healthier diet.

Parasite Killing Supplement Stack:

Recommended Reading:
Sources:
  • Saadatnia, Geita; Golkar, Majid. A Review on Human Toxoplasmosis. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. Nov2012, Vol. 44 Issue 11, p805-814. 10p. DOI: 10.3109/00365548.2012.693197.
  • Parasites in Humans
  • CDC
  • Mayo Clinic



What Type of Parasites do You Have?

Intestinal parasites are abnormal and unwanted inhabitants of the gastrointestinal system that have the potential to cause damage to their host.  They consume nutrients from the foods we are eating and they puncture holes in the intestinal membrane.  Humans can play host to more than a hundred different types of parasites.

Parasites can range from microscopic amoeba to 10 foot long tapeworms.  These parasites and their eggs can enter the circulation and travel to various organs such as the liver where they can cause abscesses and cirrhosis.  They can also migrate to the lungs causing pneumonia and into the joints, brain, muscles, esophagus and skin where they cause hyper inflammatory processes.

Parasites have killed more people than all the wars in the history of humankind.”   National Geographic

parasites infographicChronic parasitic infections are linked with intestinal permeability and leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, irregular bowel movements, malabsorption, gastritis, acid reflux, skin disorders, joint pain, seasonal and food allergies, and decreased immunity.

How Do You Get Parasites?

Parasites can come into the body through exposure to contaminated food and water, day care centers, pets, mosquitoes and fleas, and sexual transmission.  Many individuals who are doing a lot of international flying will encounter regions of contaminated food and water.   Pork and scavenger fish and shellfish happen to be especially rich in heat tolerant parasites.  It is estimated that 85% of the world’s population is infested with parasites.

According to United Nations data:  “Overall, about 1.5 billion people have roundworms, making it the third most common human infection in the world. Whipworm infects 1 billion people… More than 1.3 billion people carry hookworm in their gut, and 265 million people are infected with schistosomes.”

Two Main Classifications of Parasites

There are two main classifications of intestinal parasites that can create significant problems.  These include protozoa and helminthes.  Protozoa are single celled organisms that have two stages: the trophozoite stage where they are metabolically active and invasive and a stage where they are inactive, called the cyst stage.

Helminths are large, multicellular worms that are typically big enough to see with the human eye in their adult stage.  Nematodes (roundworms), cestodes (tapeworms), and trematodes (flatworms and schistosomes) are among the most common helminths that inhabit the human gut.  These are typically unable to reproduce in the human gut.

Types of Protozoa

The most common intestinal protozoans are Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Cyclospora Cayetanenensis, Cryptosporidium spp and Blastocystis hominis.  The disorders these parasites cause are called giardiasis, amoebiasis, cyclosporiasis, cryptosporidiosis and blastocystitis respectively.  The major symptoms associated with these are diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, dehydration, weakness, low energy and joint pain.  If uncontrolled, these infestations can be fatal.

Antiparasitic Nutrition Plan

Parasites love sugar and everything that turns into sugar. So the best way to starve the parasites is through using healthy fasting and cleansing strategies while eliminating as much sugar and grains as possible from the diet.

Several herbs and foods act as very strong antiparasitic agents. Extra virgin coconut oil is loaded with medium chain triglycerides that enhance the immune system in its battle against pathogens. Raw garlic and onions provide sulfur containing amino acids that are antiparasitic. Eat six tablespoons of raw, extra virgin coconut oil, one whole clove of garlic and one large red onion daily to help parasite proof your body.

Unique Herbs and Fermented Beverages

Dried oregano and especially essential oil of oregano are extremely volatile and antiparasitic. Use two to three drops of oregano oil in water with fresh squeezed lemon and drink this three times a day. Clove works just as well, so you could substitute or use clove oil with oregano oil. Ginger, wormwood, and black walnut are also commonly used in antiparasitic strategies.

Fasting with vegetable or bone broth and loads of garlic and onions is a great antiparasitic strategy.  It is also important to use fermented drinks such as fermented whey from grass-fed cows and fermented herbal botanicals such as ginger, oregano, garlic, kombucha, etc.  Other fermented beverages include coconut kefir and apple cider vinegar.  These are powerful tools to help destroy parasites.  They contain organic acids and enzymes that help to create an environment that is non-conducive for parasitic development.

parasheild GLM advertisementCleansing Periods and Antiparasitic Lifestyle:

Many holistic health coaches recommend a three to 21 day low calorie, liquid diet that is rich in organic broth, fermented beverages, water, and fresh squeezed lemon. Probiotic  and anti-microbial herbal supplements are highly recommended to help destroy parasites and re-inoculate the gut.

After the cleansing period, it is especially important to utilize high quality, fermented raw dairy and vegetables. Raw, grass-fed fermented dairy products like amasai and  cheese, along with kimchi, sauerkraut, and fermented veggies should be used abundantly. These foods are rich sources of L-glutamine, an amino acid that helps rebuild the gut. These fermented foods also contain very powerful strains of good bacteria, organic acids, and enzymes that act to keep parasites out of the body.

A regular life cycle that inhibits parasitic development includes regular, intermittent fasting for periods of 16-24 hours.  It is important to drink lots of clean water to push out feces and not allow it to become a breeding ground for parasitic organisms.  The nutrition plan should focus on fermented foods and drinks, good fat sources, anti-oxidants, and clean proteins.

Sources For This Article:




Kill Parasites with Home Remedies

Parasites are living organisms that live off of a host organism.  Parasites take and utilize the host organisms nutrients and in so doing hurt the host organism.  Parasites take on a number of different forms and can thrive throughout the body.  They most often live within the human intestines.  It is estimated that about 50% of Americans have an abundance of parasitic organisms in their gut. Take action and cleanse your system of parasites naturally.

How do We Get Parasites?

Parasites enter the human body through the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. In 3rd world countries the most common way to encounter parasites is through contaminated water.  Anyone traveling to a foreign country should be cautious about drinking the water. Poor sanitation and poor hygiene are the most common ways people encounter parasites.  In America, parasites are spread through pork products and shellfish as well as contaminated food and water.

There are thousands of different types of parasites that are common to humans.  Protozoa consist of a single cell and multiply in enormous numbers inside the human intestine. The most commonly found protozoic parasites are giardia, neospora, amoebae, toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidium, and sarcocystis.

Parasites and Worms

Another form of parasite is the Helminth worm.  This includes tapeworms, pinworms, hookworms, threadworms, roundworms and others.  Many individuals doing a parasite cleanse will see the worms in their stools as they are eliminated from the body.

The body’s immune system goes after the parasites once they are identified.  Often times the parasites are extremely strong and multiply too quickly for the immune system to keep them at bay.  Some of the most common symptoms associated with intestinal parasites include diarrhea, gas, bloating, flu-like symptoms, nausea, rashes, joint pain, chronic fatigue, and chronic sinusitis.

Destroy Parasites in Your Body

Parasites love sugar and everything that turns into sugar.  So the best way to starve the parasites is through using healthy fasting and cleansing strategies while eliminating as much sugar and grains as possible from the diet.

Several herbs and foods act as very strong antiparasitic agents.  Extra-virgin coconut oil is loaded with medium chain triglycerides that enhance the immune system in its battle against pathogens.  Raw garlic and onions provide sulfur containing amino acids that are antiparasitic.  Eat six tablespoons of raw, extra virgin coconut oil, one whole clove of garlic, and one large red onion daily to help parasite proof your body.

Dried oregano and especially essential oil of oregano are extremely volatile and antiparasitic.  Use 2-3 drops of oregano oil in water with fresh squeezed lemon and drink this 3x daily.  Clove works just as well so you could also substitute or use clove oil with oregano oil.  Ginger, wormwood, black walnut are also commonly used in antiparasitic strategies.

Fasting with fermented drinks such as fermented whey from grass-fed cows and fermented ginger, kombucha, coconut kefir, apple cider vinegar, etc. are powerful tools to help destroy parasites. Many holistic health coaches recommend a three to twenty-one day low calorie, liquid diet that is rich in fermented beverages, water and fresh squeezed lemon.  Probiotic supplements are highly recommended to help destroy parasites and re-innoculate the gut.

After the cleansing period, it is especially important to utilize high quality fermented raw dairy and vegetables.  Raw, grass-fed fermented dairy products like amasai & cheese and kimchi, sauerkraut, and fermented veggies should be used abundantly.  These foods are rich sources of L-glutamine, an amino acid that helps rebuild the gut.  These fermented foods also contain very powerful strains of good bacteria, organic acids, and enzymes that act to keep parasites out of the body.

If you are in the market for supplements to help speed along the process of ridding the body of parasites I recommend MicroDefense – Pure Encapsulations and Oil of Oregano, two powerful supplements for ridding the body of parasites.” – Michael Edwards

Sources For This Article Include:
http://www.drjockers.com/2012/11/beat-parasites-naturally/

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/intestinal-parasites-in-humans.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/032154_candida_solutions.html