Benefits of a Parasite Cleanse | Facentials

Benefits of a Parasite Cleanse

There’s a hidden health epidemic rocking our world, yet hardly anyone seems to be talking about it. The problem? Internal parasites. And they’re just as nasty as they sound.

For many of us, we think of parasites as something which might affect us only when we travel abroad, but the reality is quite different. According to Dr. Linda Lancaster, a Santa Fe-based naturopathic physician and homeopath, parasites can be contracted in common, everyday situations, such as eating uncooked meat or fish (sashimi anyone?), walking barefoot, or sleeping in a bed with a pet that’s carrying one themselves.

While it’s easy to think parasites aren’t squirming around in your body, the Center for Disease Control reports otherwise, stating that more than 60 million Americans are infected with parasites — and most don’t even know it.

Still think you’re immune to these health-depleting pests? Keep reading to find out more about internal parasites, including warning signs and how to treat them, including with both natural and over-the-counter remedies.

What are Parasites?

Before we discuss how you can rid yourself of parasites, it’s important to understand exactly what a parasite is, along with the various types. Often, when we think of parasites, we picture those nasty intestinal worms we might have learned about as kids, including tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm, and threadworms — all of which can actually be seen with the naked eye. According to Victoria Health, however, there are actually around 3200 species of parasites, with the most common being microscopic. These can be found everywhere in our environment, including in the air we breathe, in the water we drink and in the food we eat.

Keep in mind that just because something is microscopic, doesn’t mean they’re not causing harm. Of the 3200 species of parasites, over 1000 of these parasites can live in the human body. While some leave you malnourished and lacking vital nutrients, others can lead to potentially deadly conditions. For example, one study revealed liver flukes, in particular, can lead to cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer.

With health professionals reporting that so many of us are carrying a parasite (either with or without symptoms), now is the time to act.

Claiming Back Your Personal Power

While the detrimental effects of parasites to your health might seem like enough, it doesn’t just stop there. When you take a moment to truly reflect on how internal parasites are affecting your life, you’ll realize the disadvantages extend to your personal power too. You see, they’re robbing you of your vitality, your happiness, your mind. Essentially, they’re majorly taking away from who you are — and choose to be — as a person.

Cleansing yourself of parasites is all about regaining control; control of your health, your mental wellbeing, and your life. When we take the time to nourish our bodies with healthy, beneficial food, we shouldn’t have parasites sucking those vital nutrients straight out of us. Depleted resources lead to a lack of energy, lethargy, and seemingly unexplained health problems. And let’s face it: that’s no way to live your life.

Symptoms of Parasites: Could You Be at Risk?

Although we’ve mentioned that many parasites will leave their host without symptoms, others carry tell-tale signs which may be overlooked or passed off as other conditions.

According to Healthline, just some of the warning signs to look out for include:

• stomach pain
• stomach cramps
• nausea
• vomiting
• dehydration
• weight loss
• fever
• gas
• diarrhea
• constipation
• upset stomach
• dehydration
• flu-like symptoms
• swollen lymph nodes
• aches and pains
• itching
• redness
• irritation

Leaving parasite-causing health problems without treatment will only make them worse over time, especially as the parasite grows, multiplies, and continues to take valuable resources straight from your system.

A parasite cleanse (combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle) is the only way to rid yourself of this problem. We explain how you can perform a parasite cleanse in the section below, including through both natural and over-the-counter remedies.

How to Get Rid of Parasites in Humans

When it comes to removing these pesky parasites from your system, thankfully, help is at hand. You don’t need to look far to find effective remedies readily available to us all, including prescription medication and herbal treatments.

Natural Remedies to Treat Parasites

Many natural health practitioners recommend cleansing human parasite infections with herbal supplements, particularly those containing ingredients such as black walnut, wormwood, oregano oil, grapefruit seed extract, clove oil, garlic bulb extract, carrot root powder, papaya fruit powder, pau d’arco bark powder, pumpkin seed powder, and wood betony powder. We explain each of these natural remedies in more depth below.

Black Walnut

Whether people eat them in nut form or take them as a supplement, black walnuts have many potential health benefits. They’re high in antioxidants, polyunsaturated fats, and phenolic compounds and also contain a range of other nutrients, including fiber, protein, melatonin, and folate.

While they’re said to be beneficial in reducing the risk of prostate and liver cancer, as well as effectively lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels (according to Medical News Today), many also use the natural remedy to treat parasitic worm infections. In a 2012 research paper, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia reported black walnut is effective against ringworm, tapeworm, pin or thread worm, and other parasites of the intestine.

Wormwood

Wormwood is a woody shrub most famous for its use in producing the notorious alcohol, Absinthe. However, the herb is also frequently used in medicine to treat conditions such as upset stomach, gall bladder disease, liver disease, and more.

Wormwood is also commonly used to eliminate intestinal worms, especially roundworms and pinworms, which is why it’s recommended as part of Dr Axe’s parasite cleanse. In fact, according to Organic Lifestyle Magazine, when wormwood is taken with black walnut and clove, they’re able to successfully break the parasite’s life cycle.

Oregano Oil

We all know of oregano as a fragrant herb used in cooking, but when concentrated into an essential oil, it acts as a natural antibiotic and anti-fungal treatment, effectively treating parasites.

In a recent study, researchers at the University of Illinois concluded that oregano essential oil has the ability to reduce parasite infectivity. Another study gave 600 mg of oregano oil to 14 people who had gut symptoms as a result of a parasite. After daily treatment for six weeks, all participants experienced a reduction in parasites, and 77% were completely cured.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit seed extract is a supplement made from the seeds and pulp of grapefruit. It’s rich in essential oils and antioxidants and has a variety of health benefits, including potentially reducing the risk of heart disease and protecting against stomach damage. With its powerful antimicrobials, scientists also believe it’s incredibly effective at killing more than 60 types of bacteria and yeasts, as reported by PubMed. This makes it a core ingredient of many parasite cleanses.

Clove Oil

Clove oil is an essential oil extracted from the clove plant, including its stem, leaves, and bud. Cloves contain a powerful oil, eugenol, which has been studied and found to help in the eradication of numerous pathogens in the gut. Clove oil has been found to dissolve the eggs left behind by worms and is believed to be the only oil that destroys almost all parasite eggs, according to Victoria Health.

Garlic Bulb Extract

Garlic is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese, however most of its health benefits are caused by sulfur compounds formed when a garlic clove is chopped, crushed or chewed. Throughout ancient history, it has been used for its health and medicinal properties, and the 21st Century is no different. Scholars can date garlic’s importance in removing parasites as far back as the 4th Century BC, when Hippocrates (459–370 BC) mentioned garlic as a remedy against intestinal parasites, a laxans and a diuretic. These days, you are unlikely to discover an effective parasite cleanse not containing the all-mighty garlic bulb extract.

Carrot Root Powder

Carrots are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially biotin, potassium, and vitamins A (from beta carotene), K1 (phylloquinone), and B6. They also contain an essential oil that destroys roundworms and pinworms, which is why many nutritionists go straight to the source and include carrot root powder in their parasite cleansing supplements.

Papaya Fruit Powder

Papaya is one of the richest sources of the enzyme Papain, which provides many benefits for our digestive system. It’s also an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, both which are important for fighting infections. Papaya fruit powder in particular is widely used in the treatment of numerous disorders pertaining to gastrointestinal tract. It can reduce the infection caused by several intestinal parasites, as well as clear their stools from the human body, as explained by this research from Penn State Hershey.

Pau D’arco Bark Powder

Pau d’arco is a dietary supplement made from the inner bark of several species of Tabebuia trees that grow in Central and South America. It’s rich in naphthoquinones, plant-based compounds that exert antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects, making it highly effective at cleansing the human body of parasites, particularly ringworm, according to eMedicine Health.

Pumpkin Seed Powder

Pumpkin seeds are another natural ingredient which are ground down to powder form and used to successfully treat internal parasites in both humans and animals. A 2012 scientific study published in PubMed concluded that pumpkin seed extract (especially when combined with areca nut extract) was indicated to be safe and highly effective for removing parasites such as tapeworms, as 89% of subjects had positive results.

Wood Betony Powder

Herbalists from centuries ago recommended wood betony for ailments ranging from coughs to lack of libido, but these days we know it best for its anti-parasite properties and ability to effectively purge the body of worms. According to Tyler’s Honest Herbal (Routledge, 1999) by Steven Foster and Varro Tyler, wood betony contains about 15 percent tannins, which supports its use as an astringent to treat diarrhea and other gut-related issues.

It’s important to note that many herbs and remedies interact with medications or they may not be suitable for everyone. Please talk to your doctor and pharmacist before pursuing any natural remedies to treat parasites.

Over-the-Counter Medications to Treat Parasites

There are also a number of over-the-counter medications which, when used in combination with herbal remedies, can really speed-up the parasite purge. Some of the most commonly prescribed include Mebendazole, Nitazoxanide, Albendazole, and Praziquantel. We discuss each of these in more detail below.

Mebendazole

As explained by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Mebendazole (MBZ) is a medication used to treat a number of parasitic worm infestations, including roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, threadworm, pinworm, and the intestinal form of trichinosis prior to its spread into the tissues beyond the digestive tract. Other drugs are used to treat worm infections outside the digestive tract, as mebendazole is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream.

Nitazoxanide

Nitazoxanide is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic and broad-spectrum antiviral drug commonly prescribed to treat a wide range of internal parasites, particularly cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in children, as noted by Science Direct. In fact, the Baylor College of Medicine states Nitazoxanide is the first agent which has proven to be effective in the treatment of cryptosporidiosis, an illness caused by tiny, one-celled cryptosporidium parasites.

Albendazole

According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Albendazole (also known as albendazolum) is a medication used for the treatment of a variety of parasitic worm infestations, including giardiasis, trichuriasis, filariasis, neurocysticercosis, hydatid disease, pinworm disease, and ascariasis, among others. It is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines and is taken orally, as prescribed by a doctor.

Praziquantel

Praziquantel is a prescription drug used as anti-worm medication. More specifically, it’s used to treat infections caused by Schistosoma worms, which enter the body through skin that has come into contact with contaminated water. It works by preventing newly hatched insect larvae (worms) from growing or multiplying in your body. According to Medscape, the medication also paralyzes the parasites, causing them to release their hold on the blood vessel walls so the body can remove them naturally.

Note: Always seek professional medical advice from a doctor before taking any medication.

How a Healthy, Plant-Based Diet Can Help

We’ve talked a lot about the benefits of a parasite cleanse, as well as the remedies you can use to rid your body of parasites, but there’s another important aspect worth mentioning. To not only cleanse yourself of parasites, but help keep them away for good, you need to embrace a healthy, plant-based diet.

It’s important to follow a balanced diet high in nutrients and low in refined sugars and processed foods. A nutrient-rich diet is also important for strengthening your immune system as the parasites are flushed out of your body. Healthline explains that fiber is particularly important, as it keeps your bowel movements regular while you cleanse.

Natural practitioners recommend avoiding eating raw or undercooked meat and seafood. Instead, focus on including the following plant-based ingredients in your diet every day.

• Garlic
• Onions
• Honey
• Pumpkin seeds
• Papaya seeds
• Carrots
• Coconut
• Sunflower seeds
• Fermented foods such as coconut kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, or non-dairy yogurt
• Berries
• Raw honey

The next step? Sit down and develop a plant-based meal plan incorporating as many as these ingredients as possible.

Conclusion

With the Inquisitr claiming that 85 percent of us will already be carrying some sort of parasite, the question isn’t so much “am I at risk?”, but rather “what should I be doing to cleanse myself of parasites?”. Even if you’re not suffering from any of the warning signs we listed earlier, it’s important to understand that many humans playing host to parasites won’t even be presenting symptoms. It’s scary, but true; parasites can go on living in our bodies for years, depleting us of our health, and we might not even know about it.

If immediate action isn’t taken against internal parasites, they continue to multiply, and hence a vicious circle is formed. Like all living things, parasites expel waste too, leaving your body to work harder at flushing out those harmful toxins.

It’s time to cleanse yourself of these parasites through a tried-and-tested plan of attack, including seeing your doctor about anti-parasite medication, embracing herbal extracts (or taking a supplement specifically formulated for parasite cleansing), and formulating a plant-based meal plan including anti-parasite foods such as carrots, garlic, raw honey, and more.

Within just a few weeks, you’ll be feeling like yourself again. Albeit a healthier, more energetic, and happier version.

Now is the time to take control!

Originally published at https://blog.facentials.com on August 8, 2019.