How Do I Know If I Have Parasites?

AN INTRODUCTION TO PARASITES: AN INTRODUCTION TO PARASITES:

For billions of years, parasites and their hosts have been competing with each other. The first strains of bacteria were parasitized by the first strains of viruses. When multicellular life began to form, microbes colonized them. So, parasites have continued to evolve into a collection of diverse and various forms that are crucial in the circle of life, however; in today’s age, parasites are a root cause of disease that is often overlooked.

Every aspect of the human body holds a defense mechanism to fight off invaders like parasites. Our largest defense is our skin which provides a barricade for the millions of microbes that occupy the surface. Our eyes contain and release tears by using a flushing system when attacked by intruders. Our ears are populated with hairs to keep out invaders. Our mouth contains enzymes that break down microbes. Our nose has a process for shielding pathogens from penetrating the body. If these intruders invade the body and pass these systems, our niche organs initiate their own defense systems. For example, our stomach holds hydrochloric acid (HCL) that diminishes pathogens and protects the gut from microscopic invaders. If our body does not have sufficient HCL, the risk of getting a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection is at a higher risk.

With such advanced biological processes you would expect humans to come out victorious most of the time and be unbothered by parasites. Unfortunately that is false. Parasites are extremely complex beings with highly intelligent skill sets that are exponentially more advanced than previously thought. A parasite’s goal is to live a life undetected by the immune system and medical testing… and most of the time they succeed.

Parasites are not only found in underdeveloped countries that may not have access to clean water or hygienic products, but they are also extremely common in developed countries such as the United States. We just simply do not connect the dots that our symptoms may be linked to a parasitic infection.

Parasites are not obvious, their intention is to be hidden. Parasites do not quickly kill their prey, they subtly and slowly change their hosts behavior and biological patterns that cause, later enormous implications.

SYMPTOMS OF A PARASITIC INFECTION:

SYMPTOMS OF A PARASITIC INFECTION:

Gut Issues

(food sensitivities, IBS, abdominal pain, constipation/diarrhea, unexplained nausea) (bruxism)

Anal Itching

Sugar Cravings/ Increased Hunger

Muscle & Joint Pain

Iron-deficiency

Anemia

Anxiety/ Depression/ Schizophrenia

Worsening Symptoms During the Full Moon

Insomnia/ Grinding Teeth when Sleeping

Acne/ Psoriasis/ Inflammation of the Skin

Fatigue/ Flu-like Symptoms

Heart Palpitations/ Chest Pain

Brain Fog

Unexplained Weight Gain/ Difficulty Losing Weight

TYPES OF PARASITES: TYPES OF PARASITES:

Protozoa:

The CDC describes Protozoa as “microscopic, one-celled organisms that can be freeliving or parasitic in nature. They are able to multiply in humans, which contributes to their survival and also permits serious infections to develop from just one single organism.

There are four main groups of protozoa: amoebae, flagellates, ciliates, and sporozoa. All types of protozoan parasites can rapidly multiply inside the human body, which allows for serious infections to develop.

They can easily infect us in many different ways such as insect bites, walking without shoes or socks on, drinking dirty water, eating unwashed fruits and vegetables, and touching a door knob or money.

The most common protozoan parasites are giardia and cryptosporidium. Both parasites have the ability to cause gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, malnutrition, weight loss, and flulike symptoms.

Unfortunately, it is challenging to guard ourselves from protozoan parasites that exist in our environments because they produce cysts and biofilms. A biofilm has brick-like, resistant walls that enclose and shelter the protozoan parasite (this occurs in other parasitic, bacterial, and viral infections as well). This makes the parasite able to survive various environmental conditions, such as changes in temperature, lack of water, extreme acids, and killing agents. This means that once a protozoan parasite cyst/biofilm develops, it can linger for a long time and wait for the perfect chance to open and wreak havoc on the body.

Biofilms can also make testing inaccurate due to the shell it creates over the parasite. It acts as a protective shield to lab tests.

A 2017 study stated that “an estimated 357 million cases of illness with at least one of three enteric protozoa, Entamoeba, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia, resulted in 33,900 deaths and the loss of 2.94 million disability-adjusted life years.” This study also stated that “despite the significant health burden that protozoans cause, infections can be asymptomatic. For instance, in a Bangladeshi childhood cohort, Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amebiasis, was found to be associated with diarrhea in only 1 of 4 infections.” Due to their ability to remain asymptomatic for decades, parasites can slowly disrupt homeostasis within the body by slowly exhibiting symptoms, and possibly lifethreatening diseases such as cancer.

TYPES OF PARASITES: TYPES OF PARASITES:

Protozoa:

For example, in 2014, researchers found that the protozoan parasite, T. gondii, infects “25–30% of the world’s population.” This is an understatement due to the poor and outdated testing conventional medicine has to offer. Due to this, the approximate percentage is estimated to be much higher.

This intracellular parasite is known to cause Toxoplasmosis and is commonly transmitted from household cats to humans. According to a 2012 study, “at least a third of the world’s human population are infected with the parasite, making it one of the most successful parasitic infections. Primary maternal infection may cause health-threatening sequelae for the foetus, or even cause death in the uterus.” Although this parasite typically remains asymptomatic to most people, it can be a severe threat to immunocompromised people and pregnant women.

Similar epidemiological studies have also shown that protozoan parasites can alter the intestinal microbiome by causing the development of malnutrition, weight problems, food allergies/sensitivities, and the ability to change cognitive functions by developing behavioral issues and mental disorders.

In severe cases of Toxoplasmosis, schizophrenia, mood disorders, seizures, nervous system disorders, and general flulike symptoms may occur.

continued

Other protozoan parasite illnesses include: malaria, amoebiasis, trichomoniasis, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), Acanthamoeba keratitis, and primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (naegleriasis).

TYPES OF PARASITES: TYPES OF PARASITES:

Helminths:

The CDC describes helminths as “large, multicellular organisms that are generally visible to the naked eye in their adult stages.” The three main groups of helminths that infect humans are flatworms (trematodes [flukes], cestodes [tapeworms]), thorny-headed worms (acanthocephalans), pinworms, and roundworms (nematodes). The adult forms of these worms can shelter in the gastrointestinal tract, blood, lymphatic system, brain, and/or muscle/tissues.

Transmission of helminths includes: contaminated water/ soil, poor sanitation, and human-to-human contact.

Helminths are usually visible to the eye. If an individual does not physically see a worm in their stool, this does not mean that they do not live within their body. Attempting to catch a parasitic infection via stool testing and colonoscopies is ineffective for many helminth cases. It is not necessary to have a positive parasite stool analysis to have an active parasitic infection.

Colonoscopies do not often catch parasites because they examine only the colon and the lowest part of the small intestine (known as the ileum). So, the camera does not see most of the 20 feet of our intestines. While parasites are commonly found in the colon, this is not the only place they hide. They are found in the lungs, skin, eyes, joints, brain, liver/gallbladder, and intestines. They are especially sneaky in our intestinal tract as it is 30 feet long. And, parasites are oftentimes the reason for gallbladder removals and appendicitis too!

Stool tests do not show a complete version of your gastrointestinal tract. Again, a helminth’s goal is to stay hidden within the body. Stool testing for parasites tends to produce false-negative results. Only about 8% of parasitic infections are detectable via stool testing. This also means that the CDC’s estimated number of yearly parasitic infections is exponentially higher as they only record the detectable infections.

Examples of a helminth infection:

Large Roundworm (Ascaris Lumbricoides):

According to the CDC, “an estimated 807 million –1.2 billion people in the world are infected with Ascaris lumbricoides.” This is approximately 14.3% of the human population!

Hookworm:

This infection can lead to anemia, malnutrition, GI tract issues, insulinresistance, fatigue, and chronic fatigue. It is estimated that there are 740 million cases of hookworm per year with a proven diagnosis through stool testing.

Whipworm:

According to UNICEF, “ 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.”

Pinworm:

It is estimated that there are 500 million pinworm infections per year. According to research, 42 million people (14% of the United States population) are infected with pinworms. Perianal itching is the most common and diagnosable symptom, but other symptoms such as: GI tract issues, behavioral changes, insomnia, vaginal irritation/ UTIs, hyperactivity, and even epilepsy have been related to this infection.

TYPES OF PARASITES: TYPES OF PARASITES:

Ectoparasites:

The CDC describes Ectoparasites as “blood-sucking arthropods such as mosquitoes (because they are dependent on a blood meal from a human host for their survival)... This term is generally used more narrowly to refer to organisms such as ticks, fleas, lice, and mites that attach or burrow into the skin.”

Instead of living within the host, ectoparasites feed on the surface of the host. For example, ticks attack the skin barrier to attack their victim. An example of a dangerous ectoparasite to humans is deer ticks. This organism directly causes Lyme disease and Lyme co-infections (babesia, bartonella, rickettsia, ehrlichia, mycoplasma, etc.).

Lyme Disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States with an estimated amount of over 300,000 new cases per year. This disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and/or Borrelia mayonii. These bacterial strains are typically transferred to humans from the bite of an infected tick, but researchers are currently seeing new evidence that shows that Lyme Disease can be transmitted by other vectors including mites, fleas, mosquitos, as well as sexual transmission and from mother to baby. It is the most undiagnosed and misunderstood chronic illness in the United States.

An example of a parasitic infection via an ectoparasite bite includes Babesia. This is the most common Lyme co-infection as 40% of Lyme patients become infected with this parasite. Babesia is a parasite that hides in red blood cells known for causing shortness of breath, air hunger, myalgia, and dark-colored urine

Other ectoparasites include: fleas, lice, and bed bugs.

NEXT STEPS: FULL MOON CHALLENGE NEXT STEPS: FULL MOON CHALLENGE

There are countless other types of parasites I could list, but in reality, it’s not as important to know exactly which kind of parasites you have. It’s helpful often to just “act as if” you tested positive for parasites and then do a broad-spectrum antiparasitic cleanse. Tests can be expensive and many tests for parasites are NOT accurate.

Many of the products I carry for parasites don’t just target one type.

It’s also vital to remember you want to make the terrain of your body inhospitable for parasites by also clearing out toxins, metals, viruses, chemicals, and other pathogens, rather than just always focusing on “killing.”

Parasites are more active during a full moon, so a Full Moon Cleanse is a great place to start (low and slow), though it is recommended to have a month or two of general parasite cleansing under your belt first.

A Full Moon Cleanse consists of three options: Beginner (3 days), Intermediate (5 days), or Advanced (7 days) and includes Para 1, Para 2, Para 3, and BioToxin Binder by CellCore Biosciences.

Note: It’s very important to have drainage pathways open and have a plan for clearing out parasites, rather than just buying products and trying it on your own. If you want to make an appointment to work with us, please click here

REFERENCES REFERENCES

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535073/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2223456/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5680167/#:~:text=Irritable%20bowel%20 syndrome%20(IBS)%20is%20a%20functional%20gastrointestinal%20disorder%20of,to%20 be%20linked%20to%20IBS

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5520446/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3177368/ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13590849009003131 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5955472/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5520446/ https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3109627/ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00365548.2012.693197 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3035534/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3488815/ https://www.ajronline.org/doi/10.2214/AJR.06.1172 https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/ascariasis/index.html https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra032492 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6522669/ https://europepmc.org/article/med/3046268 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/505584 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428845/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC266646/?page=1 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199006143222415 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458703/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4557163/