 Parasites
- A Popular Subject...Do You Have Them?
By Monica Harai of Harai Health ServicesBig fat
juicy ones, long slim slimey ones, itsy, bitsy, tiny, winy worms...” When we
hear this song we often think of earthworms or dew worms...worms that will
never live inside of you. But did you know that there are creepy critters
that can and do live inside of humans? These include many types from
microscopic Giardia to large worms like the Tape Worm.
Canadians are often prone to think that only people living in tropical
countries get worms. Not so, as I found out. My family and I have had a few
parasites of our own. I’ve seen other therapists, who eat an impeccable
vegetarian diet, get worms too. My son at five months, who had barely
started eating solid food, ended up with a whole diaper full of “live” Whip
Worms after I had treated him with a garlic tincture. Where do you get these
critters? Well, you can get them off unwashed or improperly washed
vegetables and fruits, improperly cooked meat, from hand to mouth transfer,
sexually, through the skin, and from the water.
How does one go about finding whether or not they have a parasite or
parasites? From my experience, having worked in a microbiology lab, regular
lab testing is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. In order to
effectively spot parasites the lab process includes concentrating the stool
down, then looking for eggs of worms or looking for the dormant or active
forms of the Ameba. This takes hours and, in my opinion, is a waste of
taxpayers money. If you ever get a “negative” result, don’t assume you don’t
have parasites.
There are other ways. For instance, studies have revealed that parasites can
be detected according to their electrical energy. This can be measured by
computerized equipment or manually through Muscle Response Testing.
So, what are the symptoms? Some parasites like Giardia can cause severe
symptoms within the day of infection. There are others, which are less
disease-causing. I picked up one from unfiltered and unboiled water from a
campsite within Canada. My symptoms were not nearly as severe as the Giardia
victims. Symptoms range from severe watery, bloody diarrhea to mild diarrhea
or no diarrhea at all. There are many other symptoms of parasites that go
unnoticed. Some of them are itchy nose, itchy skin, hang nails, nervousness,
irritability, nervous fits, picking the nose, biting finger nails, itchy
anus, very low energy, even bronchitis, to name a few. What I have seen and
found with people is that those with worms often do not have diarrhea at
all, and those with the microscopic Ameba forms like Giardia, will get the
diarrhea. The reason for this is the way the parasite actually acts in the
system. Giardia, for instance, will actually burrow into the mucosa membrane
of the intestinal wall, which is what causes the pain, blood and diarrhea.
The body’s natural response is to shed the irritant, which is one of the
reasons the diarrhea happens. There are worms that also burrow into the
walls of the intestines too. For instance, when my son had the Whip Worm he
couldn’t sit down without being in extreme pain. Well the garlic remedy did
them in!
I’ve mentioned garlic a few times, but what else will work? Look into your
kitchen spice cupboard for a few more. Besides garlic, there is sage,
cloves, Tumeric Hyssop tea, ginger, flax seeds, fennel, pumpkin seeds and
both thyme and oregano. All of these can also help though their effect is
mostly anti-fungal. There are also some other herbs that are not used for
cooking such as wormwood, black walnut, grapefruit seed extract and many
more that are employed for their ability to be toxic to the parasite but not
to you. I find that people often need a combination of herbs to really clear
their system.
Keep in mind that many of the herbs can be made into a tea, though I also
recommend herb tinctures (liquid alcohol or glycerite forms) or capsules.
The teas are often bitter and you need to drink a lot of it if you have a
“large” problem. Tinctures and capsules are more convenient.
How do you go about getting rid of parasites? The way I see it, if you have
severe symptoms you must take a good dose of one or more of the herbs listed
in order to feel better faster. You could do a cleansing after. If you have
chronic symptoms then you can combine the cleansing and the parasite herbs
together.
Also, remember to use a reputable herb company. Not all herbs are equal as
quality control from some companies is very poor. It makes a huge difference
and I have discovered that the cheaper brands are not always the best
choice!
Cleansing involves one or more of the following: colonics, enemas,
liver/kidney combinations to cleanse these organs, a fiber supplement,
bentonite clay, some form of a liver/gallbladder flush, and some good over
all alternative or cleansing herbs to get the toxins out of the body. Please
note, a person who has a toxic waste dump in their body will always attract
parasites.
If your problem is simple, sometimes just ground cloves may work, but if you
have had chronic problems that seem to stay with you and nothing is helping,
seek out the help of a professional wholistic practitioner. Invest in your
health, it is the greatest asset you have!
References: The Parasite Menace by Skye Weintraub, N.D.
Guess What Came to Dinner by Ann Louise Gittleman
The Cure for All Diseases and The Cure for All Cancers by Hulda Regehr Clark
Monica Hirai, Certified Herbalist, Holistic Practitioner & Owner of
Hirai Health Services, helps humans of all ages to obtain maximum health
through herbs, homeopathic remedies & diet. Monica may be reached at
403.276.5756. |
