RUG: Remove Unwanted Guests

What You Need to Know About Parasites

Written by Sydney Dodd

In the spirit of fall and the upcoming Halloween season, I have a spooky fact that might send chills down your spine. Right now, deep inside your intestines could lurk an unwanted resident, feeding off of the food you eat and causing uncomfortable reactions in your body. Yes, I’m referring to the terrifying worms known as parasites, or organisms that live (and thrive) inside a host by deriving nutrients at the hosts’ expense. If you happen to have roots in the holistic health world, then you’ve probably heard someone say that “everyone has parasites”. Though not totally accurate, it’s pretty close to the truth. Let’s explore the world of parasites: how to know if you’re infected, the most common strains, who is most at risk, and how to get rid of these stubborn pests.

I first heard about how common parasites are last year by a man named Bruce, a soil scientist in his 60's who later became my friend and mentor. At the time, I had some suspicious parasite symptoms such as brain fog, bloating, moodiness, dizziness, lethargy, and constant crashes throughout the day, especially after eating. Some other symptoms of parasite activity are:

abdominal pain or cramping
repeated diarrhea
nausea or vomiting
rash or itching near the rectum
stomach pain or tenderness
weight loss
passing a worm in the stool (1)

My friend Bruce phoned his friend, a holistic practitioner, to discuss the conditions I was experiencing. The consensus was that my symptoms were “conducive to parasite activity”. It’s not too surprising, with so many different strains of parasites all from different sources, millions of Americans are infected. The Toxocara parasite is among the most common, with almost 14 percent of Americans having antibodies for it (2). There’s also the Toxoplasmosis, also known as the “cat poop parasite,” which infects about 11% of the U.S. population (in some countries, that number rises to over 60%) (2). Symptoms include body aches, swollen lymph nodes, headache, fever, fatigue. Though Toxoplasmosis definitely comes from coming into contact with cat poop, it’s also spread as most parasites are, through poor sanitation and contaminated food.

The CDC has selected five kinds of parasites on the watch list in the U.S., either from severity of symptoms, the frequency of infection, or the ability to address and treat them. Read more here: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0508-npi.html. (2)There are factors that make anyone more susceptible for infection:

Having a compromised immune systems (like with HIV or AIDS),
Age (children and the elderly are more at-risk)
Living in or visiting an area known to have parasites
Traveling internationally
Exposure to child and institutional care centers
Poor hygiene (1)

Luckily, there are three good at-home treatment options if you suspect parasite activity. These are natural treatments, and are not a substitute for any severe cases from parasites like Cysticercosis (a type of tapeworm), or for Chagas disease which can lead to long-term digestive, cardiac and neurological disorders (2). If in doubt, reach out to your healthcare provider.

Treatment 1: Enema

One of the at-home treatments the holistic practitioner presented was the old-school but proven enema method, and though I wanted to put an end to my symptoms, I wasn’t totally stoked on using one (you inject fluid up the rectum to clear out your system). However, it has proven to be effective in a study showing that the success rate was 95.6% using a hypertonic saline enema (a regular saline enema with extra saline) to clear out the parasite known as the gastrointestinal ascariasis (4). Saline enemas are available for purchase over the counter at most drug stores.

Treatment 2: Parasite Cleansing Diet

There’s also the parasite cleanse diet, which incorporates foods that have been used traditionally for thousands of years to cleanse the body like raw garlic, carrots, beets, papaya, pomegranates, pumpkin seeds. It’s essential to also avoid junk food that contains simple sugars and simple carbs. Foods like white bread, most baked goods, candy, processed juices, and refined foods are to be avoided because they are parasites’ food of choice. Eating more fiber-rich foods is helpful, and drinking plenty of water is essential to help flush out the parasites.

Treatment 3: Parasite Cleanse

Last but not least, natural parasite cleanses (in the form of herbal supplements) contain all the herbs needed to safely clear out the system. Garlic, barberry, goldenseal, oregon grape, anise, wormwood, black walnut, and curled mint have been used for thousands of years! It’s also helpful to prepare the body for detoxing, through activities like lymphatic massage, bouncing on a trampoline, lymphatic cleanses, and even sweating in a sauna (5). Hot Haven now has the RUG or “Remove Unwanted Guests” parasite cleanse by David Wolfe available for purchase in the studio. Several reviews mention people actually passing a parasite in their stool without any dietary or lifestyle changes! Some side effects of a natural parasite cleanse may include headache, fatigue, or rashes, so make sure to note this and keep your provider informed as you move through the process.

Sources

JSMSeptember 15, 2022Parasites, cleanse, sauna, sweat, natural health, parasite cleanse