Let me tell you a NASTY story. I’m a bit embarrassed to share the gory details, but I am working to be vulnerable across all areas of my life – this blog cannot be separate!
I was in La Jolla at my parent’s house in the shower and…something starting coming out of me. Like an alien. I looked down and was shocked. I had to pull it out. GROSS!
It was an out of body experience. I screamed in horror.
Not having known what parasites were at the time, I bagged the little alien up, and RAN to the emergency room. The Doctor explained that it was a non-symptomatic parasite – whatever the hell that meant.
He put me on drugs to kill any others and this was one of several experiences that lead me to learn all about the inner workings of my gut.
I learned that I created the perfect environment for that parasite to grow – crappy Sushi at crappy restaurants, loads of stress, alcohol and sugar. This was 20 years ago, and my years of study and coaching people has proven that most of us don’t know enough about these alien creatures and how toxic they are to our health. The culprits can lead to disease and cancer, so let’s dig in and find out more about what they do and what we must do to rid ourselves of parasites.
Conservatively, it’s estimated that 85% of the population may have some form of parasite lurking in their bodies! These harmful organisms live everywhere and are commonly transmitted to us in diverse ways, such as insect bites, walking barefoot, human contact, animal contact, water, fruits & vegetables, eating under-cooked meats and fish, and numerous other ways.
Parasites can invade the lining of our intestines, and their waste materials leave a trail of toxins in our gut. This toxic run-off creates inflammation that leads to extensive tissue damage and disease. Parasites can interfere with digestion, mood, blood sugar and hormone levels. All of which contribute to more serious problems.
Parasites can live in our digestive tracts, or all over the body, including the brain, major organs and even the eyes. There are literally over a 1,000 types that can be found in the human body. You may have a sixth sense that you’ve picked one up, particularly if you’ve felt ill after traveling abroad. But for most of us, putting together the clues for an internal parasite takes a little more detective work.
Here are some symptoms to look for:
· Diarrhea
· Gas and/or Bloating
· Abdominal Pain
· Unexplained Weight Loss
· Nausea
· Feeling inexplicably nervous or anxious
· Changes in Behavior
· Chronic Digestive Issues
· Headaches
· Autoimmune Disorder Diagnosis or Flare Up
· Iron deficiency or anemia
If you’re not sure, the safest bet is to get a comprehensive stool test.
These intruders live in and feed off of you, depriving you of vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids; altering natural pH levels, decreasing energy levels, and creating an acidic environment within your body.
If you have an inclination that you have a parasite or you have tested positive after a stool or blood test, there are several natural treatments. Keep in mind, these are treatments that can also help keep your immune system strong and ward off future parasites. These options are not limited strictly to those who have a diagnosis.
These natural modalities for eliminating parasites start with killing it, flushing out the toxins caused by parasites, and repairing the body.
Here are my top 5 tips to rid your-self of parasites and begin to heal:
1. Eat a fiber rich diet. Fiber gets your movements going and eliminates parasites. Vegetables (avocado, broccoli, beans, cabbage) are your best forms of fiber in addition to flax seeds, chia seeds and psyllium husk powder.
2. Eliminate sugars, carbs and processed foods. Parasites and bad bacteria thrive in sugar rich environments because they use fructose and glucose to multiply! Going carb and sugar free are great ways to starve parasites and help your gut heal.
3. Build up your immune system. Two easy ways to build immune function are to add a fresh daily green juice and complete a regimented anti-inflammatory cleanse. Adding a green juice into your diet will be alkalizing, anti-inflammatory and full of vitamins/minerals to give your body the capability to heal. The anti-inflammatory cleanse is further support for your immune system. My 21 day online cleanse, Cleanse Your Body, Cleanse Your Life is a perfect program to build your bodies defenses against parasites.
4. Use natural supplements. Using food as medicine, incorporate (and rotate) the following herbs that aid in eliminating parasites (by the way, there are many different beliefs on what supplements/herbs that work so make sure to pick the ones that feels right to you). Not all of these are meant to be ingested as food, you can add to smoothies, juices, take in capsule form or as tinctures. Here is my list of the top natural anti-parasitic foods and supplements and my recommended way of usage*.
▪ Raw Garlic or Garlic Tablets (Kyolic Garlic 2 capsules 3x daily with meals and as much fresh garlic as you can ingest)
▪ Grapefruit Seed Extract (10-15 droplets in a glass of water or capsule 2x daily for at least 21 days)
▪ Oregano oil (Gaia Capsules 2x daily for at least 21 days)
▪ Wormwood and Black Walnut (Gaia Wormwood Black Walnut tincture 3x daily between meal for 21 days)
▪ Coconut Oil (add 1 tablespoon to your smoothies)
▪ Turmeric (can juice fresh turmeric or add powdered form to juices and smoothies) can be taken in unlimited amounts
5. Take a daily (nondairy) probiotic. Probiotics (I prefer Renew Life Critical Care, minimum 50 B strands) support your healthy gut bacteria, promote a healthy digestive tract and build your immune system. This makes your digestive tract a less hospitable place for parasites to live.
To find out more information on gut health and cleanse for a parasite free life, check out my online cleanse program here.
* Please consult your physician on dosage amounts and drug interactions
