Discovering that you have a parasite can be a daunting and unsettling experience. However, it's essential to remember that parasites are more common than you might think, and with the right approach, they can be effectively treated. In this blog, we will explore where you might commonly pick up a parasite, the symptoms of a gut parasite, some of the most common parasites, testing for parasites, and how to get rid of them.
Where Do You Most Commonly Pick Up a Parasite?
Parasites can be contracted from a variety of sources. Here are some of the most common ways people pick up these unwelcome guests:
Holidays: Travelling, especially to tropical or developing regions, can increase your risk of encountering parasites. Contaminated food and water, poor sanitation, and unfamiliar hygiene practices contribute to this risk. It’s always advisable to take precautions such as drinking bottled water, avoiding raw foods, and practising good hand hygiene.
Water-Borne: Contaminated water is a significant source of parasitic infections. This can include drinking water, swimming in contaminated lakes, rivers, or pools, and even using contaminated water for cooking or brushing your teeth. Always ensure the water you consume is clean and safe.
Food Poisoning: Consuming undercooked or contaminated food can introduce parasites into your system. This is particularly common with foods like sushi, undercooked meat, and unwashed fruits and vegetables. Ensuring food is properly cooked and handled hygienically is crucial in preventing parasitic infections.
Faecal-Oral Route: Parasites can be transmitted through the faecal-oral route, which involves ingesting tiny amounts of faeces from an infected person or animal. This can occur through poor hygiene practices, such as not washing hands after using the bathroom or before eating.
What Are the Symptoms of a Gut Parasite?
Symptoms of a gut parasite can vary widely depending on the type of parasite and the severity of the infection. Common symptoms include:
Digestive Issues: Diarrhoea, constipation, gas, bloating, and abdominal pain are typical signs.
Fatigue: Chronic tiredness and weakness can result from a parasitic infection as the parasite consumes your nutrients.
Weight Loss: Unexplained weight loss despite maintaining your usual diet can indicate a parasite.
Skin Problems: Rashes, itching, and other skin issues can sometimes be linked to parasites.
Changes in Appetite: An increase or decrease in appetite may be a symptom.
Nutrient Deficiencies: Parasites can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, leading to deficiencies.
Anaemia: Some parasites can cause blood loss, leading to anaemia, which presents as fatigue and exhaustion.
What Are Some of the Most Common Parasites?
Understanding some of the common parasites can help in identifying and treating infections effectively. Here are a few you're most likely to experience.
Giardia
Giardia is a microscopic parasite that causes giardiasis, an intestinal infection. It spreads through contaminated water and food. Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and nausea.
Entamoeba histolytica
This parasite causes amoebiasis (intestinal infection) and is typically contracted through contaminated food and water. Symptoms include severe diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and sometimes liver abscesses. This one is interesting as the severity of symptoms ranges wildly person to person, from no symptoms, to severe dysentery.
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium, or "Crypto," is a waterborne parasite that causes cryptosporidiosis. It leads to severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps, and dehydration.
Hookworm
Hookworms are intestinal parasites that enter the body through the skin, often from walking barefoot on contaminated soil or through animal faeces. They can cause anaemia, abdominal discomfort, fever, and nutrient deficiencies. Early symptoms are rash or itchiness where the larvae entered the skin.
Testing for Parasites
Testing for parasites can be challenging as not all parasites are easily detectable through standard tests. Also, in our experience at The Natural Balance, parasitic infections can be dormant or mild for many years, so they're often not top of mind when speaking with your healthcare professional. Yes, that mild bout of food poisoning you got in Bali 7 years ago could be the culprit!
There are a few ways you can test for infection:
Comprehensive Stool Analysis Using PCR Technology: Traditional stool tests might not always detect parasites because some are anaerobic and won’t survive in a culture ie. once exposed to the outside air, they die, making them hard to test for. Advanced technology like PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is more effective as this technology detects the DNA of the parasite, ensuring a more accurate diagnosis. Routine doctor stool tests often miss parasitic infections. Therefore, seeking a comprehensive stool analysis that includes PCR technology is crucial.
Blood Work: This is often done as an accompanying test to support a diagnosis, especially with worms. Bloods can reveal if there is a decreased blood count (anaemia) and low levels of blood-circulating nutrients.
How Can We Get Rid of a Parasite?
At The Natural Balance, we would look to treat holistically, avoiding antibiotics or antivirals. To do so, it involves a multifaceted approach, often combining targeted herbal protocols with gut healing strategies. Here’s how:
Targeted Herbal Protocol: Herbal treatments can be incredibly effective in eradicating parasites. However, they need to be taken in the right amounts and combinations. Some common herbs used include:
Oregano: Known for its antimicrobial properties, oregano can help eliminate parasites.
Berberine: This plant alkaloid has strong anti-parasitic effects.
Allicin: Found in garlic, allicin is another potent anti-parasitic compound.
Gut Healing: Alongside targeting the parasites, healing the gut is crucial. Parasites can damage the intestinal lining, leading to leaky gut and other issues. Incorporating gut-healing strategies such as consuming bone broth, taking probiotics, and maintaining a nutrient-rich diet is essential.
The treatment duration can vary from a few weeks to several months, depending on the severity of the infection and the individual's response to treatment. The goal is to achieve complete symptom resolution and restore optimal gut health.
Dealing with a parasitic infection can be challenging, but with the right knowledge and approach, it is entirely manageable. Identifying where you might have picked up the parasite, recognising the symptoms, understanding the common types of parasites, and using advanced testing methods are the first steps towards recovery.
If you suspect you have a parasitic infection or want to learn more about maintaining optimal gut health, why not get in touch with us - we offer free 20 minute consultations which are a great first step towards understanding your gut health.
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Kelly Mulhall
Registered Nutritional Therapist
Kelly is a Registered Nutritional Therapist who focuses on positive physical and mental wellbeing, achieved through diet, lifestyle, sleep and exercise. Having struggled for years with IBS and hormonal imbalance, and increasingly frustrated with the lack of support and helpful advice from her GP, Kelly began her own journey of healing the body from the inside out. After seeing huge improvements she quit her job to study nutrition and focus on harnessing the healing powers of food to help other people in similar situations.
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