Do I need a parasite cleanse? This is something we get asked all the time in the clinic! Here's everything you need to know about parasite cleansing and how they could be affecting you.
Do you experience bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, (or both, alternating), or flatulence? Do you feel something is just not right in your tummy? Restless nights or vivid dreams? Feel lethargic, foggy and irritable? Have cravings for sweets? It could be you have parasites that are causing these symptoms!
It is estimated that 85% of people have parasites in their bodies. Everyone of us is constantly infected and reinfected daily. In addition, parasites lay eggs inside your body, multiplying at an alarming rate.
When parasites enter your body, often your appetite changes, you may experience abdominal discomfort such as bloating (specially after eating), cramping and changes in your stool (ranging from diarrhoea to constipation), nausea or vomiting , rashes, tiredness, or weight loss. Parasites travel around your blood stream and find a suitable home to develop. They usually stay in one place in your body. They eat your cells, or drain the best of the nutrients you are eating directly from your tissues. Some parasites stay in the intestinal tract, others travel around your body, passing through organs, often causing chaos along the way.
Parasites get into your joints, and eat the calcium lining of your bones, resulting in arthritic tendencies. They can also eat the protein coating on your nerves, this causes a disruption in the nerve signals from the brain. It is generally believed that parasitic infections only effect people in undeveloped countries. That is not true, everyone can pick up parasites. Good hygiene is no guarantee against infection.
Parasites can range from microscopic to long tapeworms. They can enter the body through food (raw meat, seafood, salads), water (tank water, swimming in natural water like rivers, lakes, dams, swimming holes), contact with pets and other animals, contact with infected people (family members, children, friends), soil, and travelling overseas. So most of us are at risk of getting infected, specially if our digestive and immune systems are already compromised through stress, dehydration, antibiotics, medication, contraception, and a less then great diet.
So what do we recommend? To be safe, we believe everyone should do a parasite cleanse at least once a year. Treating parasites is a 3 step process. First the invaders themselves must be killed, then they need to be flushed from the body (and the toxins they created), and finally the body must be supported in healing and restoring from the infection and the compromising toxicity they excrete into the body.
To break the lifecycle of the parasites and kill the adults and all the hatchlings, we need to take a parasite remedy for at least 6 to 8 weeks. Colonics before, during and after your cleanse are highly recommended. Parasites love to hide in old faecal matter, which is often stuck in little pockets, or on the wall of the colon. Colonics will also help your body to rid itself of all toxicity the parasites excreted and will make you feel so much better.
A course of high quality pre and probiotics will really support your microbiome and help the good guys to get back in control. During a parasite cleanse, you might experience what is called a “die-off” reaction. As the parasites are poisoned by the herbs, they can fight back by releasing lots of toxins. These toxins can make you feel light headed, give you some brain fog, headaches, or flu like symptoms. If you experience any of this, make sure you take it easy, drink lots of water, eat very light and healthy foods, and maybe lower the dose of your remedy for a bit.
As colon hydrotherapists we see lots of parasites coming through in our clients sessions, we strongly recommend that you do a cleanse as parasites are behind so many digestive issues!