In order to relieve the symptoms of a parasitic infection, it is essential to completely remove the parasites from the body. Any medication or nutritional supplement that aims to treat the parasitic infection without removing the parasites will be unsuccessful.

Rather, here are five comprehensive steps that will help you remove parasites from your body so you can get on with your life. These include cleansing the system, modifying the diet, administering supplements to kill the parasites in all of their life stages, reintroducing healthy bacteria to the digestive system with a high quality probiotic supplement, and making the necessary lifestyle changes to prevent re-infection from the same type of organisms.

Step 1) Cleansing the System to Help Remove Parasites

Most parasites entrench themselves within the various organs of the body, especially within the intestinal tract. Therefore, in order to get rid of these harmful organisms, it is essential to cleanse the system of mucus and waste that may be surrounding the parasites.

There are several herbal cleansers that can be used to detoxify your digestive system. Common ingredients in these herbal cleansing supplements include comfrey root, agar-agar, flax seeds, psyllium husks, alginate, beet root, citrus pectin, papaya extract, and bentonite clay. It is important to remember to drink lots of purified water while taking these types of cleansing products.

One of the most common side effects of these cleansing herbs include constipation and bowel impaction. This happens when you don’t drink enough water. Any sort of impaction inside your digestive system will only help these types of intestinal worms thrive.

There are also several ready made colon cleansing products on the market that may help. These products usually incorporate one of the herbal ingredients mentioned above in their formula. It is important to know the source and quality of the herbs used in any dietary supplement. Be sure to do the proper research, and follow the dosage and cleansing instructions carefully. Bottom-line, there are many different types of cleansing programs, so do your research on the best colon cleanse.

Home enemas and professional colonic irrigation are two more good methods for cleansing the system and parasite removal. A colonic irrigation is typically performed in a doctor’s office. It involves flushing the entire length of the large intestinal with a lukewarm water solution. This procedure may take up to 45 minutes to dislodge and remove toxins throughout the intestinal tract. Home enemas are the do-it-yourself version of the colonic irrigation. Ingredients such as garlic, vinegar, and blackstrap molasses can be added to the home enema to increase its effectiveness.

Step 2) Modifying The Diet

There are very few studies that explain the exact relationship between parasites and nutrition. However, it is pretty safe to assume that a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables will increase your immune system and your defenses against intestinal parasites, because of all the nutrients contained in the fruit.

In addition, since it is well documented that these types of organisms thrive on sugar and carbohydrates, it may be a good idea to limit your intake of simple-carbohydrates such as refined sugar, enriched white flour, and processed foods. It is especially important to avoid eating sushi and other undercooked fish (and pork). While sushi has deep roots in many cultures, it is also one of the most common sources of infection from the food we eat.

Step 3) Taking a Parasite Removal Supplement

There are several dietary and herbal remedies that can be utilized to help remove parasites in every stage of their life cycle. If you think you may be infected with some sort of intestinal or stomach parasite, it would be wise to take an herbal cleansing designed to flush out these types of organisms.

There are many ingredients included in these herbal cleansing supplements. Some of these incredients include black walnut hull, wormwood, clove, kamala, just to name a few. There are other herbs that can help flush out these organisms, so consult your local herbalist or specialist to help recommend a particular herb. At some stores, you can buy these herbs in bulk and add them to your smoothies for at-home cleansing methods. However, it is easier for most people to just do a parasite cleanse.

Step 4) Reintroduction of Healthy Bacteria

With all of the steps you have taken to cleanse the digestive system and remove parasites, it is now essential to reintroduce healthy bacteria to your intestinal tract. Healthy bacteria usually occurs naturally in the digestive system, but some cleansing herbs will remove the healthy bacteria, along with the harmful parasites.

Probiotics will help to detoxify your digestive system, maintain the proper chemical balance, and act as natural antibiotic against harmful bacteria and yeast organisms. The recolonization of the digestive tract with friendly flora will help protect the body against future parasitic infections, as well as the development of other yeast, bacterial, and fungal related disorders. There are many probiotic supplements that can be used to help maintain a healthy digestive system, as well as guard against further disorders.

Step 5) Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Reinfection

This is a proactive do-it-yourself step. Make it a point to learn everything you can about the risk factors for developing a parasitic infection. If possible, try to determine the cause of your infection, and then make the necessary changes to avoid further problems. If it is not possible or practical for you to determine the source of your parasitic infection, take the steps necessary to avoid re-infection. Properly cooking food, frequently washing hands, disinfecting water supplies, and limiting contact with pet feces are all good ways to reduce your exposure to parasites.

If you are planning a trip abroad, look into the food hygiene, sewage, and water treatment standards of the area you will be visiting. Contact the Center for Disease Control to learn about the regional disease that can be found at your destination. If there is a possibility of parasitic infection, be sure to stay away from unfiltered water, uncooked fruits and vegetables, and undercooked meats. Take the appropriate steps to protect yourself. Parasite removal should be practiced on a daily basis, and if you are infected, you should do a parasite cleanse at least 2x every year.

article written by: Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM

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Veterinarians estimate that up to 45% of felines in the United States are infected with some type of parasite. Feline parasites may be worms such as roundworms, hookworms, or tapeworms or one-celled protozoan parasites such as coccidia or toxoplasma. Over time, these parasites can leech the life out of a cat, until she becomes too weakened to sustain herself. In addition, there are some feline parasite infections that can transfer from a cat to a human. Obviously, parasites in cats is not something you want your family pet to come down with.

How Do I Know If My Feline Has Parasites?

Cats that are infected with parasites may not exhibit any symptoms at all, or they may present with a variety of disconcerting conditions. Some symptoms that are common in feline parasite infections include dull hair coat, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stool, appetite changes, and a swollen belly. If left untreated, the vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and dehydration caused by intestinal parasites will weaken a cat’s immune system, making her more susceptible to other infections and diseases.

Most Common Types of Feline Parasites

Parasitic Worms:

Roundworms — Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara cati are the two most common intestinal feline parasites. Adult roundworms can reach a length of three to five inches long as they mature in the cat’s small intestines. A cat can become infected with these parasites from direct contact with contaminated food or feces. Kittens may also become infected from drinking their mother’s milk if she is carrying the worms.

If roundworms are left untreated, they will continue to multiply until their number become life-threatening to the cat. Because these harmful organisms are so large, they can cause intestinal blockage if they are present in great numbers. This type of blockage will lead to a severe case of constipation in cats. Small kittens in particular may be in serious danger if they become infected with roundworms.

A veterinarian will test for roundworm with a fecal examination. He or she will be able to detect parasite eggs in the cat’s stool during a microscopic examination. Deworming medications are usually effective at treating roundworm infections.

Roundworms can be transmitted from felines to humans. This happens most frequently in children and seniors whose immune systems may be weakened. These parasites can cause diseases such as visceral larval migrans and ocular larval migrans.

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Hookworms — Hookworms such as Ancylostoma and Uncinaria are significantly shorter than roundworms, only reaching a length of about one half inch long. Because of their small size, hookworms usually cannot be seen in the cat’s feces with the naked eye. These types of parasites can live for a long time. While it is unusual, there have been cases of hookworms living in a cat for its entire life.

Some felines can become infected by hookworms that penetrate their skin or are ingested with their food. Once inside the body, hookworms will migrate to the cat’s lungs and then on to the intestines. Severe cases of hookworm can cause anemia due to blood loss from the intestines where these parasitic worms attach themselves. Felines can die from a hookworm infection if too much blood is lost. Fortunately, hookworms are easily diagnosed with a microscopic fecal examination and treated with medication.

Like roundworm, hookworms can also be transmitted to humans. Once inside the human body, these types of parasites can cause digestive disorders as well as a type of dermatitis called cutaneous larval migrans.

Tapeworms — Tapeworms, or Cestodes, have long flattened bodies and attach themselves to the small intestine. As the adult tapeworm reaches maturity, segments of its body will break off and pass into the feces. These segments may be visible to the naked eye around the cat’s anus, or in his feces.

Tapeworm segments are white and flat and approximately one-quarter inch long. They may resemble grains of rice or sesame seeds. But even though these feline parasites may be startling to see, they are not usually seriously detrimental to the cat if they are treated quickly.

A cat may become infected with tapeworms by consuming contaminated fleas or rodents. Medications can be used to treat tapeworm infections, but steps must also be taken to reduce rodent and flea populations if re-infection is to be prevented.

Some tapeworm species that infect cats can also infect and cause diseases inside the human body. Good hygiene can reduce the risk of picking up a tapeworm infection from a cat.

Protozoan Parasites

Coccidia — Feline parasites of the coccidia species are tiny, one-celled organisms that are responsible for the disease coccidiosis. Cats can become infected with this parasite by eating or coming in contact with contaminated feces.

These feline parasites do not usually harm adult cats, however they may cause significant disease in kittens. A veterianarian can accurately diagnose this protozoan parasite and treat it with medication. Coccidia cannot be transmitted from cats to humans.

Toxoplasma — The Toxoplasma parasite is the one most commonly associated with cats. Infection with this protozoan feline parasite is fairly common, as cats can become infected by eating any of the three infective stages of the parasites. Toxoplasma may not cause any noticeable symptoms in the infected feline; however these feline parasites can be transmitted to humans. Inside the human body, Toxoplasma are responsible for the disease known as toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis attacks many parts of the body, causing serious illness and death.

It is important to note that some of these organisms found in felines, are also common dog parasites as well. If you have both dogs and cats living inside your home, be sure to have both animals checked out and treated.

article written by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM

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