What Doctors Don't Tell YouThere is no single treatment for parasites. The parasite and the damage caused to your system must be addressed in equal measure, and so you will need to take a multifaceted approach. Once “cured”, you will need to maintain certain lifestyle changes which will prevent opportunistic parasites from taking hold again. It is more important to support the immune system than to attack the bug.
A supportive diet is a must. Ann Louise Gittleman suggests that a diet composed of 25 per cent fat, 25 per cent protein and 50 per cent complex carbohydrates is best to keep parasite free. The diet should be high in unrefined oils, especially flaxseed, which lubricate the intestinal tract making it difficult for bugs to get a hold.Vitamin A increases the resistance to tissue penetration by parasite larvae, so include lots of carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, yams and greens in your diet.
Food should be fresh.. Processed and junk foods contain chemicals which will deplete the immune system.
Store your food properly. Fresh meats (turkey, chicken, lamb) and fish should be thoroughly frozen before eating to kill off larvae. Freeze fish at -18 ¡C for at least 48 hours. Beef and pork should be frozen at -20 ¡C for at least 24 hours to kill larvae.
Be a smart cook. Meat should be cooked in a conventional oven at a temperature of at least 325 ¡F. Use a meat thermometer to check that it has reached an internal temperature of at least 160 ¡F for beef and 170 ¡F for lamb, veal and pork. If microwaving, check the temperature in several places to gauge whether the internal temperature is even.
Wash all produce thoroughly, especially organic foods which may be pesticide free but are more likely to harbour pests.
Have your tap water tested. Some local authorities will do this; otherwise you will have to send it off to a laboratory. Drink only filtered water. To filter micro organism cysts effectively, a fine pore filter of less than three microns is necessary. A study at Colorado State University showed that the following filters blocked Giardia cysts from tap water: Royal Doulton (model F303), Seagull IV (model x1F), Micro Twin (model 10 TOBC) and Everpure (model QC4). Changing the filter frequently assures your water remains uncontaminated. Never drink out of streams, lakes, reservoirs or ponds, no matter how clean it looks. All water should be boiled, or invest in a portable water filter.
Hygiene is important. Make sure you wash your hands after playing with animals, going to the toilet or gardening.
Test for parasites with a quality stool test. These are available at Panascope Laboratory (01132 924657) in the US or the Great Smokies Lab in the US.
Use herbal remedies. These can be very effective and produce fewer adverse effects. Herbal capsules may have only a limited effect since they work mainly on those parasites which inhabit the GI tract. Tinctures may be more effective since even a weak system will still be able to absorb liquids. The most tried and tested herbals are wormwood, as well as black walnut hull and garlic.
The Ayurvedic herb pippali rasayana has been shown to be effective against Giardia. In a small clinical trial, 23 out of 50 participants were completely cleared of the parasite over a period of 15 days (J Ethnopharmacol, 1997; 56: 233-6).
Try homoeopathy. The following remedies are thought to be effective: Chelidonium for liver flukes; Chenopodium for hookworm/roundworm; Cina for threadworm; Felix mas for tapeworm; and Santimonium for roundworm/threadworm. Homoeopathic tissue salts, such as calcium phosphate, natrum sulphate and sodium phosphate may also be helpful in supporting a system damaged by parasites.
Be patient when using alternative remedies. You will need to persist for two months or so with your therapy, even if you begin to feel better, since most will kill the adult parasite but not the eggs. You need to take medication over the entire life cycle of the parasite.
Hyla Cass MD
Tom Ferguson MD