Maintaining optimal health is vital to living your best life in today’s fast-paced world. So what if your digestive system is bloated, gassy, and constipated despite your best efforts?

Could intestinal worms or parasites be the cause of your gut issues? Could you be suffering from a parasite infection?

Understanding the Hidden Threat of Intestinal Parasites

Parasites live off another organism, called the host, without giving anything beneficial in return. Parasite infection often appears in various forms, including protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites, each with its unique way of infiltrating our bodies.

Often, the symptoms of a parasitic infection can mimic other common health issues, making it challenging to diagnose accurately. Fatigue, digestive problems, unexplained weight loss, and skin irritations are signs that parasites might have taken residence within you.

How do you get a Parasite Infection?

Some risk factors for contracting a parasite infection include eating raw or undercooked meat or handling raw meat. We warn our clients who love sushi that they have a risk of contracting a parasite infection. We recommend you don’t eat raw meat to prevent parasitic infections.

Contaminated water is another source of common parasites. Guardia and cryptosporidium are amoeba that live in streams and lakes. Drink bottled water that you can trust.

Types of Parasite Infections

Three main types of parasite infections that affect humans:

• Single-celled organisms that can multiply in the human body, such as giardia, cryptosporidium and entamoeba histolytica called Protozoa.
• Helminths include parasitic worms such as tapeworms, pinworms, and roundworms.
• Ectoparasites: Organisms like ticks, fleas, and lice that live on the surface of the host.

Where do you find Parasites

Parasites can be found in water, food, and sometimes even in the air we breathe or are carried by mosquitos or flies. If your natural army kills parasites (your immune system) doesn’t know how to eradicate the invaders, these critters can lead to many health complications.

Common Symptoms of a Parasitic Infection

The symptoms of a parasitic infection can be subtle but can escalate if not addressed. One of the significant effects of parasitic infections is the damage they can cause to the gut lining. The parasites can attach to the intestinal walls, leading to inflammation, irritation, and even ulcers. This damage can result in increased intestinal permeability, allowing toxins and other harmful substances to leak into the bloodstream, causing various gut issues, including bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea

Did you know there is often a connection between Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, other autoimmune disorders, and parasites? These underlying gut issues can be caused by the pesky invaders taking over.

Anemia

Parasites induce blood loss in stools while consuming internal tissues, often causing anemia without noticeable symptoms. Another common effect of parasitic infections is malabsorption. Parasites can interfere with nutrient absorption, leading to essential vitamins and mineral deficiencies. This malabsorption can result in anemia.

Fatigue and weakness

If parasites overwhelm your digestive tract, you will suffer from varying degrees of fatigue and weakness. This can also be due to the malabsorption issue associated with parasites.

Unexplained weight loss or gain

Sudden changes in weight gain or loss can be attributed to parasites. Of course, there are possibly other causes that need to be investigated.

Skin rashes, itchiness, and other allergic reactions

Unexplained skin issues can be parasitic. Parasites can live just under the skin.

Sleep disturbances, including insomnia and nightmares

Certain parasites may be more active at night, disrupting your circadian cycle and cortisol levels and keeping you awake. This is a vicious cycle that can cause longer-term disruption.

Inflammation

Parasitic infections can trigger the immune system, leading to inflammation affecting the entire body. Chronic inflammation can cause various issues, including joint pain, skin issues, and gut problems such as IBS, Crohn’s disease, and Ulcerative Colitis.

Clients present with parasite symptoms ranging from:

• Itchy skin
• itchy eyes
• exhaustion
• allergy symptoms
• constipation
• itchy anus
• sinus issues
• ravenous hunger
• dizziness and lightheadedness
• issues with their digestive tract
• brain fog, and so on. 

And the one common factor they often tell us is that these symptoms appear randomly and are inconsistent. They can feel great one day and have all these symptoms the next day.  Or it is worse over certain times of the month. It’s easy to blame this on your menstrual or lunar cycles.   

What if I told you that you likely have parasites in your gut, skin, nasal passages, and other places in your body?  Intestinal parasites have a life cycle and lay parasite eggs inside of you.

Sounds disgusting, I know, but isn’t it better to face the truth head-on than continue to suffer?  You may even be wasting loads of money taking dietary supplements that aren’t helping you.

How many people suffer from Parasite Infections?

You may be one of the 12 Million Americans known to have intestinal parasites. There are no age limits to parasitic infections.  Children often suffer from these invaders. They don’t sleep well and can have dark shadows under their eyes, along with skin itching.

There are no geographic boundaries.  Parasites can invade anyone and invade most of us at some time during our lives. They can also remain dormant for periods, meaning you have no idea they are present.

And you don’t need to have traveled recently or be traveling abroad to contract a parasitic infection. You may have no clue that these passengers have hitched a ride.  Parasitic infections often go undiagnosed and untreated.  But they are causing health issues nonetheless.  A short bout of diarrhea may be a symptom that went unreported.

The Transformative Power of a Parasite Cleanse

Imagine a life free from unexplained weight loss, flu-like symptoms, bloating, and persistent discomfort. A parasite cleanse has the potential to provide exactly that. Targeting these hidden invaders allows the weakened immune system of your body to regain its natural balance and function optimally.

Improved digestion, increased energy levels, and enhanced overall well-being are just a few of the remarkable benefits a well-executed parasite cleanse can offer.

What is a Natural Parasite Cleanse?

A parasite cleanse is a short-term program of herbal supplements designed to eliminate parasites from your body.

Types of Parasite cleanses?

At Metabolix Health, we take a multi-system approach (functional approach) to parasite cleanses in the same way we approach any other health challenge. 

We recommend a combination of lifestyle interventions, dietary interventions, and clinical herbal cleanses backed by studies for their anti-parasitic properties.

When you accompany the herbs with a well-designed and proven detox diet that focuses on eliminating sugar, processed foods, and dairy, it can create an environment where parasites find it challenging to thrive. Additionally, probiotics play a crucial role in restoring the balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut, further aiding in the expulsion of parasites. 

Parasites have been living off humans and contaminated food for centuries. They lurk in various environments and can cause a variety of serious health problems and issues. A parasite cleanse can be a needle-mover in reclaiming your health and vitality.

How You Can Prevent Parasite Infections?

• Only drink clean, filtered water.
• Avoid eating raw meat or any contaminated meat.
• Wash your hands after handling raw meat when preparing food.
• Don’t mix cutting boards in your kitchen. Keep one for meat only.
• Use an herbal binder when traveling to help you deal with foreign foods.
• Be careful when clearing out your pets’ poop. Use gloves and wash your hands immediately.

Can your body get rid of parasites on its own?

If you have a healthy immune system, your gut microbiome is balanced, and you eat a very healthy diet that includes lots of seeds, herbs, and nutrient-dense foods, you may be able to expel any foreign parasites before they take hold in your body. But unfortunately, most people today are not healthy enough to overcome these infections alone. This is why parasite cleanses are helpful.

How can a Parasite Cleanse benefit you?

1. Restore your gut health.
2. Increase energy and vitality.
3. Improve nutrient absorption in the small intestine.
4. Boost your natural defense system: your immune system. 

What is the best time to Cleanse Parasites?

The lunar cycle is a key influencer of your health and feelings. This may be news to many of us who expect to feel the same every day of the week, month, or year!  However, we all wax and wane like the ocean’s tides, and responding to this rhythm is part of a healthy life.

But parasites respond to this rhythm, too. They are most active over a full moon, so undertaking a parasite cleanse to peak over a full moon is a smart way to eliminate these unwanted guests. 

Repeating the treatment to get rid of the eggs

Parasites lay eggs within you, so repeating the parasite treatment 4 – 6 weeks after your original cleanse is essential.  We offer a detox cleanse that is 8 days long initially over a full moon when parasites are at their most active and more likely to be expelled.

Optimally, you want to repeat the cleanse over three full moons to eradicate your parasites. Use your symptoms to determine how you are doing. 

Of course, we always recommend working with a functional health professional to help you work through your bio-individual health needs.

You can schedule a discovery call with our team for individual help. 

Details of our Parasite Cleanse

Metabolix Health’s parasite cleanse lasts four days over the Equinox and Harvest Full Moon as an addition to our Equinox cleanse, and then you can repeat this program for two additional full moon cycles.

Our cleanse involves an elimination dietary approach, specific cleansing strategies, and herbal supplements designed to kill parasites.  

What Herbs or other Supplements do we use

We use a natural expulsion approach to get rid of parasites.  In a powerful combination of capsules, we use certain herbs or other supplements, such as black walnuts, probiotics, raw garlic whole, pumpkin seeds, and wormwood, to expel the most common parasites from your intestines.

What type of diet is involved?

We recommend eliminating potential allergens such as sugar, dairy, and gluten. While following this type of parasite and cleanse, we want to optimize your results as much as possible, giving your body a break from any possible food intolerances. We also support your liver detox pathways.

What about pharmaceutical medications for getting rid of parasites?

There are pharmaceutical drugs to help with parasitic infections, but our experience has shown that the natural method is very effective if done correctly. If you consult with us as your functional healthcare provider, we can guide you on what to ask your medical doctor about medication if needed for your individual case and particular infection.  Working with us individually would also include specific functional lab testing.

If you are on a current regime of prescription medications, you must discuss any other treatment programs with your medical provider before embarking on a parasite cleanse.

Conclusion: How Intestinal Parasites cause gut health issues

Intestinal parasites often present with various gut issues, and it’s essential to consider them as a potential cause. The good news is that most parasitic infections can be treated naturally.  

A single stool test can detect parasites, and treatment options range from medication (prescribed by your medical professional) to herbal antimicrobials, binders, and drainage support that we can put together as a protocol for you based on your health history, symptoms, and lab results. 

However, prevention remains the best health treatment.  Ensure your food and water hygiene is excellent. And avoid raw or contaminated food. Maintaining a balanced microbiome is essential by eating a healthy diet rich in fiber and probiotics, staying hydrated, and avoiding stress. 

Parasitic infections and other gut disorders can significantly affect one’s quality of life, but a healthy gut is within reach with proper functional medicine assessment, programs, and prevention. 

Next steps

If you think you may be suffering from possible parasites or want to reduce your toxic burden, join us for our 10-day Equinox Cleanse over the Harvest Moon in September. 

References

Hajare, S. T., Gobena, R. K., Chauhan, N. M., & Eriso, F. (2021). Prevalence of Intestinal Parasite Infections and Their Associated Factors among Food Handlers Working in Selected Catering Establishments from Bule Hora, Ethiopia. BioMed Research International, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6669742

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