Parasites - A Functional Medicine Approach

Parasites are far more common than most people realise, and can be a common underlying factor in many chronic health conditions.

People often contract them when travelling overseas, but they can also be passed on by these people, or contracted in Australia, particularly by people with compromised immunity, low stomach acid or dysbiosis (imbalanced gut bacteria), and by those living or working with animals.

Parasites are often overlooked when medically diagnosing symptoms, so a regular parasite cleanse is a good idea to prevent long term health complications, or to rule out in difficult to diagnose health complaints.

Symptoms of Parasitic Infection:

• Itchy rectum or vagina

• Sleep disturbance

• Iron-deficiency anaemia

• Fatigue

• Abdominal pain

• Nausea, reflux and/or vomiting

• Diarrhoea

• Constipation

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Headache and mood-related issues

• Difficulty concentrating/brain fog

• Musculoskeletal pain

• Skin irritation or unexplained rash

• Weight loss/altered appetite

• Fever

Risk Factors for Contracting Parasites:

• Living in or visiting an area known to have parasites 

• Poor sanitation - common in rural or developing areas

• Poor hygiene 

• Age - children and the elderly are more likely to get infected. 

• Child care centres

• Eating undercooked meat, raw fish, contaminated fruits & vegetables

• Having a weakened immune system or microbiome imbalance

• Nutritional deficiencies, particularly zinc

Dietary Strategies for Preventing & Cleansing Parasites:

• Raw garlic, onions, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, papaya seeds, beets and carrots all have antiparasitic properties

• Increase Vitamin C & Zinc to support the immune system (easily done by consuming the above foods)

• Eat probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, pot-set yoghourt, kimchi, kefir etc to boost beneficial bacteria in the gut

• Boost fibre to aid elimination through the bowel

• Drink ample filtered water to support detoxification

• Coconut oil has antibacterial and antimicrobial actions

Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine in very effective for treating parasitic infections and has been used for thousands of years. Some of the most effective anthelmintic (antiparasitic) herbs are:

• Black Walnut

• Clove

• Wormwood

• Cordyceps

• Oregon Grape

• Usnea

• Nigella (Black Seed)

• Pau D'Arco

• Pomegranate

• Garlic

• Thyme

• Turmeric

• Ginger

• Galangal

• Golden Seal

• Barberry

  
  

These herbs can be included in the diet or taken in tincture form for adults and children (according to specific protocols, as tinctures are very strong, thus very effective, and we also want to protect the good bacteria in our gut).

Parasites of part of life, but thankfully can be prevented or eradicated naturally when we know how.