Holistic Approaches for Parasites

Does anyone else find it odd/humorous/contradictory that the culture in conventional healthcare says that parasites are a rarity and to not go looking for them but in the same breath we tell all pregnant women not to change litter boxes to avoid parasites, be careful swimming in lakes, wash fresh produce and cook pork/fish/beef well? So don’t get exposed because parasites are a common problem but also don’t pursue antiparasitic interventions? Which is it…

Controversy

Obviously time & place matter (definitely not during pregnancy) to pursue antiparasitic interventions, and there is nuance in this parasite ridding conversation. But even the CDC says that 10s of MILLIONS of Americans have them. It’s not just a “developing country problem.” In many countries outside of the USA, Physicians are actually trained to recommend regular over the counter antiparasitics twice a year.

It’s not a highly debated topic for no reason.

You’ll see lots of Physicians, Naturopathic Doctors, and Chiropracters around the world recommend parasite cleansing and then others strongly against it. Whose right? Almost anything in Medicine has become highly polarized and patients are (understandably so) left extremely confused. Sigh.

What are parasites?

Parasites are organisms that live in or on another organism (their host – who they depend on to survive and spread). They don’t want to kill their host but they often carry diseases or contribute to symptoms that can be harmful. Parasites can cause a whole slew of health concerns leading from nutrient deficiencies, cancer, and to death in rarer circumstances.

Symptoms of parasites being present:

  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Gas/bloating
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Rectal itching
  • Fatigue
  • Skin rashes and acne
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Teeth grinding/bruxism/TMJ diagnosis
  • Dark under eye circles
  • Weight concerns
  • Anxiety
  • Nutrient deficiencies

What leads to parasite presence:

  • Consumption of contaminated water
  • Poor hand washing
  • Raw or undercooked meat
  • Eating raw or unwashed fruits or vegetables
  • Vector borne transmission (tick, mosquito)
  • Swimming in a lake
  • Sexual transmission
  • Contact with infected animal

It’s also noteworthy to say an imbalanced gut terrain, a dysregulated nervous system, nutrient deficiencies, poor sleep hygiene, heavy metal bioaccumulation, environmental pollutants and a poor diet are aspects that allow the human body to be hospital-able especially when a parasite enters.

Detecting parasites:

Stool tests are one way to spot a parasite’s presence; however false negatives are common per multiple studies as “they don’t want to come out.” Western Medicine aligned providers often use the “O&P” test (ova and para) to diagnose and then treat with antiparasitic pharmaceuticals if the test showed a positive. Imaging may also be ordered; note they might not be found during a colonoscopy as some you cannot see with the human eye.

Functional medicine aligned providers often use the GIMAP FDA approved at home stool test or GI Effects at home stool test, but again will only show “a positive result” if the parasite or its DNA in fact comes out in the stool. It’s also worth noting that parasites are not just localized to being a GI issue and can “hide” in lots of other places in the body; there are some very interesting studies questioning if some cases of endometriosis and/or infertility are actually parasites wreaking havoc (PMID 15119664, PMID15089874, PMID 23157050 – the tip of the iceberg).

There is a vast amount of literature throughout Pubmed showing parasites can infest throughout the human body. Functional medicine aligned practitioners argue that symptomatology should be taken into consideration and other indirect labwork markers like high eosinophils or a low ferritin that are otherwise unexplained. There are USA based studies supporting empiric parasite treatment (proceeding with a plan sans any testing) but this is most studied in traveling outside of the USA.

Holistic interventions

Addressing parasites from the lens of eastern/holistic/naturopathic/integrative medicine typically involve nutraceuticals, herbals, and antiparastic foods like papaya, pomegranite, pumpkin seeds and garlic. Our ancestors used these methods for thousands of years. Severe infections typically require pharmaceuticals and/or surgery.

Talk to your Doctor

I always advise medical evaluation and management – meaning you should be seeing your Doctor regularly for care, but especially when you suspect a health problem. However, what makes so many turn to other schools of thought is when they leave the office without an ICD-10 code and the testing shows “everything is normal; you are fine” but the patient doesn’t feel fine. Consequently, people do keep overturning other stones outside of conventional medicine. Symptomatology should have more weight many argue.

Health is not just an “on and off switch” or “abnormal versus normal” result; often times there are degrees of dysfunction that still warrants addressing instead of “let’s wait and see” aka come back when things are worse or perfectly check all the boxes for a diagnosis. Functional/holistic/integrative medicine advocates to keep rerouting towards wellness instead of waiting (when possible or applicable) until disease criteria is met. Health is on a spectrum and people can pursue an A grade versus just a “pass/fail” evaluation that sometimes leaves a patient with no action plan but they have lingering concerns. Can you really blame someone who wants to keep searching for answers and to actually get better?

Candidate for antiparasitics?

Generally speaking, healthy, non pregnant children and adults can strive for intentional, health supportive behaviors and use antiparasitic nutraceuticals.

Risks?

There are circulating Western Medicine aligned press releases that state that “parasite cleansing” is inherently dangerous. These general blanket statements have partial truths. It’s not typically the herbs/products themselves that are inherently harmful; problem territory is when someone takes a reckless dose, takes a non a third party regulated supplement, has a condition/disease that doesn’t jive with antiparasitic supplements, is allergic to, or doesn’t check for a supplement- drug interaction when they are taking other prescriptions. Also, I would agree that it is important to pursue medical evaluation as could your symptoms be something serious going on

If none of these above apply and your healthcare team has not otherwise found an explanation, certain herbals and nutraceuticals in the right doses can be effective and safe – time and place is what dictates this. I think these articles come from a place of caution which is noble and I also agree to avoid reckless supplementation.

But at the same time, articles bashing any and all antiparasitic efforts are endorsing inaction for all and discrediting the whole parasite conversation which isn’t fully accurate either according to science.

And it should go without saying, but if a reaction occurs when using an antiparasitic, it should be discontinued like with anything in life.

Here are 3 options for you to discuss with your healthcare team:

  1. Cellcore: There are various antiparasitic nutraceuticals on the market all over the world. If a person is a candidate, Cellcore is one brand I generally recommend; Cellcore is used & approved by top Functional Medicine/Holisitic/Naturopathic aligned practitioners. Cellcore’s research advocates to support the body’s mitochondria & then promote the body’s natural detoxification processes and the removal of stressors. In regards to antiparasitics, the Para Kit by Cellcore is one excellent option and can be obtained using this code: 2FQLrpNb on the website after clicking “register.” I’d advise following this protocol for 2 months to address both the parasite and their eggs; dosing is sent with the kits include times of day. (*Always talk with your healthcare team before starting a supplement. Note you are allowed to get multiple opinions in or outside of the allopathic medicine world as this is a highly debated topic).
  2. Fullscript: You can also click this link to be routed to another 2 month antiparasitic plan.
  3. Parafy Kit: This one month kit is another option. Use my affiliate code DIETETICSW10 for 10% off.

I say this a lot in my Discerningly Detoxing Podcast: “give the body what it needs and take out what it doesn’t!” Parasites should be a part of this conversation; its a real, high prevalence topic we can’t avoid.

Online General Guide on Using Antiparasitics – Register Here!

Resources & Citations:

This blog on the Dietetics with Driessens LLC website is maintained by Katie Driessens, Owner. All opinions are her own and for general educational purposes. Advertising, affiliate links or other forms of compensation are within this website and a small commission is earned for sales made through these links (with no extra cost to you) that help cover costs of running a small business. Products and services listed are prior carefully created and/or evaluated to ensure that they are accurate and supported by scientific evidence. Items or programs that are endorsed are based on Katie’s professional experience and expertise & are worthy of such endorsement. Dietetics with Driessens LLC assumes no responsibility or liability for damage or injury to persons arising from any use of any product, information, or opinion contained in the information of this blog, none of which is to be considered personal medical advice. By viewing, using, and shopping from this website, you agree to release Dietetics with Driessens LLC from full responsibility to the fullest extent allowed by law. Products & Services sold are not intended to diagnose or cure any disease. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise, supplement, meal plan or program. Thank you!

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January 20, 2024

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