How intestinal parasites affect your body

In literature, a parasite is a person who lives on someone else’s wealth. In medical terms, a parasite is a life form which thrives within another organism and does more harm than good to its host. Parasites can cause havoc within the body.

Intestinal parasites rob us of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and phytonutrients within the foods we eat affecting our digestion and indirectly virtually every process within the body. This is because enzymes, hormones and other chemical compounds found within the body require nutrients for their manufacture and function. Nutrient deficiencies such as a lack of iron can lead to anaemia. Improper digestion can lead to bloating. The stagnation of food in the gut can result in inflammatory bowel concerns and of course toxin build-up. These toxins make their way into the bloodstream affecting the other glands in the body including skin where in many cases rashes and skin sensitivities may develop.

Parasites can damage the linings of the intestines, lungs, liver and the circulatory system. They can make holes, clog or even damage the organs within the body. Intestinal parasites also poison our bodies because of the toxic metabolic waste products they release. This poisoning can lead to verminous intoxication which produces symptoms of dizziness, inability to think clearly, hunger pains, high or low blood sugar, poor digestion and allergies.

Parasites are highly intelligent organisms. They are not intelligent in the same way humans are, however they are intelligent in their ability to survive, reproduce and remain undetected. Of the 3200 species of parasites, over a 1000 of these parasites can live in the human body. Unfortunately, we can only test for 50-60 species which means that the vast majority of parasites can remain undetected. Scientists estimate that we play host to around 100 parasites, which begs the question of whether we really wish to support these unwelcome guests.

Cloves, Pumpkin Seeds & Thyme for intestinal parasites

Clove buds are one of the key herbs used in Ayurvedic medicines for the treatment of gastrointestinal infections and for worms, with a recorded use that spans thousands of years. Cloves contains a powerful oil, eugenol, which has been studied and found to help in the eradication of numerous pathogens in the gut. Clove oil has been found to dissolve the eggs left behind by worms. It is believed to be the only oil that destroys almost all parasite eggs.

Pumpkin seeds are known for their content of minerals and essential fatty acids. What most people do not realise is that pumpkin seeds contain a powerful anti-parasitic compound called curcubitin. The seeds themselves do not kill the parasites but it is thought that curcubitin paralyses the parasites so that they cannot hold onto the walls of the intestine as they do during bowel movements.

Thyme contains natural volatile oils which are known to help strengthen the immune system. Additionally, these oils also help to alleviate intestinal cramping often associated with parasite infection. These natural oils also help to eradicate and eliminate the growth of many parasites.