Parasites - Uninvited Guests
Taken from Herbal Insights by Kroeger Herb Products

You do not need to go overseas or have inadequate sanitation to pick up a few freeloaders. These little guy's are prevalent in our food, water, pets, and gardens, to name a few. Luckily, herbs have been employed for hundreds of years to keep our bodies clear from unwanted guests.

People are still squeamish when it comes to parasites although, the issue has been around for as long as mankind. We can accept our pets or people in third world countries as having parasites, yet we tend to be naive about having parasites ourselves.
Reality is that we are not immune to these critters. For the most part, we do not notice the effects of parasites on our Systems, mostly because we have adapted to them and attributed other issues to their effects.

Acquiring Parasites

Parasites are found worldwide, including the U.S. Of course poor sanitation increases the possibility of unwanted guests, yet soil, fruits, vegetables meats and water can be be infected.We may also pick up worms from contact with pets and other people or a barefoot walk in the garden. Worms can release as many as 200,000 eggs per day, which we may consume unknowingly. Children are easily infected by being less aware of  hygiene and playing with dirt and other possible contaminated substances.
Once in the body, parasites can settle almost anywhere, causing damage to organs, and blocking and sapping nutrients from the host. The intestines offer lots of nutrients for worms, so this is a common "hang out" for them.  Since parasites are most active and reproduce around the full moon, this is when some of the effects are most prominent. (and the best time to do a cleanse - click here for more information)

Types of parasites

In biology, the parasitic way of life is very common. Humans may be hosts to over 100 different types of parasites. There are several families of parasites: Roundworms, Tapeworms, Flukes and Single Cell parasites. Each group has many kinds of parasites.

Roundworms -
Includes: common round worm (Ascara lumbricoides ), Hookworm, Strongyloides stercoralis, Ancylastoma caninum, Whipworm, pinworm, Toxocara canis, Dirofilaria immitis (dog heartworm) and Trichinosis.
Roundworms are common throughout the world. It is estimated that twenty five percent of people in the world are infected with roundworms. Infections come from consuming worm eggs found on fruits and vegetables grown in contaminated soil. Some symptoms of roundworms are digestive disturbances, intestinal gas, weight gain around full moon, blood sugar imbalance, fatigue, anemia, restlessness and teeth grinding at night.

It is estimated that 25% of people in the world are infected with roundworms

Tapeworms -
includes: beef tapeworm, bladderworm, pork tapeworm, broad fish tapeworm, dog tapeworm, dwarf tapeworm and rat tapeworm.
There are many different species of tapeworm found in all parts of the world, and they can grow to be very large. We usually contract tapeworm from an intermediate host, such as beef, pork, fish, dogs and cats. We can also pick up some tapeworms by directly consuming their eggs. In humans, they reside in the intestines where they absorb our nutrients, especially vitamin b-12 and folic acid and give off dangerous waste.
Tapeworm can cause intestinal gas, thyroid and intestinal imbalances, high and low blood sugar, jaundice, bloating, fluid build up during the full moon and verminous intoxication (see Effects of Parasites in yellow column to the right).

Don't get rid of your pets -
They give your life quality -
Get rid of their parasites

Flukes -
includes: fasciola, paragonimus, heterophyes, schistosoma, metagonemus, alaria, opisthorchis and dicrocoelium.
Flukes are smaller parasites that attach themselves to a variety of organs, including the lungs, heart, intestines, brain, bladder, liver and blood vessels, causing inflammation and damage. Fluke eggs have tiny, protruding spines that can cause damage as they migrate through the body. People become infected by eating raw or undercooked fish or crab, eating infected vegetables like water chestnut or watercress, or drinking or wading through infected water.

Schistosoma (blood fluke)
Our Essential Oil Combination to be applied to the bottom of the feet.
STRK
Single Cell parasites -
Protozoans includes toxoplasmosa, cryptosporidium, giardia, amoeba, neospora, sarcocystis and trichomonas.
Microscopic protozoans harm more people than any other parasitic disease. The cyst or resting stage of this parasite is very resistant to temperature, dryness and chemicals, which are found everywhere in our environment. People ingest these cysts, which then "hatch" in our bodies. athough we are commonly exposed to protozoans, our immune systems usually keep them under control, but people with a weakened immune system or toxic condition cannot fight off these parasites as easily. Protozoans can be found in the intestines, lungs, muscle tissue and the digestive tract, releasing toxins and tissue destroying enzymes. Protozoan infections may be associated with arthritis, asthma, degenerative muscle diseases, Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma, MS., ovarian cysts, psoriasis, cutaneous ulcers, dermatitis and more.

Microscopic protozoans harm more people than any other parasitic disease

Herbal help:

There are plenty of herbs to aid in a critter free system It is important to stay with a parasite cleanse for at least four weeks, which is the reproductive cycle of most parasites. This takes care of the eggs, larvae and the adult worms. Since parasites reproduce during the full moon, starting a cleanse a week before the full moon can increase efficacy. Parasites are the first to get the nutrients from food, since they are in the digestive system. It is best to take parasite-cleansing herbs before a meal, this way they are getting anti-parasitic herbs instead of  food.

Wormwood CombinationTM
In traditional herbalism, bitter digestive tonic herbs are used to paralyze and kill parasites in the digestive tract as well as controlling their eggs and improving digestive secretions, a natural protection against parasite overgrowth. At the same time, the bitter principles help to increase elimination, so that the parasites' toxins may be excreted at a faster rate. Wormwood Combination employes some herbs from this category that herbalists and naturopaths alike have relied on for centuries. Wormwood has been used to kill parasites (especially roundworms), reduce mucus, promote bowel movement and urination, tone the stomach and digestion, clear toxins from the blood, liver and gall bladder.
Traditional herbalists use Male Fern to paralyze parasites so that they may be more easily passed out of the system.  Black Walnut adds laxative effects to ensure elimination, while Quassia soothes and protects the stomach. Wormwood Combination is further balanced energetically for gentle yet thorough action ,with the addition of spicy Cloves, which help to reduce the gassiness and cramping that many other de-wormmg formulas can cause, only exacerbating the digestive distress many people experience with parasite conditions. All the herbs in this blend also control secondary fungal infections and excess mucus that can be both a contributing factor to and by-product of parasite infections.

Rascal
Combines some favorite herbs for fighting tapeworms and other parasites: Pumpkin Seeds, Garlic and Thyme. Thyme also teams up with Cayenne or Capsicum in this blend to warm and support digestion and elimination, while Cramp Bark is added to prevent cramping that many other de-worming products can cause. This gentle yet effective formula also controls the mucus, accumulations and secondary fungal infections that often accompany parasite complaints.

Garlic
Garlic by itself can be of great assistance in controlling parasites. Garlic has a history of being able to kill parasites and control secondary fungal infections; detoxify and gently stimulate elimination; it also has antioxidant properties to protect against oxidation caused by parasites' toxins.

Milk Thistle
Milk Thistle has been used for centuries as a liver tonic. The mixture of flavonolignans, known as silymarin found in milk thistle, has the ability to counteract the effects of liver toxins.
Milk Thistle aids in toxin clearance by promoting health:- bile function while its antioxidant activity protects against cell damage from toxins. Silymarin also increases the regeneration of the liver cells. This is helpful for the body to clear toxins given off by parasites.

Cloves
As mentioned above, cloves help to diminish the digestive discomforts caused by parasites and while doing a parasite cleanse. Cloves have been traditionally used to harmonize digestive function, calm the stomach, promote bowel movement and reduce gas and mucus.

The Mover
It is a combination of herbs that have been used for toning the elimination organs.  this can be very useful while on a parasite maintenance program to help the body remove toxins and waste.  The Mover contains yellow dock, onion, sage, wahoo bark, and rhubarb root.  These herbs supports healthy bowel, liver and kidney function; promotes healthy digestion and purifies the blood. The onion, rhubarb and sage have also been used to control parasites.

Other Dietary Considerations
Avoiding raw or undercooked beef, pork, fish and chicken is an obvious step in prevention.  Water chestnuts, watercress, unwashed fruits and vegetables, and mountain water are also to be avoided.  Parasites love sugar and carbohydrates as well as other easily assimilated foods.  It is best to eliminate sweets, alcohol and potato chips while cleansing.
Pumpkin seeds, garlic, calmyrna figs, pomegranates, cranberry juice, and apple cider vinegar are good foods to include in your diet to control parasites.  Parasitic infections set in when the body is alkaline.  Keeping the intestines slightly acidic may help prevent and treat an infection.  Cranberry juice or diluted apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons to eight ounces of water) works well for this.
The subject of parasites can be unpleasant, yet it is more common than most people are aware of.  Becoming proactive about parasite maintenance can make a big difference in overall health.  Doing a preventative program can ease your worries about uninvited guests.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
  These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

THE PARASITE MENACE
What exactly is a parasite? A parasite is an organism that lives off the host, the host being you or me. The parasites live a parallel life inside our bodies, feeding off either our own energy, are own cells or the food we eat, and even feeding off the health supplements we use. In recent medical studies, it has been estimated that 85% of the North American adult population has at least one form of parasite living in their bodies. Some authorities feel that this figure may be as high as 95%.
     The immediate question that comes to mind when people are informed of this situation is: How can a parasite possibly live in my body and I don't even know it is there? The answer to this is simple? The purpose of a parasite is to not make itself known. A smart parasite lives without being detected because if it is detected, of course, something is going to be done to eradicate it. If you think parasites are stupid, think again. They are highly intelligent organisms. Not intelligent in the same way humans are, but they are intelligent in their ability to survive and reproduce, which is of course, the purpose of any organism on this planet. It sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? And in
some ways it is, but , it can make life for humans very complicated.
     So how can a parasite exist in the body without making it's presence known? If you know how to read the body and interpret it's signals, then the presence of a parasite can be determined quite easily. However, if you accept that it is normal to have low energy levels, health challenges, skin rashes, pains, frequent colds, flu and constipation (the list is endless for the things parasites will cause), then you may never question whether you have parasites.

PARASITES HARD TO DETECT AND HARD TO GET RID OF!
If you were tested by a doctor for parasites, chances are that the results would come back negative. Does this mean that you do not have parasites? Unfortunately, medical testing procedures only catch about 20% of the actual cases of parasites. Over 1,000 species of parasites can live in your body, tests are available for approximately 40 to 50 types. This means that doctors are testing for about 5% of the parasites and missing 80% of those. This brings the ability to clinically find parasites down to 1%.
     Once you've established that you do have parasites, taking drugs to get rid of them may not always work. This is because a drug will often drive a parasite from one organ of the body to another. It's like people moving to better climates to make their living conditions more pleasant, or birds flying south for the winter.  Every generation prior to modern times made de-worming a regular part of their lives, but our generation chooses to ignores this basic practice. We recognize that people in third world countries have parasites. We also recognize that all of the animals we eat, and pets who live in our homes have an innumerable number of parasites and worms, but we seem to dismiss the notion that we as civilized people might also have foreign entities living within us as well. For whatever reason the medical profession chooses to try to down-play this fact. But this knowledge is becoming more and more publicly aware in this day.
     There are over 1,000 species of parasites, yet today's medical testing procedures only screen to identify about 50! There are two major categories of parasites: large parasites, which are primarily worms, and small parasites. Because of their microscopic size, they can burrow into the muscle, bones, or joints. Some of them may feed off the calcium linings of the bones or even the protein coating on your nerves, which can disrupt the nerve impulses to the brain. Parasites also secrete toxins, generating toxic build-up and stressing the immune system.
      "Parasites may consume minerals and food supplements before you do! Who are you feeding first?" - Dr. Ross Anderson, N.D.
     "I believe the single most undiagnosed health challenge in the history of the human race is parasites. I realize that is a pretty brave statement, but it is based on my 20 years of experience with more than 20,000 patients." -Dr. Ross
Anderson, N.D. "We have a tremendous parasite problem right here in the U.S. It is just not being addressed." - Dr. Peter Wina, Chief of the Patho-Biology in the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in 1991.
     Compromised Health is a direct result of parasitical infestation in our bodies. Parasites live off our body's life- force and the sustenance that we ingest. In addition to a loss of nourishment, the toxicities produced by these creatures play havoc with our immune system and degrade the optimum health of their host. Sickness, disease, and numerous health challenges are the resultant of continued exposure.
     Again: Doctors estimate that at between 85% to 95% of North Americans have parasites living in their bodies, causing illness, disease and "undiagnosable" troubles. Parasites are NOT just a Third World problem! You may have parasites living in your bowels, your bloodstream, your internal organs...even your brain!
     So, you think you don't have parasites? Think again! MANY TYPES OF WORMS: MANY TYPES OF DAMAGE The twelve most common types of worms in humans include: Tapeworms, Whiteworms, Redworms, Inchworms, Blackworms, Pinworms, Hookworms, "Little Fish", Threadworms, "Fuzzballs", "Spiders", and Stickpin worms.

The following are some descriptions of just a few worms that can get into your body and cause disease and toxicity.   "The Essentials of Medical Parsitology" by Thomas J. Brooks, says, "the tapeworms are among the oldest parasites of the human race. Indeed, some species have become so well adapted to live in the human intestine that the host (man) may be entirely asymptotic." This means you may have a tapeworm and not appear to have any symptoms.  The fish tapeworm is the largest of the human tapeworms, reaching the length of 33 feet or more. There can be 3,000 to 4,000 segments in one worm. It can produce more than 1,000,000 eggs a day. This type of
infestation can cause anemia because of interference with vitamin B12, says Dr. Brooks in his book. Also, the weight challenges of some people can be directly attributed to tapeworms. This is especially true of weight loss programs that don't work. The person may be hosting a tapeworm which is eating all the food and making the person constantly hungry.
     Tapeworms can also cause water retention. Besides tapeworms from beef, pork and fish, there is also a type of dog tapeworm you can get when dogs lick your face or hands. Pinworms are very infectious and can cause a lot of itchiness in the anal area. "The worms deposit their eggs mostly at night, contaminating pajamas and bed linen," writes Dr. Brook. "The eggs are readily transported though the air, and it is not uncommon to find them in every room of the house....complications are much more common in women than in men." Pinworms can also be found in the vulva, uterus and fallopian tubes because the female worm loses her way while trying to return to the anus after depositing her eggs.
     Another type of roundworm that can be present in humans is whipworms. These insidious creatures actually inject a digestive fluid which converts the colon tissue into liquid which the worms sucks up. Dr. Norman Stoll, a former worm expert at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, estimated that the roundworm infects about 644 million people in the world. This was in the 1940s and there are no doubt a lot more people infected with roundworm now! Dr. Brooks believes nutritional deficiencies are seen in heavy roundworm infections.
     Hookworms bite and suck on the intestinal wall, which can cause bleeding and necrosis (death of the tissue). In severe infections, iron deficiency becomes a therapeutic problem because of all the iron that is lost to the hookworm. Dr. Brooks says that, "hemoglobin levels as low as 15% of normal have been seen in patients with severe, long- standing hookworm disease.
     How we become infected with parasites Dr. Zoltan Rona writes "The incidence of parasitic disease in North America is skyrocketing because of increased international travel, contamination of the water and food supply and the overuse of chemicals, mercury and prescription antibiotics.
     Tape worms, hookworms and a long list of amoebae are far more common in the North American population than conventional medical experts have led the population to believe.... Parasites are found in highest concentrations in commercial pork products (bacon, ham, hot dogs, cold cuts, pork chops, etc). Beef, chicken, lamb and even fish are contaminated
     In a well-known book on parasites, Ann Louis Gittleman writes: "Pork tapeworms infect man through the eating of infested, undercooked pork such as fresh or smoked ham or sausage. The larva stage develops in the muscle, spreads through the central nervous system into other tissues and organs and finally hooks onto the upper small intestine. Pork tapeworm causes great harm to the human host when the immature larvae invade the muscles, heart, eyes or brain.
     Here is a list of ways parasites can get into your body: shaking hands, sharing someone else's soda can, kissing (even on the cheek), intimate sexual contact and believe or not, you can get parasites by inhaling dust which contains the dried form of these organisms. You can get parasites from drinking the water of any of the thousands of lakes, rivers, streams and creeks in North America. Giardia Lambia, which causes Giardia, is very common, for example.

You can get parasites from eating meat. Do you really think government inspectors are able to inspect every animal that goes to the slaughterhouse? Another source of parasites is salads. Dr. Brooks estimates that the overall incidence of E. Histolytic in the United States is between 3.9% and 10%.
     The distressing thing about parasites is that if you get rid of them, you can easily be reinfected. Married couples tend to have them together, and if one person is treated for the parasitic infection, they are often reinfected by their spouse. It is extremely important that both be treated at the same time, and in many cases, the children should be treated along with their parents.
     Someone once said, "If parasites are so easy to catch, them why doesn't everyone have them?" The funny thing is, almost everybody does.
     We also can become infected by not cleaning our fruits and vegetables good enough. There are even some parasites that we can pick up through our feet by walking outside barefooted.
     So; how do you know if you have parasites?

               Some symptoms of parasite infections may include:

Constipation: Some worms, because of their shape and large size, can physically obstruct certain organs. Heavy worm infections can block the common bile duct and the intestinal tract, making elimination infrequent and difficult.

Gas and Bloating: Some parasites live in the upper small intestine where the inflammation they produce causes both gas and bloating. The situation can be aggravated by eating harder-to-digest foods such as raw fruits and vegetables and beans. Persistent digestion problems can often be a sign of parasites.

Anemia: Some varieties of intestinal worms attach themselves to the lining of the intestines and then rob nutrients from their human host. If there are large numbers of them they can create sufficient blood loss to cause a type of iron deficiency or anemia.

Diarrhea:

Joint and muscle aches and pains

Allergies

Acne, rashes, and other skin disorders can be caused by microscopic parasites.
Sleep Disturbances: Can be caused by nocturnal exits of certain parasites through the anus creating intense discomfort and itching

Nervousness :Parasitic metabolic wastes and toxic substances can act as irritants to the central nervous system. Restlessness and anxiety can be the direct result of a systemic parasite infestation.

Tooth Grinding /Clenching:-abnormal grinding, clenching and gnashing of the teeth has been observed in cases of parasitic infections.. These symptoms are very noticeable among sleeping children.

PARASITES EAT HUMAN BODIES
How, then, do you determine if you have parasites??? In order to understand how this is determined, you have to understand what a parasite does. A parasite eats, lays eggs, and secretes. Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? First, lets look at the "eats" part. Depending on the kind, parasites will eat different things. Some parasites love sugar, for instance. If you are a person who craves sugar, you may have a sugar loving parasite. In fact, parasites are known to
be one of the causes of diabetic tendencies and blood sugar discrepancies. These parasites live off the food that goes into your body. They exist mainly in the digestive tract, but can be found in the liver, as well as throughout the body.
     Other parasites actually get their nutrition directly from the cells of the body. They can literally attach themselves anywhere and suck nutrition out of the cells. These parasites are significantly more dangerous because they can travel to places in the body where they can do a lot more damage than a parasite living exclusively in the digestive tract.
     As if it wasn't bad enough to have an uninvited guest living in your body, the parasites eat your nutrients before you do! They get the best nutrients, and you get the scraps and leftovers. They grow healthy and fat, yet your organs and skin starve for nutrition. What's more, parasites can remain in your body for 10, 20 or even 30 years.  To illustrate the longevity of parasites in the human body, consider this example. In 1979, a British study reported on 600 former prisoners from World War II. These men had been stationed in the Far East. Thirty years after the war,
15% were still infected with a parasite called Strongyloides that they had contracted during the war. This means you could have eaten meat 10 years ago that was contaminated and still be hosting the tapeworms or other types of parasites that were in that meat.
PARASITES REPRODUCE QUICKLY

Let's now look at the way parasites reproduce. First of all, we need to understand that there are two major categories of parasites: Large parasites, which are primarily worms and small parasites, which are mainly microscopic in size, including what are called protozoa and amoebae. Despite their almost invisibility, small parasites can be dangerous. Microscopic parasites can get into your joints and eat the calcium linings of your bones. This can lead to arthritic tendencies. They can also eat the protein coating on your nerves (the myelin sheath) and this can cause a disruption
in the nerve signal from the brain. The disease is called amebiasis, and is often transmitted via contaminated food or water.
     Large parasites, which are the worm type, are usually large enough to be seen by the naked eye. Some can be up to 10,12, or even 15 inches long and in most cases cannot travel to other parts of the body, other than the digestive tract. Although, in tropical countries there are cases of worms actually burrowing out of the digestive tract into blood vessels and muscles of the body, where they can do significantly more damage. This is quite rare in North America. It never ceases to amaze me, when I hear an adult passing a worm in total amazement, that they could have
had such a creature living inside of their body for possibly years.
     The smaller organisms, the protozoa's and amoebas, can function almost like a bacteria by traveling through the bloodstream to virtually any part of the body. They reproduce without laying eggs and behave more like an infection in the body than do the larger parasites.
     The larger parasites are worms which reproduce by laying eggs. Eggs are deposited in the intestinal tract, where they stick to the walls of the intestines. When the eggs hatch, the young feed on the food that we eat and eventually grow into adults. The adults them repeat the process. The smaller parasites reproduce without the process of laying eggs. They reproduce by duplicating themselves in a manner similar to bacteria or viral reproduction.

                         So how do we get rid of these nasty creatures?

The majority of parasites are found in the colon. Dr. Paul Bragg, an author of many bestsellers, talks about the importance of internal cleansing , always stressed that being "internally clean" is a lot more important than we realize. We must clean the built-up fecal matter out of our colon, in order to avoid self-poisoning. If we don't take the appropriate steps to rid our colons of this build-up and the parasites that set up home there, then we are actually allowing our bodies to get more and more toxic with each passing day.
     We know that colon build-up is very unhealthy because , unless eliminated promptly, the food in our bodies tends to putrefy and poison our systems. This build up also provides a breeding ground for all sorts of parasites.
     According to ABC World News Tonight and other TV news syndicates, most health problems are caused by unhealthy flora. This problem is more widespread than anyone had previously imagined.
     A good colon cleanse and parasite cleanse are needed to clear up this problem. Plan on two to three months of serious cleansing to get rid of all the parasites. --