Natural Remedies for Intestinal Parasites

Currently over 100 identifiable species of parasites have the ability to live within a human host. It is estimated that over 85% of adults in North America are infected by parasites. Symptoms of parasitic infection range from depression, weight loss/gain, and allergies to chronic fatigue, digestive problems and viral/bacterial infections.

A parasite can travel via four pathways to infect the human host: food and water, nose and skin, sexual encounters or through another carrier (mosquitoes, fleas and flies.) Since the likelihood of infection is prevalent, discovering a way to safely rid the body of parasites is imperative.

Intestinal Cleansing

It is important to keep the colon from becoming congested when embarking upon a parasite cleanse. Many people hosting parasites suffer from bowel conditions such as constipation or diarrhea; a number of natural colon cleanses may be purchased from your local health food store or online. Other natural supplements that may help cleanse the colon are psyllium husks, bentonite clay and flaxseeds.

Herbal Remedies

Wormwood is an effective herb that has been used to combat intestinal parasites for over 3,500 years. Pregnant and nursing women and children should avoid this potent herb as it may be harmful and should only be taken in small doses by others for short periods of time. Large amounts of wormwood may be toxic to humans as well as parasites.

Black walnut tincture is made from the juice of unripe hulls of the black walnut and is a key ingredient in most commercially-produced parasite cleanses. It may be purchased separately at most health food stores.

Other herbs that aid the removal of parasites are turmeric, olive leaf, goldenseal, oregano, thyme and the Oregon grape.

Anti-Parasitic Foods

Garlic contains active properties that act against parasites like ascaris (roundworm), giardia lamblia, plasmodium and trypanosoma, and is most effective when taken in the fresh, raw form such as a clove. There are also capsules and tablets available on the market.

Pumpkin seeds are often used in large amounts (up to 25 ounces for adults) on tapeworms and roundworms, although keeping the colon cleansed when ingesting a lot of them is recommended. Alternatively, adding seeds as a regular normal-sized snack will help the deworming process, although not as effectively as in the larger doses.

Cloves are successful at killing parasite eggs and are easy to ingest. You may grind up fresh cloves to mix in with other foods or eat them alone.

Other foods to incorporate into your diet with anti-parasitic properties are pineapple, carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. Avoiding refined sugars and foods, coffee and alcohol during your cleanse is also recommended.