My Parasite Cleanse - A Nutritionist’s Story
Should you do a parasite cleanse?
It’s easy to think that we are past the days of parasite infections in our modern American world, complete with indoor plumbing, clean water and food choices, and advanced medical technology.
But parasites are more common than you might think, and parasite symptoms can be subtle.
I’m going to share some (non-graphic) details from my recent parasite cleanse with you in this article. Although I will not include many graphic details, if you have a queasy stomach, this post may not be suitable for you.
Hi friends. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and holistic nutrition expert. Clients come to see me with signs of adrenal stress and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes so we can address their symptoms more effectively, and fill in the gaps between what their doctor is saying and what their body is saying.
In this article, you’ll learn:
where parasites can be found
more about parasites’ life cycle
common parasite symptoms
does the full moon really impact parasite activity?
my parasite cleanse story
what to do if you think you have a parasite
what is a parasite?
By definition, a parasite is any organism that lives in or on another species and takes their nutrients and resources for their own use.
Things like fleas, ticks, or lice might come to mind when thinking about parasites you are familiar with. But when it comes to parasites that live in your intestines, there’s a whole other world of parasitic creatures that mostly consist of single-cell parasites called protozoa, in addition to various types of worms, which are multi-cell organisms.
For the sake of this parasite cleanse article, I will only be focusing on the most common parasites found in human intestines.
These types of parasites are commonly found in lake water, cats and dogs, contaminated or undercooked meat or dairy, contaminated water, and raw fish.
A parasite cleanse may be recommended for anyone who has consumed any contaminated foods or water, swims in lakes or standing water, or allows pets to sleep in their beds or lick their face.
Parasites can also be transmitted through sexual contact if one partner is infected.
are parasites contagious?
Speaking specifically of protozoa and worms known to infect the human body, some of these parasites can live an alarming number of years when using your body as a host. It’s possible you currently have parasites that were transmitted decades ago.
Here is a list of some of the more common parasites that live in human intestines, how they are transmitted, and their respective lifespans:
Cryptosporidium (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid
Lifespan: up to 3 years in humans.
Entamoeba histolytica (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid, pets, and sexual contact.
Lifespan: Weeks-to-years in humans.
Giardia (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted by ingesting or direct contact with standing water, and can get past many filtration systems. Giardia can also be carried and transmitted by animals, and is commonly found in childcare centers.
Lifespan: Up to 3 months in cold water, 6 months in soil, and can live on surfaces for up to 2 weeks. They can live from weeks to months in humans.
Blastocystis hominis (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid.
Lifespan: weeks, months, or years in humans.
Chilomastix mesnili (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid.
Considered non-pathogenic (does not cause disease), and is common in the large intestine.
Lifespan: Unknown
Cyclospora cayetanensis (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid, Does not spread from person-to-person, except through fecal exposure. Commonly found on imported produce.
Lifespan: (unable to locate information)
Dientamoeba fragilis (protozoa)
It is not well understood how this parasite spreads, but experts speculate it is transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid.
Lifespan: Unknown
Endolimax nana (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid.
Lifespan: Unknown
Entameoba coli (protozoa)
Not to be confused with e. coli, this organism is commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid, and is considered to be non-pathogenic.
Lifespan: Days-to-weeks inside the host’s body, although their larvae can survive up to 3-4 months outside the host. Mature Entameoba coli will not survive outside its host.
Pentatrichomonas hominis (protozoa)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid, and is carried by cats and dogs.
Lifespan: Unknown within the human body, however when outside the host’s body, this parasite is known to survive for several days.
Ancylostoma duodenale and Necatur americanus (hookworms)
Transmitted by skin contact with, or ingestion of, contaminated soil.
Can also be transmitted by cats and dogs.
Lifespan: Ancylostoma duodenale can survive inside humans for up to 1 year. Necatur americanus typically survives up to 5 years in humans, but has been recorded as surviving 15 years.
Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated food or liquid.
Lifespan: 1-2 years in humans.
Trichuris trichiura (whipworm)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated produce, and person-to-person contact.
Lifespan: 1-2 years in humans.
Taenia species (tapeworm)
Commonly transmitted through fecal-contaminated and undercooked pork (known as taenia solium) and beef (taenia saginata).
Lifespan: Taenia solium can survive in humans for 10-20 years, while taenia saginata can survive up to 25 years!
why parasites are harmful
It’s important to remember that for the sake of this parasite cleanse article, we are discussing parasites that commonly live in human intestines. This does not include parasite symptoms for external parasites, such as ticks, fleas, or lice.
For starters, among many other parasite symptoms, intestinal parasites are known to release toxins that can cause anxiety and interfere with neurotransmitters [1]. They are also known to release inflammatory toxins into tissues and joints, causing increased pain.
PARASITE INFECTIONS ARE ALSO KNOWN TO CAUSE:
sugar cravings - parasites leech off your nutrients, and because of that, your body will crave sugar in order to satisfy its need for fuel. This can lead to more serious conditions like insulin resistance, weight gain, and diabetes.
chronic fatigue - as good as parasites are at evading the immune system, their presence can activate your fight or flight response. This can be exhausting for a body that’s not getting the nutrients it needs.
digestive issues - parasite symptoms are often confused with IBS symptoms, because there is so much crossover. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IBS.
anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders - parasites are known to release toxins that interfere with neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. In addition to increased fight or flight response, this can lead to anxiety symptoms in many people.
skin conditions (rash, inflammation, eczema) - parasites can stimulate the release of immunoglobulins (antibodies) called IgE, which interact with mast cells that live in the lungs, digestive tract, and skin, and are responsible for allergic reactions. So, whether or not you have a true allergy, parasites can cause your body to react as though it does.
anemia - if you’ve been told you have anemia that is not being resolved with medical or dietary intervention, consider you may have a parasite.
malnutrition - parasites use your body’s resources to survive and replicate, including nutrients from food. If you have intestinal parasites, you may not be getting the nutrients you need for optimal health.
But some experts would argue that parasites are actually beneficial for treating certain types of diseases [2]. This theory carries a lot of weight because intestinal parasites are known to manipulate the immune system [3, 4] to prevent themselves from being found, but more research is needed to understand this better.
That said, this manipulation of the immune system has its downsides, too - and plenty of them.
common parasite symptoms
How do you know if a parasite cleanse is right for you?
COMMON PARASITE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:
restless sleep or insomnia
increased anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders
itchiness
chronic diarrhea or loose stools
alternating constipation and diarrhea
mucus in stool
bloat or gasiness
IBS symptoms
abdominal cramps
intestinal ulcers
headache or migraine
hyperactivity or nervousness
food allergies or food sensitivities
been diagnosed with anemia
unexplained vomiting
sugar or processed-food cravings
loss of appetite
frequent cold, flu, or sore throat
menstrual problems
blurry vision
fatigue or lethargy
does the full moon really increase parasite activity?
It’s hard to say just yet.
Scientists and researchers seem super excited to learn more about this, but so far the research is pretty limited.
Generally speaking, scientists speculate that adopting the rhythm of the host allows parasites to exploit the host’s resources more effectively. And as humans, our circadian rhythm is largely modulated by light exposure and moon phases.
Which does lead to a credible hypothesis that a full moon would increase parasite activity. Take that with a grain of salt, but we have yet to see any concrete evidence of it just yet [5, 6, 7].
my parasite cleanse story
I eliminated two visible parasites (that I know of) when doing a recent parasite cleanse, and as I write this post, I am currently undergoing a second parasite cleanse to make sure I got everything.
Typically, I would recommend lab testing for clients who suspect they have parasites before doing a parasite cleanse. But not everyone needs that.
In my case, symptoms were incredibly subtle, which shows you just how sneaky parasites can be. Even the parasite screening questionnaire I use with clients showed a low-to-moderate likelihood that I would have parasites.
My parasite symptoms included:
blurry vision
depression, anxiety
restless sleep
(mild) sugar cravings
more frequent colds in the last year
fatigue
Since many parasite symptoms can cross over with other conditions, I decided to try a parasite cleanse as part of my efforts to find underlying causes of stress and anxiety, despite my subtle symptoms and low questionnaire score.
And I found parasites! I plan to follow up with lab testing once I complete this second round of parasite cleanse. (Want to hear updates on this? Subscribe to my email feed)
Because my parasite symptoms were relatively subtle, it’s difficult to see any drastice changes, although I have seen a huge (positive) shift in my mood since the initial cleanse. I’m looking forward to seeing more long-term effects as I go through the next few months.
should you do a parasite cleanse?
Before you go jumping into a parasite cleanse, let’s talk about your parasite symptoms and health history. These pieces are essential to understanding the whole picture before you go spending your resources on something you don’t need.
Stop throwing spaghetti at the wall. Let’s talk about it first.
was this helpful?
Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
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BLOG REFERENCES
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Hewitson, James P, et al. “Helminth Immunoregulation: The Role of Parasite Secreted Proteins in Modulating Host Immunity.” Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2009, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2706953/#:~:text=Abundant%20proteins%20secreted%20by%20adult,GAL%2D1%20%5B29%5D.
Shea-Donohue, T, et al. “Parasites, Nutrition, Immune Responses and Biology of Metabolic Tissues.” Parasite Immunology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2017, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5863236/.
Gebresilassie, Araya, et al. “The Influence of Moonlight and Lunar Periodicity on the Efficacy of CDC Light Trap in Sampling Phlebotomus (Larroussius) Orientalis Parrot, 1936 and Other Phlebotomus Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Ethiopia - Parasites & Vectors.” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 15 Feb. 2015, parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-015-0723-7.
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Reece, Sarah E, et al. “The Life and Times of Parasites: Rhythms in Strategies for within-Host Survival and between-Host Transmission.” Journal of Biological Rhythms, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2017, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5734377/.
