Approximately 50% of all Americans have some sort of parasite in their gut, while 85% of these people have a type of parasitic infection. Parasites are living organisms, have various forms and can thrive throughout the body. But they are most often found within the intestines of their hosts. Parasites take advantage of the host organism nutrients and in so doing hurt the host organism. So for those who have parasites, it is imperative to take action and get them out of the bodies.
How to Get Rid of Parasites with Foods
A person can get parasites from almost anywhere. Though this is not considered a life threatening disease, it can cause many chronic health problems. The main issue about parasites is not allowing the body to get the nutrition that it needs. They can do this by not allowing the body to absorb foods properly or by decreasing the appetite of the person. There are several home remedies that a person can utilize in order to get rid of the parasites.
1. Eat Gut Friendly Foods
Most often people get parasites when their immune system is not up to par. When this happens it is usually a result of their bodies not having enough good bacteria in their bodies butcrowded by toomany bad bacteria. A good bacteria is Lactobacillus acidophilus which is found abundantly in yogurt. Thus, putting more yogurts into your diet can help to strengthen your gut and reduce the amount of parasites.
2. Try Anti-Parasitic Fruits
These types of fruits are pineapple, blackberries, pomegranates and papayas which can be eaten fresh, pressed for juice or take in supplement form. Papaya is great for digesting protein, while pineapple is great for infections caused by many parasites, such as tapeworms.Those who eat or drink these types of fruits bring help to their bodies to fight off existing parasites and to prevent more of them from taking root.
3. Add Anti-Parasitic Vegetables
Foods that are great for this are onions, cabbage, kale and garlic. Adding these foods to diet can help rid the body of infections for which medicationsare often prescribed. This is especially true for garlic. Eating these foods on a daily basis can go a long way in helping to treat current and future parasitic infections.
4. Try Pumpkin Seeds and Almonds
Pumpkin seeds and almonds have lots of anti-parasitic agents. Almonds have been proven to have great success against parasites that are found in the intestines, while pumpkin seeds are a good way to ward off parasitic infections as a whole. In addition, for those who are suffering with digestion issues due to parasites, almonds can help to soothe the troubles.
How to Get Rid of Parasites with Medications
There are times in which parasites may not be solved with home remedies. If a person notices this issue becoming worse, then they do need to seek medical attention. The drugs that are often used are not only toxic to parasites but also toxic to the hosts as well. This is why one must follow doctors' instruction on how to take these medications to avoid any side effects.
1. Metronidazole
This medication is the most often prescribed for parasitic infections as it has had high success rates for those who need it.
How it helps
This medication works to treat amebiasis, trichomoniasis and giardiasis. In addition, it can be used for extraintestinal disease or hepatic abscess.
How to take
This medication can be administered in many different ways, including:
- In its oral form, there are several doses that a person can get. They can take a single dose, 250 mg 3 times a day for 5 days, or in extreme parasitic infections the person will take 750 mg 3 times a day for 3 days.
- There are times in which this medication is given through IV.
- For women, there is another option that is inserting into the vagina for certain forms of yeast infections.
Side effects:
- This should never be taken with alcohol as it can cause serious issues.
- Minor side effects include a bad taste in the mouth, nausea, rashes on the skin and vaginal infections.
- Serious side effects include aseptic meningitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, leucopenia and encephalopathy.
2. Ivermectin
This is a fairly popular anti-parasitic medication, but results are not always as great as with other medications. It works very well on pin-worms and roundworms found in the small intestine.
How it helps
When it gets to the body, it paralyses some parasites, so the parasites are unable to cause further damage to the body.
How to take
This medication is usually given as a onetime dose. Though a person may have a single dose a few times per year.
Side effects:
- Minor side effects include a rash, fatigue, dizziness and abdominal pain.
- Serious side effectsinclude myalgia, arthralgia, lymphanigits, tachycardia, peripheral edema and lymphadenitis.
3. Albendazole
This is a highly effective medication, often given to those with tapeworm infestations and larva tapeworms brought to humans by dogs and livestock.
How it helps
The medication works to ensure that the tapeworm, roundworm, or pin-worm cannot absorb sugar. This means the worm cannot get food to survive in the body and will gradually die.
How to take
This medication is given orally, and the dosage depends upon the weight of the host and condition of the parasitic infection. This medicine can be taken with or without food, though with food the medicine is absorbed much better.
Side effects:
- Minor side effects include nausea, stomach pain, headache, dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- More serious side effects are sore throat, rashes and hives, fever, chills, bleeding or bruising. Those who notice serious side effects need to inform their doctor immediately, as it could signal of another issue.
How could you know that parasites make your body their home? How to get rid of parasites with other tips and treatments? Watch the following video to get all the answers: