Parasites Archives

Parasites and Hormones

by Dr. Taggy Bensaïd | Hormones, Parasites

Parasites sure know how to mess with our hormones and body chemistry.

Take tapeworms, for example. These slimy pathogens release substances that imitate our natural hormones, tricking our bodies into producing less of the real deal. And that’s not all – some parasites can even target our hormone-producing organs, like the thyroid and adrenal glands, throwing everything off balance.

But perhaps the wildest example of parasitic hormone hijinks comes from Toxoplasma gondii. This mischievous little protozoan gets into our systems, it’s been known to greatly affect our behavior by manipulating our hormone levels. In rodents, for instance, it cranks up dopamine to make them more adventurous – which, unfortunately, also makes them more likely to get eaten by a cat and spread the parasite.

Parasites can cause inflammation in our liver and bile ducts, leading to a surge in hormones such as insulin-like growth factor 1 and estrogen.

In fact, some research suggests that parasites might even have a role in regulating our immune systems and gut microbiome. By disrupting our body’s natural balance, they can sometimes create a state of equilibrium that helps keep us healthy in the long run.

Some parasites, such as tapeworms and hookworms, can attach to the lining of the intestines and feed on blood, causing nutrient deficiencies, including B vitamins. These pathogens can also cause inflammation and damage to the intestinal lining, leading to malabsorption of nutrients and they can produce enzymes that break down B vitamins in the body, making them less available for use. The lack of nutrients and B vitamins, and the increase of waste/toxins in our bloodstream can lead to lactic acidosis, the mechanism behind all diseases. (learn more about lactic acidosis on our website).

Overall, parasites can have a significant impact on the hormonal balance of their hosts, leading to a variety of physiological and behavioral changes.

If you suspect parasites to be at the root of your symptoms, the first step is to minimize your intake of sugar, dairy, and refined carbohydrates. Supplement your whole food diet with a whole food B vitamin (liver is the best source of B vitamins), and talk to your practitioner about starting to take the steps to support your body.

Dr. Taggy Bensaïd, ND

Parasites: Better Out Than In

by Kerry Cradit | Parasites

This article isn’t pretty. It is actually a pretty gross topic. But, parasites are a major cause of health problems worth addressing.

In the holistic nutrition world we have known and talked about parasites for many years. Every once in a while a story will surface in the mainstream that will get some attention. This was on the Today Show in 2020 – “Woman’s grapefruit-size ‘liver cancer’ tumor was actually a parasite”.

Parasites can deplete you of nutrients your cells need to function, leading to many problems in your body. This can cause a variety of symptoms: floaters in your vision, jaw clenching and tightness, teeth grinding, and sinus and lung problems. Other common concerns we see with parasites are bed wetting in kids, itchy anal area, mucous in stool, and digestive problems (upset stomach, diarrhea, constipation). Also, dizziness, crawling sensations in the body, anemia, headaches, depression, anxiety, low energy, sugar cravings, and skin problems can be linked to parasites. Symptoms of parasites can often increase around the full moon. There have also been links to chronic disease such as cancer (1).

We can be exposed to parasites from pets, walking in sand and dirt, swimming in lakes, streams, oceans, and pools, eating food, human contact (kids frequently pass them in pre-school), and bug bites.

There are no age limits to who can get parasites and no geographical boundaries to where parasites live. They are more prevalent in some areas than others. But, they are everywhere.

In the medical world testing for parasites could be a stool sample or blood test. But, these don’t find all types of parasitic infections (2). In our office we use muscle testing to determine if parasites could be part of your problem. We find that gut health is so important, most people would do well with some sort of parasite detox.

Some solutions to addressing this immune challenge are keeping your digestive system healthy with adequate stomach acid and well functioning bowels. You need a strong immune system that can detect and fight off parasites. Wash your hands properly and maintain a good diet that limits refined sugar and carbohydrates.

Foods that are anti-parasitic include pomegranates, psyllium husks, pumpkin seeds, figs, papaya, flax seeds, beets, pineapple, onions, kelp, and cabbage. Herbs that can be used for immune system health and parasites in particular are: Garlic, Wormwood/Artemisia, Oregano, and Black Walnut.

Cleaning tips to prevent pathogens: use Tea Tree, Oregano, Thieves (Young Living) or OnGuard (Doterra) Oils. Wash your fruits and veggies in Lemon Oil. And, wash bedding, towels, and underwear in hot water and dry at high heat.

A jumpstart to detoxing parasites is coming to our office. We will be offering a Parasite Detox using CellCore Products; most people benefit from periodic parasite cleansing.

If you need more help with your health call 734-302-7575 or email us at [email protected] to set up an appointment to address your specific needs.

Sincerely yours in health,

Kerry Cradit, B.S. Nutrition and Food Science

Kerry Cradit, B.S. Nutrition and Food Science Bio

Do these 7 parasite solutions really work?

by Dr. Darren Schmidt | Dr. Schmidt's Blog, Parasites

Parasite Solutions

If you know you have parasites, there are several natural parasite treatments available. This is a quick review of 7 of the most popular homemade solutions on the internet…

Oregano. This herb will kill many types of bugs including parasites. We see that it works for greater than 50% of people with parasites.

Grapefruit or grape seed extract. This is a potent antimicrobial. We love the brand we carry because it smells like vanilla cake batter. Yum! However, it also works for less than 10% of the people with parasites.

Enzymes. You can try enzymes alone or mixed together. The enzymes can be in a tablet or a capsule and they can come from pineapples, dates, figs or from animals products. Enzymes kill parasites for about 20-30% of the people who take them.

Pumpkin seeds. The husks of pumpkin seeds cut parasites that cling to intestinal walls or entomb themselves in mucus on the inside wall. The fiber then pushes them out. At least this is what many websites say, although we have never seen this actually work. There is no harm in doing it, though.

Garlic. I have never seen anybody get rid of parasites taking garlic. We sometimes use garlic to support the real parasite killers in the next paragraph.

Herbs. The most popular herbs on the Internet to kill parasites are black walnut hull and wormwood. Wormwood works more than 50% of the time. Black walnut hull works more than 30% of the time. BUT, we have seen the best results when these herbs are combined with other effective herbs and enzymes.

There are many combination products on the market. We carry 9 of them.

But which is right for you?

Only muscle-testing can find out. If you don’t use muscle-testing then you are guessing. Guessing may be good enough for some people but most aren’t satisfied with that and we certainly aren’t. Most people want solutions and they haven’t found them yet. Here’s an example…

I met a man who guessed for 25 years on how to fix his fatigue. He even bought a health food store because he was so knowledgeable about possible solutions. Finally, he was tested by someone using Nutrition Response Testing. They found the real cause and in three months…. his fatigue was gone.

Another point about natural parasite treatments – do you need to take the supplements continuously or cycle them?

Some human parasite treatment plans are 10 days on and then 5 days off. A book or a website will give you answers but are the answers right for you? Those authors have never met you and they have not done any definitive tests on you.

A final point when dealing with parasites whether you visit us, use a home remedy, store-bought or see another practitioner for help. There is a phenomena called “drainage”. After you’ve done something to kill the parasites where do they go? You don’t want dead parasites just sitting in your body.

They need to be drained out ALWAYS!

Any parasite killing program must include some product for drainage at the same time they are dying.
Hopefully, this article sheds light on the plethora of products, solutions, and information you can find on parasites. There’s more information available to help you on your quest for optimum health today than ever before. The problem is sifting through all of it to find the truth, and most importantly, what actually works.

After 20 years of clinical experience with the products and patients, we know what works and what doesn’t.

I hope this helps. If you have more questions about holistic parasite treatments, and want to definitively and effectively handle parasites, or find out if that is even the cause of your health challenge, come in to see us.

Yours in health,
Dr. Schmidt

Read Dr. Schmidt’s Bio

Parasites In You! And Their Effects

by Dr. Darren Schmidt | Dr. Schmidt's Blog, Parasites

Do you have parasites in you?

The TV famous Dr. Oz says that 90% of Americans have parasites.

On this point, we at the Nutritional Healing Center of Ann Arbor agree with Dr. Oz.

There are a number of other respected leaders in medicine who have said the most undiagnosed condition in America are parasites. There are many books on the subject. Some true, some scary, and some outright alarmist. But here are the basics you need to know in your quest for optimum health.

Parasites can cause seemingly random symptoms in various organs of the body with varying degrees of severity. Some symptoms of parasites in the body are the source of great agony and some are barely noticeable. A couple of the more common human parasite symptoms are: Clenching or grinding of the teeth or jaw and an itchy butt…yep you read that right.

Even if you don’t have a compulsion to scratch your behind…read through this article to learn the signs of parasites and to get more of an idea if you might be affected by parasites.

Parasites come in all shapes and sizes.

They can be big, like tapeworms: fifteen feet long. They can also be single-celled; only visible with a microscope. They can live anywhere in the body, such as in the sinuses, around the ears, in the brain and, of course, the intestines.

Parasites can even live in the heart muscle or heart chambers. One doctor we know grew up in a family of butchers. After years of slaughtering cattle, he could see which cows were sick just by looking at them. They would slice the throats of the cows and then cut the jaw muscles. Upon slicing the jaw muscles of the sick cows, parasite eggs would pour out onto the floor. This is one of the effects of parasites and why people grind their teeth at night–because parasites inhabit the jaw muscles. Jaw grinding happens primarily at night when parasites are more active.

Some parasites lay eggs. The eggs hatch around the time of the full moon, give or take four days. When they hatch, it makes people act crazy. This is why an observant police officer, teacher or emergency room doctor will dreadfull moons–they will be busier. Parasites are the real reason why.

In Our Office, We Have Seen Parasites Cause:

psoriasis
heart problems
constipation
diarrhea
muscle weakness
floaters in the eyes
junk food cravings
excessive appetite
allergies
depression.

Many people who complete a parasite program report that they are happier and enjoy the company of others more.

To get rid of parasites and their symptoms, Mother Nature has provided us with certain plants. In Japan, people use wasabi (with sushi) and in Mexico, it’s hot peppers. In India, people use curry and turmeric to stay free of parasites. Many cultures throughout the world do a human parasite cleanse every six months or one year. The World Health organization recognizes Wormwood as an effective herb to kill parasites. We’ve outlined 7 parasite solutions you may find helpful.

When worms die, they cause intestinal cramping, pain, diarrhea or constipation. In the toilet, the worms often look like angel hair pasta with a frayed end. They could be a few millimeters long to six inches long.

One of my clinician friends had a patient who excreted a two-foot roundworm. To kill egg-laying parasites, it is necessary to take the herbs for ten days, then stop them for five and keep cycling like that. This is because for ten days you are killing the “mother” parasite. It releases a chemical that prevents the eggs from hatching. When the mother is dead, the eggs start to hatch. Let them hatch for five days, then start back on the herbs. If you don’t, the baby parasites will fight each other to become the next dominant worm. Cycle the program like this for 2 to 3 months.

I have had many patients do a parasite program that they picked up at the health food store. I have never seen one of these work, primarily because there is no cycling of the herbs. The herbs may also be ineffective even when cycled properly because they may not be the correct herbs to target the specific parasite a person has. Certain herbs are more effective for certain parasites, and we can discern which herbs are appropriate via muscle testing. Parasites that do not lay eggs do not require cycling of the herbs.

Parasites and their signs and symptoms are largely ignored by the medical profession.

I have heard a lot of MDs dismiss the topic by saying, “We don’t have parasites in this country.” Truthfully, the University of Michigan Parasitology Department identifies 100 parasites a day but it should be in the thousands per day because they receive stool samples from 5 states! I am amazed at the number of people who have health problems from parasites. At any hospital, easily 90% of the patients have them but they are not being identified. The sneaky thing about parasites is that out of more than 1,000 different kinds of parasites that can infect us, we can only detect about 50 of them through regular laboratory testing.

The other 950+ can be found only through alternative methods of testing like Nutrition Response Testing. To be sure that you are free of parasites, get into the office and asked to be checked. Bring your family as well, because we often share parasites with each other and our pets. Learn how to get rid of parasites in the body with our help!

Yours in health,
Dr. Schmidt

Read Dr. Schmidt’s Bio