You may have heard the saying “if you have a pulse, you have a parasite.” This is actually true, we all have them. And it’s not a scare tactic (these are RAMPANT in the health and wellness space), it just happens to be factual!
As with anything health related, each person is affected differently. For some, parasites are commensal, meaning the body learns to “cohabitate” with them. For others, parasites become a major problem. This typically occurs when the gut terrain is out of balance (e.g. the gastrointestinal system is unhealthy) and/or the immune system is overwhelmed attending to other problems (such as undiagnosed Celiac/gluten intolerance, food sensitivities, chronic infections, or toxin accumulation).
Common signs and symptoms that typically occur with parasitic infections or overgrowth include:
- Chronic fatigue (aka, you’re tired all the time). Parasites literally STEAL nutrients you need to produce energy at the cellular level, so they may need to be addressed before energy starts to improve!
- You have repeat labs that show nutrient deficiencies including low iron/anemia, low vitamin D, or low B vitamins. Parasites use these nutrients to thrive and replicate, so chronically low levels are often caused by overgrowth of various species.
- You struggle with chronic or recurrent infections like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Candida/yeast, Lyme/co infections, or viral infections. Parasites deplete the immune system, so it has a difficult time controlling viral replication (think chronic EBV/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and long haulers). They also wreak havoc on the gut terrain, laying the ground work for other infections to take hold. If you’re having to treat SIBO or Candida over and over again with medications, you’re not fixing the underlying problem.
- You live in a house with mold or have past mold exposure. Fungal issues (mold is a fungus) and parasites go hand in hand. Mold creates a chronic inflammatory response that weakens the immune system and creates a prime environment for parasites to take hold. Parasites then build bio films (essentially “shells”) around them that can hold on to the mycotoxins from mold and prevent full detoxification/ elimination.
- You have chronic allergies and/or skin issues (acne, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis) that aren’t responding to dietary changes or medications. This is typically due to an inability to resolve the chronic inflammatory immune response, but can also be due to certain species of parasites that reside in the skin or sinus cavity.
- You’ve been diagnosed with MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) or histamine intolerance. If you’ve tried cleaning up your diet and aren’t seeing results, the root cause could be parasites. Parasites create a systemic inflammatory response that triggers mast cell degranulation and release of histamine. Too much histamine can cause allergies, recurrent sinus infections, diarrhea, IBS symptoms, heartburn/GERD, itching. urticaria (hives), shortness of breath, low blood pressure, and rapid heart rate.
- You’ve been diagnosed with POTS or dysautonomia and are getting nowhere with traditional neurologists. Many people with autonomic nervous system dysfunction also have MCAS or histamine disorders, and many MDs fail to properly screen for these. Addressing gut health and parasites can help reduce inflammation and improve blood pressure regulation, blood flow/oxygen delivery to the brain, and nutrient status, which help the brain fully heal.
If you’re struggling with any of the symptoms on this list and want to learn more about whether a parasite cleanse might be right for you, schedule your Free Discovery Call! We’ll happily walk you through steps we take to address the root cause and eradicate parasites naturally.