Treatment
To tackle any parasitic infection a three-pronged, or at least two-pronged, approach is needed. First, you have to kill off the organism, then expel it and finally, take steps to prevent re-infection.
For kids, Susan Clark recommends using grapefruit seed extract, which is now widely on sale and which has fantastic anti-parasitic properties. Use as directed on the bottle and disguise it in a non-acidic fruit juice such as apple. The extract should not be used full strength externally or internally.
Grapefruit extract has antibacterial and antiparasitic agents and is effective against a wide range of parasites and bacteria. As the parasites die they release toxins, which may result in some discomfort and fatigue. If the symptoms become too uncomfortable, try reducing the amount you are taking a little. Increase it again when you are feeling better.
For adults, there are many herbs that can help. See ?Herbal Remedies? further down the page. Black walnut, for example, is a favourite among herbalists, who use it to kill off the worms. False Unicorn will help expel them. Horsetail kills off both the parasite and its eggs.
Things to eat:
Garlic
Garlic has been used from ancient times by the Chinese, Greeks, Romans and Indians for expelling intestinal worms. It is still used by modern medical practitioners for the same purpose. Both fresh garlic and its oil are effective. An ancient method of its administration was to place a couple of cloves fresh garlic in each shoe. As the person walked, the cloves got crushed, and the worm-killing garlic oil was absorbed by the skin and carried by the blood into the intestines easily. This ancient method has to be worth a try if you don?t like the taste of garlic and can?t eat it.
Garlic has antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic properties and is effective against a wide range of bacteria and parasites including threadworms. Try eating 3 or 4 cloves of garlic a day. Crushing or grating these in some olive oil, in salads or even honey may make them more palatable, particularly for children.
One slightly less palatable suggestion is to coat a clove of garlic in olive oil or wrap it in gauze and insert it gently into the rectum each evening before bedtime! (To be removed in the morning though).
Raw carrots
Carrot supports the liver, and stimulates urine flow and the removal of waste by the kidneys. Carrots are valuable in the elimination of threadworms as they are offensive to all parasites. The raw root, grated or mashed, is a safe treatment for threadworms, especially in children. A small cup of grated carrot taken every morning can be an effective treatment.
Coconut
Coconut is an ancient remedy for expelling all kinds of intestinal worms. A suggested remedy is one tablespoon of freshly ground coconut taken at breakfast, followed by 30 to 60 ml of castor oil mixed with 250 to 375 ml of lukewarm milk after three hours. This process may be repeated till the cure is complete.
Brown Rice
In the Himalayas of India and Tibet the native people eat a small amount of brown rice each day to prevent parasites. To get rid of intestinal parasites try slowly chewing one or two teaspoons of raw brown rice first thing each morning for two weeks.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are a traditional remedy for worms. They work by paralysing the worms but not killing them so it is important that a natural laxative, such as psyllium seeds or flaxseed oil to move the worms out of the digestive system.
Children can be given 10-15 pumpkin seeds a day, and, adults twenty to thirty a day for about two weeks. Follow this with a laxative about one hour after each dose of seeds. Eating pumpkin seeds daily may even help prevent parasites. Laxatives however should not be taken over a lengthy period of time.
Alternatively try pumpkin and watermelon seeds ground into a powder and mixed with a little aloe vera juice and taken on an empty stomach each morning.
Herbal remedies
Herbs are very potent and can interfere with medication you are already taking, so it is always best to consult a qualified practitioner. The National Institute of Medical Herbalists (01392-426022) holds a register of practitioners for the UK.
Herbs are generally a safe way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy, it is important to work with your health care provider on getting your problem diagnosed before you start any treatment. Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Many of the herbs used to treat intestinal parasites have toxic side effects and should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. He or she will treat you with the gentlest herb that is effective for the type of parasite you have.
A few of the herbs that the herbal specialist might consider include:
Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) Barberry will aid digestion and also maintain the natural balance of the flora in the intestinal tract
Black walnut (Juglans nigra) Taken internally, Black Walnut helps relieves constipation, and is also useful against fungal & parasitic infections. Is a good all-purpose herb to relieve constipation and expel worms, especially threadworms.
Cloves (Eugenia caryophyllata) Is an ancient herbal medicine used for killing internal parasites and their eggs. Cloves also help to increase the circulation of the blood, promote digestion, and eliminate gas and intestinal spasms
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis)
Sage (Salvia officinalis) The garden variety and thyme were both used by the Romans as digestive aids, as well as for the treatment of intestinal worms and bacteria. Sage was often mixed with wormseed or white wine to relieve diarrhoea or dysentery. Garden sage is not toxic, but excessive amounts can cause a dry mouth or local irritation.
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgaris) Is largely used for expelling worms in children, but only under the supervision of a qualified herbalist since there are some side effects if it is not used correctly.
Wormwood (artemesia absinthium) Is an ancient remedy used to kill various parasites. It is effective against a variety of worms, Wormwood is intensely bitter, and parasites are generally repelled because of this.
To prevent re-infection Susan Clark suggests using a tincture of Black Walnut and Wormwood made by Nature?s Answer and on sale in most good health stores.
Homeopathic
There are a wide range of homeopathic medicines that can be helpful complementary therapy for individuals with intestinal parasites. A trained homeopath will take into account a person's constitutional type. In homeopathic terms, a person's constitution is his or her physical, emotional, and intellectual makeup. An experienced homeopath will assesses all of these factors and take into account any current symptoms when determining the most appropriate remedy for a particular individual and will be able to select and prescribe the correct medicine. For information on finding a homeopath in your area read ?The Homeopath?.
Some of the Specific remedies that may be prescribed are:
Cina 6c Itchy bottom, child irritable, grinds teeth, picks nose is very hungry, dark rings under eyes.
Teucrium 6c Itchy bottom and itchy nose, itchiness worse in evening, child restless in sleep, complains of crawling sensation in rectum after passing stools.
Santoninum 6c Standby remedy if the above remedies fail
Dietary considerations:
Cut out caffeine and alcohol.
Eat raw garlic, pomegranates, pumpkin seeds, beets, and carrots, all of which have ?antiworm? properties.
Drink plenty of water to encourage good bowel elimination.
Avoid refined foods such white flour, processed foods.
Avoid sugar-containing foods, as sugar feeds the worms and slows the immune system
Eat high-fibre food to prevent constipation.
Take vitamin C and zinc to support the immune system.
Digestive enzymes will help restore your intestinal tract to its normal state, which makes it inhospitable to parasites.
Papain taken 30 minutes before or after meals helps kill worms.
Vitaklenz is a blend of natural herbal ingredients used to control parasitic organisms and yeast infections common to humans and is approved for sale and use by the Australian Government. Suggested treatment is over a 30-day period to promote a healthy digestive system.
For adults and those over 12 years old the dosage is 1 capsule taken 3 times daily or as recommended by your health care practitioner. Includes help for: Tapeworms, Pinworms, yeasts, Itching, Bacteria, Hookworms, flatulence, Indigestion and Threadworms.
Contains: Cloves; Wormwood; Black Walnut Green Hulls; Pumpkin Seed; Milk Thistle; Olive Leaf; Pau d?Arco; Gentian; Echinacea; Barberry; Garlic; Thyme. For more information go to www.saferemedies.co.uk