Oh my goodness…are we going to talk about Parasites? It doesn’t seem like a very nice thing to talk about, but sometimes we have to address unpleasant things!
In my single life, I worked as a Veterinary Technician for over10 years. I learned all about the need to deworm your pets (dogs, cats, horses, goats, cows etc…) I didn’t even think about needing to deworm people…I thought that was only in 3rd world countries? I was misinformed….
The Truth
The most common parasite that people can get is the Pinworm. Everybody is susceptible to pinworm infections , but it is more common in children under the age of 10. Pinworms can be contracted person to person (or child to child) basically from poor hygiene. You cannot get pinworms from animals.
There are hundreds of other parasites (worms) that humans can get as well as our pets.
Why are they harmful?
Internal parasites and their waste products can inhibit food absorption by causing inflammation in the gut wall. They can slow down the food going through our digestive tract which can cause excessive toxins, which in turn produces smelly gas, bad breath and bloating. These toxins can burden our Liver and Kidneys and may let poisons through the skin causing skin problems and hair loss. Parasites can damage the nervous system and mess up our hormone production. Bloodsucking worms can leave open wounds in the digestive tract which can create darker feces. The loss of blood can cause iron deficiency, anemia and dizziness.
Symptoms
Here are some other common symptoms of a Parasite infection: (these will often be more more pronounced during the full moon phase, when parasite eggs are hatching)
- Itchy Anus
- Colitis (inflamed colon)
- Bloody Stool
- Chronic Cough
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Joint Pain
- Grinding of teeth (at night)
- Irritability
- Bloating
- Gas
- Rings under the eyes ( also a sign of low iron)
- Severe Infestations ~ Weight Loss, Lethargy, Anemia (Pale Skin)
In Animals: You will see these same symptoms in animals, but here are some specific tips:
- Dogs ~ you will see these guys scooching their bottoms on the grass, ground or your rug! Shoo them out the door fast and give them a 3-day parasite treatment! (explained below)
- Cats ~ you will often see tapeworms on the hair around their anus. Tapeworms look like tiny white segments. Look on their bedding as well.
- Goats ~ Look at the membranes in their eyes. If they are a bright salmon pink, you are good! If they are white or pale in color, they need to be dewormed. Here is a link on this.
- Horses ~ You will often see loose stool or diarrhea.
I don’t have any personal experience with other animals, but I’m sure you could do a google search and find that info that way!
In humans and animals, you will not see most parasites with the naked eye unless there is a heavy infestation. Most parasites are seen by doing a fecal test and looking for parasite eggs under a microscope.
What do we do about this?
The first thing to think about is ~ creating a healthy body, where parasites don’t like to reside! A strong immune system and a good elimination system is key!
If you have symptoms and are suspicious of parasites, here are some diet suggestions:
Pumpkin Seeds - Adults should eat 2 large handfuls and Children 2 small handfuls each day. We grind these up and store them in the freezer. Mix with applesauce for children and/or put on top of oatmeal, pancakes and waffles. Pumpkin seeds are a powerful, natural antiparasitic food!
Increase Fiber in your diet. Take Psyllium Husk, Chia seeds and drink a green smoothie everyday!
Add lots of Garlic and Onions in your diet!
Little to no sugar in the diet…parasites will feed on sugar!
Increase Iron in the diet!
- IRON-RICH FOODS - Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, White Beans – sprouted, Kidney Beans – sprouted, Quinoa, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Lentils – sprouted, Mung Beans, Garbanzo Beans/ Hummus, Almonds/Almond Butter, Raw Spinach, Flax Seed, Dried Figs, Raisins, Blackstrap Molasses, Dried Apricots
Drink lots of pure water!
Immune System Strengtheners ~ add Probiotics, Ambrotose® complex (glyconutrients), & ImmunoSTART to your diet. Click HERE for information about the Mannatech product line and other supplements we use.
Eliminate Pork products from your diet! I remember in Vet. Tech. school when we were going over parasitology. We had a lively discussion about pigs being very susceptible to parasites because of how they live. Parasites love warm, wet environments and their meat is often full of parasites. We have adapted to buying beef or turkey bacon and sausage. **The biblical food laws consider pigs as an “unclean” animal, along with other animals that do not have a spit hoof and chew their cud. This could be another post!
Here are some additional tips ~
Bathe every day – we put a 4 to 6 ounces of 35% food-grade Hydrogen Peroxide in the bath water and soak for at least 20 minutes.
Wash bed linens frequently. Parasites are more active at nighttime and will often lay their eggs on your sheets or pj’s! This is common for Pinworms in children. (Putting a piece of scotch tape over the anus at night can capture parasites for a more specific diagnosis)
Wear shoes outside at all times. (The feet are very porous)
Wash hands after going to the bathroom, changing diapers and being outside.
Keep fingernails short (parasite eggs can live up to 2 months in there!)
Keep pets on a regular deworming schedule.
Herbal Deworming Programs
For further cleansing of parasites, here are some recommended products for us humans and our pets/animals:
Humans: OW Company (Black Walnut, Cloves & Wormwood) – 60 day cleanse – Click HERE
Paragone – Click HERE
Pets: (dogs, cats, goats, horses, chickens etc…)
Molly’s Herbs - Click Here
Conclusion
Okay…so there you have it! 
All you ever wanted to know about Parasites! For further discussion and research, we highly recommend Hulda Clark’s book called ”The Cure for All Cancers”. This is a fascinating study about how parasites can contribute to human illness and disease.
And for a further reality check…check out this video of a gal who went in to surgery to have a brain tumor removed and the doctors found a worm instead!
EEK! Watch HERE!
From Our Family To Yours,
Kevin and Amy Jo
Last summer we finally made the decision to get dairy goats. We’ve been buying raw goat milk for about 8 years now from a friend just 3 miles up the road from us. Our family went to visit her farm last summer (for the 20th time…) and had a fun visit playing with all the new baby kids running around! What a fun experience! And they were so adorable… So without further ado, we finally bit the bullet and bought Foxy and Brook. Foxy was a 4 year old Saanen doe who was currently milking so we’d have milk to feed Brooke who was only 2 months old; also a Saanen doe kid. 
There’s a lot of really good 
