-Warning this page contains stories and images that may be disturbing-

In our civilized western society, parasites are more than unthinkable. It is unimaginable. To have parasites, one must squat around the camp fire, living in squalor or have taken some jungle safari in some exotic locale. Then we might consider it but never in suburbia. Although most Americans may not realize it, parasitic-related diarrheal diseases are the 3rd major cause of sickness and death in the United States. (Reference 1)  The following stories are of people living in West County – St. Louis, Missouri.

It’s often said everything happens for a reason. While attending a Nature’s Sunshine class, a chiropractic student was given Nature’s Sunshine Para-Cleanse as a door prize. It is times like that, one really questions – everything happening for a reason – when given that kind of a prize. After finally convincing himself that it was just a fluke prize (pun intended) and that there was nothing to be concerned about, he started the Para-Cleanse. About the third day, something started kicking around, inside his tummy, like it was dying. The next morning after a strange bowel movement, he observed fifteen large objects. They were a little bigger than his thumb and looked like a shelled shrimp with a mouth on the underside surrounded by tentacles. Several were collected and taken to a microbiologist familiar with parasites. Unable to identify them, the microbiologist made it a practice to avoid contact with the student.

NSP Para-Cleanse is a ten day pre-packaged program taken twice over a 30 day cycle. The Para-Cleanse is started on day one and twenty. A homeopathic Parasite formula is taken for the entire thirty days. 

About three days into the second application, the student noticed the kicking and dying again. Again, about fifteen of the objects were eliminated during a bowel movement, which is about enough to freak anybody out the second time. The parasites were taken to a Veterinary clinic. The Vet cut one open to reveal a perfectly formed Horse Fly. It looked like a white plastic fly. 

A woman was diagnosed with MS because her overall weakness and her foot dropping with every step made it impossible to walk. She was progressively worsening and sought possible alternative assistance. She started taking the NSP Para-Cleanse and about three days into it reported the kicking and dying feeling. The next morning, she said she passed what looked like a ball of fishing line about the size of a baseball. She was so grossed out by it that she didn’t save any examination but did report that her foot drop and muscle wasting stopped almost immediately. 

A woman with Fibromyalgia symptoms started the Para-Cleanse program. After a couple of days the woman’s husband called to ask if spaghetti would pass through undigested. After confirming that it was highly unlikely, the speculation was that it was some sort of worm. No, they were not saved for examination but she did report feeling better. 

All three people had unresolved health issues which were assisted with the Nature’s Sunshine Para-Cleanse. It is unlikely that parasites were the original cause but it is very likely that parasites contributed to the way they were feeling. Parasites can trigger autoimmune responses through tissue destruction, resulting in the release of self antigens that stimulate the autoimmune conditions. The most common symptoms of parasitic infection are abdominal cramping, abdominal pain and/or severe diarrhea. 

Symptoms of Parasitic Infection (Reference 2,3,4,5)

Detection of Parasites
The diagnosis of most parasitic infection depends upon the laboratory. (Reference 6)  Most gastrointestinal parasitic infection will not be evident with standard blood chemistry testing. However, if a person suffers from any of the above listed symptoms and their blood chemistry shows an elevation of eosinophils and/or monocytes, a stool antigen test should be considered. Intestinal worms are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and are usually diagnosed by detection of eggs or larvae in stool samples. Studies show that when increasing from a single stool specimen to multiple stool specimens, detection increases from less than 50% to more than 95%. (Reference 7,8,9)  As more data becomes available, stool examination for parasites may become an integral part of the evaluation of patients with IBS or other undiagnosed gastrointestinal complaints.

Nutrition and Parasites
A number of drugs are available for treatment of parasitic infections. They should be taken with careful consideration. There are nutritional and alternative approaches to parasite infection. Dietary fiber reduces the rate of intestinal infection by Giardia lamblia. (Reference 10)  Dietary fiber induces mucous secretions and reduces the parasites ability to attach to the gut wall. It may also affect the growth of bacterial flora, pH and competition for nutritional resources among organisms. The 4R program used at Wellness Alternatives to remove, reinoculate, replace and repair works by changing bowel flora, environment and digestive chemistry and acts synergistically in eradicating parasites.

Another alternative is Nature Sunshine’s Para-Cleanse (with Paw Paw). Para-Cleanse with Paw Paw is a 10-day herbal supplement program formulated to support and cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, while providing a special emphasis on destroying parasites, yeast, fungi and other unhealthy microbes. (Reference 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18)

Liver Fluke http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/ dpdx/HTML/Fascioliasis.htm	Round Worm (after passing out of a human) http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/ dpdx/HTML/Ascariasis.htm
Pinworm http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/ dpdx/HTML/Enterobiasis.htm	Hookworm http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/ HTML/ImageLibrary/Hookworm_il.htm
Dwarf Tapeworm http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/ dpdx/HTML/Hymenolepiasis.htm	Whip Worm http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/ dpdx/HTML/Trichuriasis.htm
Intestinal Fluke http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/ dpdx/HTML/Fasciolopsiasis.htm	Tape Worm http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/ HTML/Diphyllobothriasis.htm

References:
[1] “Parasites in the United States Affect Million.” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health; November 1, 1993
[2] Wolfe MS. Clin MicrobiologyReview 1992;5(1):93-100
[3] Zinneman HH et al. Dig Dis 1972;17(9):793-7
[4] Gillon J. Qtr J Med, NS LIII 1984; (Winter)209:29-39
[5] Jones JE. Primary Care 1991;18(1):1-12
[6] Balows A et al. Manual of Clinical Microbiology 1991; 5^th Edition. 702:754-6
[7] Markell EK et al. Medical Parasitology 1986; 6^th Edition. 336
[8] Sawitz WG et al. Am J Trop Med 1942;22:131-6
[9] Ash LF et al. Parasites: a guide to laboratory procedures and identification. 1987;4-5
[10] Leitch GJ et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1989;41(5):512-20
[11] Lindholm P et al. Clyclotides: a novel type of cytoxic agents. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; 2002,1(6):365-369
[12] Murray MT et al. Chronic candidiasis: A natural approach. Am J of Nat Med; 1997, 4(4):9-22
[13] Juteau F et al. Composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil of Artemisia absinthium from Croatia and France. Planta Medica; 2003, 69(2):158-161
[14] Martin JM et al. Chemical defense in the zebra swallowtail butterfly, Eurytides Marcellus, involving annonaceous acetogenins. J Nat Prod; 1999, 62(1):2-4
[15] McLaughlin JL. Anticancer and Pest^,icidal Components of Paw Paw. NNGA 88^th Annual Report. Northern Nut Growers Association, Inc. 1997
[16] Alali FQ et al. Annonaceous acetogenins: recent progress. J Nat Prod; 1999, 62(3):504-540
[17] Landolt JL et al. Determination of structure-activity relationships of Annonaceous acetogenins by inhibition of oxygen uptake in rat liver mitochondria. Chemico-Biological Interactions: 1995, 98(1):1-13
[18] Rupprecht JK et al. Annonaceous acetogenins: a review. J Nat Prod; 1990, 53(2):237-278

Top of the page