Fair Use Notice

FAIR USE NOTICE


OCCUPY WELLNESS

This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in an effort to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. we believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

FAIR USE NOTICE FAIR USE NOTICE: This page may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This website distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for scientific, research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107.

Read more at: http://www.etupdates.com/fair-use-notice/#.UpzWQRL3l5M | ET. Updates
FAIR USE NOTICE FAIR USE NOTICE: This page may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This website distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for scientific, research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107.

Read more at: http://www.etupdates.com/fair-use-notice/#.UpzWQRL3l5M | ET. Updates

All Blogs licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Parasites, The Merchants of Mayhem

Chronic Yeast Infections
Health Truth

The Biamonte Center for
Clinical Nutrition


Parasites, The Merchants of Mayhem

Part One

A GEOGRAPHICAL LOOK AT PARASITES!

Complied by Michael C Biamonte CCN

Parasites are not a very happy subject. Most doctors believe that Parasites only occur in 3rd world countries and cannot occur in the US. They are truly “Merchants of Mayhem”. Why? Because, 1.They lie hidden in our bodies below our detection and awareness. 2. They are rarely revealed in even the best tests that seek to discover their presence in our bodies. 3. They create and cost a host of symptoms and medical conditions that are rarely attributed to them.

However, the issue of parasites has been getting some interestingly ignored press in several well know magazines over the years.

In the words of National Geographic –magazine our intestines and colons can become "a sinister world of monstrous creatures that feed on living flesh: parasites".

Discover magazine published a feature article in its August 2000 issue:

"Every living thing has at least one parasite that lives inside or on it, and many, including humans, have far more. ...Scientists...are only just beginning to discover exactly how powerful these hidden inhabitants can be, but their research is pointing to a remarkable possibility: Parasites may rule the world. The notion that tiny creatures we've largely taken for granted are such a dominant force is immensely disturbing. ...We are collections of cells that work together, kept harmonized by chemical signals. If an organism can control those signals - an organism like a parasite - then it can control us. And therein lies the peculiar and precise horror of parasites."

The combination of environmental toxins, an unhealthy diet and parasites poses a grave danger to humans. "In fact, parasites have killed more humans than all the wars in history", reported National Geographic in its award-winning documentary, The Body Snatchers.

Here are descriptions of the most common parasites found in ordinary people.

Hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale)

The human hookworms include two nematode (roundworm) species, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus. (Adult females: 10 to 13 mm (A. duodenale), 9 to 11 mm (N. americanus); adult males: 8 to 11 mm (A. duodenale), 7 to 9 mm (N. americanus). A smaller group of hookworms infecting animals can invade and parasitize humans (A. ceylanicum) or can penetrate the human skin (causing cutaneous larva migrans), but do not develop any further (A. braziliense, Uncinaria stenocephala).

Eggs are passed in the stool , and under favorable conditions (moisture, warmth, shade), larvae hatch in 1 to 2 days. The released rhabditiform larvae grow in the feces and/or the soil , and after 5 to 10 days (and two molts) they become become filariform (third-stage) larvae that are infective . These infective larvae can survive 3 to 4 weeks in favorable environmental conditions. On contact with the human host, the larvae penetrate the skin and are carried through the veins to the heart and then to the lungs. They penetrate into the pulmonary alveoli, ascend the bronchial tree to the pharynx, and are swallowed . The larvae reach the small intestine, where they reside and mature into adults. Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine, where they attach to the intestinal wall with resultant blood loss by the host . Most adult worms are eliminated in 1 to 2 years, but longevity records can reach several years.

Some A. duodenale larvae, following penetration of the host skin, can become dormant (in the intestine or muscle). In addition, infection by A. duodenale may probably also occur by the oral and transmammary route. N. americanus, however, requires a transpulmonary migration phase.

Geographic Distribution: The second most common human helminthic infection (after ascariasis). Worldwide distribution, mostly in areas with moist, warm climate. Both N. americanus and A. duodenale are found in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Necator americanus predominates in the Americas and Australia, while only A. duodenale is found in the Middle East, North Africa and southern Europe.

Roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides)

Ascaris lumbricoides is the largest nematode (roundworm) parasitizing the human intestine. Immature or adult A.lumbricoides are sometimes passed in stools. Adult males measure 15-30 cm in length by 0.3-0.8 cm in diameter and have a ventrally curved tail; adult females measure 20-35 cm in length by 0.5 cm in diameter. Adult worms live in the lumen of the small intestine. A female may produce approximately 200,000 eggs per day, which are passed with the feces . Unfertilized eggs may be ingested but are not infective. Fertile eggs embryonate and become infective after 18 days to several weeks , depending on the environmental conditions (optimum: moist, warm, shaded soil). After infective eggs are swallowed , the larvae hatch , invade the intestinal mucosa, and are carried via the portal, then systemic circulation to the lungs . The larvae mature further in the lungs (10 to 14 days), penetrate the alveolar walls, ascend the bronchial tree to the throat, and are swallowed . Upon reaching the small intestine, they develop into adult worms . Between 2 and 3 months are required from ingestion of the infective eggs to oviposition by the adult female. Adult worms can live 1 to 2 years.

Geographic Distribution: The most common human helminthic infection. Worldwide distribution. Highest prevalence in tropical and subtropical regions, and areas with inadequate sanitation. Occurs in rural areas of the southeastern United States.

Pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis)

The nematode Enterobius vermicularis (previously Oxyuris vermicularis) also called human pinworm. (Adult females: 8 to 13 mm, adult male: 2 to 5 mm.) Humans are considered to be the only hosts of E. vermicularis. A second species, Enterobius gregorii, has been described and reported from Europe, Africa, and Asia. For all practical purposes, the morphology, life cycle, clinical presentation, and treatment of E. gregorii is identical to E. vermicularis.

Eggs are deposited on perianal folds . Self-infection occurs by transferring infective eggs to the mouth with hands that have scratched the perianal area . Person-to-person transmission can also occur through handling of contaminated clothes or bed linens. Enterobiasis may also be acquired through surfaces in the environment that are contaminated with pinworm eggs (e.g., curtains, carpeting). Some small number of eggs may become airborne and inhaled. These would be swallowed and follow the same development as ingested eggs. Following ingestion of infective eggs, the larvae hatch in the small intestine and the adults establish themselves in the colon . The time interval from ingestion of infective eggs to oviposition by the adult females is about one month. The life span of the adults is about two months. Gravid females migrate nocturnally outside the anus and oviposit while crawling on the skin of the perianal area . The larvae contained inside the eggs develop (the eggs become infective) in 4 to 6 hours under optimal conditions . Retroinfection, or the migration of newly hatched larvae from the anal skin back into the rectum, may occur but the frequency with which this happens is unknown.

Geographic Distribution: Worldwide, with infections more frequent in school- or preschool- children and in crowded conditions. Enterobiasis appears to be more common in temperate than tropical countries. The most common helminthic infection in the United States (an estimated 40 million persons infected).

Schistosoma

Schistosomiasis is caused by digenetic blood trematodes. The three main species infecting humans are Schistosoma haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni. Two other species, more localized geographically, are S. mekongi and S. intercalatum. In addition, other species of schistosomes, which parasitize birds and mammals, can cause cercarial dermatitis in humans.

Eggs are eliminated with feces or urine . Under optimal conditions the eggs hatch and release miracidia , which swim and penetrate specific snail intermediate hosts . The stages in the snail include 2 generations of sporocysts and the production of cercariae . Upon release from the snail, the infective cercariae swim, penetrate the skin of the human host , and shed their forked tail, becoming schistosomulae . The schistosomulae migrate through several tissues and stages to their residence in the veins ( , ). Adult worms in humans reside in the mesenteric venules in various locations, which at times seem to be specific for each species . For instance, S. japonicum is more frequently found in the superior mesenteric veins draining the small intestine , and S. mansoni occurs more often in the superior mesenteric veins draining the large intestine . However, both species can occupy either location, and they are capable of moving between sites, so it is not possible to state unequivocally that one species only occurs in one location. S. haematobium most often occurs in the venous plexus of bladder , but it can also be found in the rectal venules. The females (size 7 to 20 mm; males slightly smaller) deposit eggs in the small venules of the portal and perivesical systems. The eggs are moved progressively toward the lumen of the intestine (S. mansoni and S. japonicum) and of the bladder and ureters (S. haematobium), and are eliminated with feces or urine, respectively . Pathology of S. mansoni and S. japonicum schistosomiasis includes: Katayama fever, hepatic perisinusoidal egg granulomas, Symmers’ pipe stem periportal fibrosis, portal hypertension, and occasional embolic egg granulomas in brain or spinal cord. Pathology of S. haematobium schistosomiasis includes: hematuria, scarring, calcification, squamous cell carcinoma, and occasional embolic egg granulomas in brain or spinal cord.

Human contact with water is thus necessary for infection by schistosomes. Various animals, such as dogs, cats, rodents, pigs, hourse and goats, serve as reservoirs for S. japonicum, and dogs for S. mekongi.

Geographic Distribution: Schistosoma mansoni is found in parts of South America and the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East; S. haematobium in Africa and the Middle East; and S. japonicum in the Far East. Schistosoma mekongi and S. intercalatum are found focally in Southeast Asia and central West Africa, respectively.

Tapeworm

The cestodes (tapeworms) Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm) and Taenia solium (pork tapeworm). T.saginata may measure 9 m (27 ft), whereas T.solium may reach 6 m (18 ft). Taeniasis occurs when raw or undercooked unfrozen beef (T.saginata) or pork (T.solium) are eaten. T. solium can also cause cysticercosis.

Humans are the only definitive hosts for Taenia saginata and Taenia solium. Eggs or gravid proglottids are passed with feces ; the eggs can survive for days to months in the environment. Cattle (T. saginata) and pigs (T. solium) become infected by ingesting vegetation contaminated with eggs or gravid proglottids . In the animal's intestine, the oncospheres hatch , invade the intestinal wall, and migrate to the striated muscles, where they develop into cysticerci. A cysticercus can survive for several years in the animal. Humans become infected by ingesting raw or undercooked infected meat . In the human intestine, the cysticercus develops over 2 months into an adult tapeworm, which can survive for years. The adult tapeworms attach to the small intestine by their scolex and reside in the small intestine . Length of adult worms is usually 5 m or less for T. saginata (however it may reach up to 25 m) and 2 to 7 m for T. solium. The adults produce proglottids which mature, become gravid, detach from the tapeworm, and migrate to the anus or are passed in the stool (approximately 6 per day). T. saginata adults usually have 1,000 to 2,000 proglottids, while T. solium adults have an average of 1,000 proglottids. The eggs contained in the gravid proglottids are released after the proglottids are passed with the feces. T. saginata may produce up to 100,000 and T. solium may produce 50,000 eggs per proglottid respectively.

Geographic Distribution: Both species are worldwide in distribution. Taenia solium is more prevalent in poorer communities where humans live in close contact with pigs and eat undercooked pork, and in very rare in Muslim countries.

Whipworm (Trichuris trichiura)

The nematode Trichuris trichiura, also called the human whipworm. The adult female measures about 35-50 mm in length, and the male about 30-45 mm. The unembryonated eggs are passed with the stool . In the soil, the eggs develop into a 2-cell stage , an advanced cleavage stage , and then they embryonate ; eggs become infective in 15 to 30 days. After ingestion (soil-contaminated hands or food), the eggs hatch in the small intestine, and release larvae that mature and establish themselves as adults in the colon . The adult worms (approximately 4 cm in length) live in the cecum and ascending colon. The adult worms are fixed in that location, with the anterior portions threaded into the mucosa. The females begin to oviposit 60 to 70 days after infection. Female worms in the cecum shed between 3,000 and 20,000 eggs per day. The life span of the adults is about 1 year.

Geographic Distribution: The third most common roundworm of humans. Worldwide, with infections more frequent in areas with tropical weather and poor sanitation practices, and among children. It is estimated that 800 million people are infected worldwide. Trichuriasis occurs in the southern United States.

In part 2 of this series we will examine symptoms and medical conditions caused by “Parasites, The Merchants of Mayhem” Ref; Source: CDC - DPDx: Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern Sincerely: Michael Biamonte CCN.



Parasites, The Merchants of Mayhem

Part 2

Symptoms and Medical Conditions that can be caused!

Compiled by Michael C Biamonte CCN

General Symptoms of Parasitic Infection

Acute parasite infection is usually characterized by greater or lesser abdominal distress and diarrhea, often urgent and attended by burning sensations and tremendous fluid loss. Only rarely is there any visible evidence of infection. Moreover, many laboratories fail to detect the presence of parasites even when presented with specimens from infected persons. It is therefore sometimes necessary for the patient to determine whether infection is likely and to self-administer some remedy since allopathic medicine requires a diagnosis before prescriptions can be written.

Once a condition has moved from acute to chronic, there may be alternating periods of constipation and diarrhea, abdominal distention and bloating, intestinal cramping followed by burning sensations and the sudden urge to eliminate. Generally, there is malabsorption of nutrients, especially fatty foods. Irritable bowel syndrome, blood sugar fluctuations, sudden food cravings, and extreme emaciation or overweight are all possible symptoms—but, as stated, not necessarily proof of parasitic infection. Itching is a possible clue to infection, especially among children; however, the absence of itching does not mean there is no infection. The itching tends to be worst where there is moisture: nose, eyes, ears, and of course the anus. Skin sensitivity is also common: rashes, eczema-like conditions, and even serious eruptions.

Many parasites affect the nervous system and give rise to sleep disorders, such as insomnia. In children, hyperactivity is common, but adults may have symptoms ranging from depression to anxiety. Some parasites affect the brain and memory.

In our practice we have had many children who seizures improved greatly after doing a parasite elimination program. So much so that one patient referred over 10 other patients that she had met in her childs Neurologists waiting room. In time all were able to obtain similar improvements and their Neurologist was able to discontinue their medications.

In short, the part of the body affected depends on where the parasites have invaded: blood, intestines, liver, pancreas, kidneys, brain, etc. To make infection even more difficult to determine, add to this scenario the fact that many, if not most, parasites migrate so the symptoms could change depending on where the parasites are at any given time.

The 2 Most Common Ailments Associated with Parasites

Diseases caused by parasites are fairly common in children who play in dirt where worms and other parasites live. The parasites often go from the ground into a child’s body when the child puts his dirty hands into his mouth. Parasites also get into children’s bodies when they kiss or hug or play with pets who have infected worms or ticks on their bodies. And finally, parasites may enter the body when an infected insect, like a mosquito carrying the malaria parasite, bites someone’s skin. Malaria

This is an infection caused by one of four kinds of malarial parasite. It comes about when a person is bitten by a mosquito that is infected with the. parasite. During the first week of malaria, the patient will have attacks of fever, headaches, and chilly sensations. Then, during the weeks afterward, he may feel fine one day, and the next day he may have a high fever and severe chills lasting for a few hours. Then, he will break out in a great sweat. This situation continues with one day high fever and chills, the next day no fever or chills. The mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasites breed primarily in the humid, hot climate of the tropics and subtropics. They are seldom found in temperate regions.

An ameba is a single-celled animal organism that may cause diseases in children. The most common of such diseases is dysentery caused by Endameba histolytica. The diagnosis of malaria is made by taking a little sample of the patient’s blood and examining it under a microscope. On examination, the malaria parasite will be found. Malaria attacks may go on for many weeks or months if treatment isn’t given. Fortunately, there are several excellent medications to control malaria, but they must be given over a long period of time in order to cure the condition. To prevent this disease, someone who is in an area where malaria exists should take ant malarial pills every day. Also, he should protect himself against being bitten by mosquitoes.

Amebic dysentery

This is a form of diarrhea caused by a tiny one-celled animal parasite called the ameba. A child with amebic dysentery will have crampy pains in his abdomen, many watery, loose bowel movements, loss of appetite, loss of weight, and anemia.

The diagnosis of this condition is made by examining the stool in a laboratory and seeing the ameba parasite under a microscope. Luckily, there are excellent medicines to kill the parasite and cure the child.

To prevent amebic dysentery, a child must be very clean about his body and his eating habits. Also, if he isn’t careful, he may spread the infection to other members of his family.

Ailments Reported By Other Health Practitioners

Dr. Hulda Clark - “I have seen that eczema is due to roundworms. Seizures are caused by a single roundworm, Ascarts, getting into the brain. Schizophrenia and depression are caused by parasites in the brain. Asthma is caused by Ascaris in the lungs. Diabetes is caused by the pancreatic fluke of cattle, Eurytrema. Migraines are caused by the threadworm, Strongyloides. Acme rosacea is caused by a Leishmania. Much human heart disease is caused by dog heartworm, Dirofilaria. And the list goes on and on." Two main kinds of arthritis are recognized clinically, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In osteoarthritis the joints have bacteria living in the deposits left there. In rheumatoid arthritis the bacteria come from larger parasites -- wormlets actually living in these joints. The worms are the common little roundworms whose eggs hatch into microscopic wormlets that travel.

Suzanne M. Skinner, PhD., RNC, HHP, CH is a Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner –“In my practice, I always find parasites and worms associated with the following diseases: Diabetes, hypoglycemia, juvenile diabetes, anorexia, asthma, depression, anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, AIDS, cancer, tumors, anorexia, bulimia, colitis, epilepsy, hyper-activity syndromes, learning disabilities, baldness, prostate trouble, appendicitis (the appendix is a favorite place for parasites), elevated white blood counts, Hodgkin's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, psoriasis, some eczemas, leukemia, lymphoma, arthritis, leprosy, ulcerative colitis, low hemoglobin, poor blood quality, iron deficiencies and most bowel disorders.”

Contagious Canine Cancer Spread by Parasites

By Charles Q. Choi, Special to Live Science -Dogs have a form of sexually transmitted cancer that for 200 to 2,500 years has apparently spread via contagious tumor cells that escaped from their original body and now travel around the world as parasites.

These cells are the oldest cancers known to science thus far, and could shed light on how cancers survive and evade the immune system. Lung Disease in The Tropics by Om P Sharma- Section page 33 explains that Parasites migrate through the lungs as part of their life cycle.

The Arthritis Center of Riverside has been established since 1988. Al Robert Franco, MD, FACR is the founder and Medical Director. -The interrelationship between infections and rheumatic diseases has been discussed in the medical literature for decades. Microorganisms that cause bone and joint disease include bacteria, Mycoplasmas, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Parasites have been associated with joint and bone lesions. These include protozoa, flat worms, and round worms.

Eugene Zampieron, ND, Ellen Kamhi PhD RN -“Dysbiosis”, the proliferation of “unfriendly” microorganisms, including bacteria, yeast, fungi and parasites, is not widely recognized by conventional medicine as a cause of arthritis. Yet, these organisms are present in a large majority of people who suffer from muscle and joint pains. “Molecular Mimicry” is an additional complication, which arises when organisms in the gut camouflage themselves to resemble human tissue to escape detection by the immune system. When the immune system eventually makes antibodies to the bacteria, it also begins to make antibodies to the similarly structured human tissue, leading to an autoimmune cascade.

Dr. Ronen Arai is Senior Fellow in Gastroenterology at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine in Miami, Florida.-There are many kinds of parasites that can invade the liver, causing acute and/or chronic liver damage depending on the type of parasite involved. Some clues to the type of parasite affecting your friend's mother may lie in her eating habits, as well as her ethnicity.

One parasitic disease, trichinosis, arises from eating undercooked meat. In this disease, parasites can affect the bile ducts draining the liver, leading to right-sided abdominal pain, fever, jaundice and an enlarged liver. While the patient may be acutely ill, anti-parasitic drug therapy will usually lead to resolution. Trichinosis does not typically lead to cirrhosis.

Another parasitic infestation, clonorchiasis, is linked to eating raw fish. This infection is most common in Asia. It is a more chronic disease than trichinosis, and patients usually do not experience symptoms until long after the initial parasitic infection. Symptoms include right-sided abdominal pain and jaundice. Imaging studies of the abdomen and liver may reveal evidence of the obstruction of the bile ducts draining the liver -- a situation that may be mistaken for cancer of the bile ducts. Ironically, by causing chronic inflammation in the bile ducts, long-standing clonorchiasis sometimes actually leads to bile-duct cancer. Although the disease is usually diagnosed when bile-duct obstruction occurs, if it is not detected soon enough, scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) may have already occurred.

Finally, cirrhosis of the liver can be a direct result of parasitic disease. In a condition called schistosomiasis, parasites travel to the liver and settle in the liver's small veins. After some time, scarring (cirrhosis) occurs as a result of the inflammation and the body's attempt to fight the infestation. This parasite is acquired via skin exposure, usually from wading barefoot in fresh water in Asian countries.

Questions to Ask Yourself!

DO YOU GRIND YOUR TEETH AT NIGHT?

Teeth grinding is often caused by a calcium deficiency. However parasites have been found to block the absorption of calcium which can then lead to the calcium deficiency.

DOES YOUR CHILD SUFFER FROM SEIZURES?

In our practice we have been alarmed at the number of young children suffering with seizures who have improved after doing a parasite cleanse! The improvements range from 50% to 100%.

DO YOU HAVE SEIZURES OR EPILEPSY?

According to Dr. Thomas Brooks’s author of "The Essentials of Medical Parasitology", neurological disorders occur when the central nervous system is invaded by parasites. The tiny larva from the pork tapeworm can get into the brain. If they get into the right spots, seizures and epilepsy will occur.

DO YOU HAVE RECTAL ITCH THAT WORSENS AT NIGHT?

This is caused by pinworms or "seat worms". The crawling of the worm on the perianal area produces the intense itching. When you scratch yourself the parasites eggs get on your fingers! Parasites become more active at night when they deposit their eggs, particularly during a full moon. During these times their metabolisms speed up and they release more toxic wastes. These eggs deposit their eggs on pajamas and linens.

DO YOU HAVE SHORTNESS OF BREATH?

The eggs from roundworms travel through your entire system and go through different stages before settling in the intestines. At one of there stages they settle in the lungs. If too many larvae settle in the lungs, shortness of breath and lung inflammation can result.

DO YOU HAVE LIVER, JAUNDICE OR BILE DUCT PROBLEMS?

Roundworms have been known to leave the intestines and go into the liver or bile duct causing obstructions. They can also cause more serious liver problems and disease.

DO YOU HAVE CHRONIC VAGINAL YEAST OR ITCHING THAT DOESN’T RESPOND TO TREATMENT?

Parasites can live in the vaginal area. Even the kind that you can see with the naked eye! Parasites can cause yeast and keep it there! They can cause itching and inflammation by directly attacking the mucus lining of the vaginal area. If you ever have strings of mucus from the vaginal area or in your stool, look closely as it may be a worm. Look for something that looks like a head or for intestines running the length of its body.

DO YOU FEEL AS IF SOMETHING IS BITING OR CRAWLING UNDER YOUR SKIN?

As gross as it may sound, there are parasites that can crawl under different layers of skin and in the lymphatic system. They can also literally bite at skin and mucus membranes. Some people feel this at night while lying in bed and particularly in the rectal area.

DO YOU GET UNCONTROLLABLE FOOD CRAVINGS?

Many parasites live and crave sugar. They can rob you of so much of your nourishment that your blood sugar can crash causing hypoglycemia. Some parasites love fat and grease and can cause you to crave chips, fries and fast foods!

DO YOU HAVE UNEXPLAINED BONE LOSS?

Certain parasites eat the calcium right off your bones! These parasites are microscopic and hard to locate. If you are having unexplained bone loss at an early age this could be why.

DO YOU GET UNEXPLAINED FEVERS AND DIARRHEA?

Many of us think of fever and diarrhea as being caused by viruses. However, if your symptoms began particularly after swimming in a river, lake or stream, you may have contracted a parasite called Guardia. Giardia commonly causes fever and diarrhea. It occurs from time to time in New York public water supplies.

DO YOU HAVE CHRONIC DERMATITIS COVERING LARGE AREAS OR MOST OF YOUR BODY?

Reports from my own office and from colleagues of mine show that people with severe chronic dermatitis are infected with many parasites. Dramatic and miraculous improvements have occurred by doing parasite cleansing.

HAVE YOU BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ANEMIA OR HAVE YOU BEEN CHRONICALLY TIRED FOR YEARS AND NOTHING HAS HELPED?

Some parasites called hookworms can attach themselves to the lining of the intestines and bite into our blood vessels drinking our blood. Chronic hookworm disease can cause extreme and chronic anemia. Cats are a common source of these worms. These worm eggs can easily get into your system after you contact your pet!

HAVE YOU HAD A RASH OR ITCHY SKIN AND THEN A MONTH LATER HAD FEVER, CHILLS, COUGH AND MUSCLE ACHES THAT WON’T GO AWAY?

If so, you may have Schistosomaisis. This is an illness caused by your body's reaction to the eggs of worms. You can get it by swimming in water that has had certain types of snails living in it. These parasites absorb through the skin. The parasite is normally found in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Latin America and Southeast Asia.

DO YOU HAVE HAIR LOSS, ROUGH SKIN OR A TENDENCY TO FLUSH AROUND THE FACIAL REGION?

If so, you may have a parasitic mite known as demodex brevis or demodex folliculorum. This parasite can live in the hair follicle. It sucks out the nutrients at the root of the hair. The follicle becomes enlarged and infected causing loss of hair and inflammation. When living on the skin, it feeds on nutrients in the sebaceous glands, they become infected and inflamed and the skin may then thicken. Acne Rosacea can also be caused by this parasite.

DO YOU GET DIARRHEA, GAS, STOMACH CRAMPS, AND NAUSEA, VOMITING, FATIGUE, WEIGHT LOSS AND LOW GRADE FEVER FOR SEVERAL WEEKS THEN GOES AWAY AND THEN RETURNS?

If yes, you may have a parasite that has been found on raspberries called cyclosporiasis. It came into this country from Guatemala on raspberries. There were two large out breaks of it in May and June of 1996. It is very hard to diagnosis. If you feel you have this, please notify the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.

DO YOU HAVE CHRONIC ABDOMINAL PAIN, WEAKNESS, LOSS OF WEIGHT, NAUSEA AND DIZZINESS?

If yes, you may have a tapeworm that comes from eating rare beef.

This tape worm takes up to 3 months to grow into an adult after it’s ingested. This worm can grow from 13 to 39 feet in length. It is considered the second largest tape worm.

HAVE YOU HAD CONSTIPATION AND CHRONIC ANEMIA?

There is a fish tape worm that can reach 33 feet in length! In fact, it can get so big that it can cause colon blockage which will appear to you as constipation. It can cause anemia, interfering with B12 absorption. Researchers Davies and Goldsmid in 1978 also found that roundworms can cause intestinal obstructions. This happens when many roundworms "ball up" into one big mass.

DO YOU SUFFER FROM UNEXPLAINED CONVULSIONS OR FITS?

According to Geoffrey Lapage the author of "ANIMALS PARASITIC IN MAN", poisonous substances produced by this same beef tapeworm can cause unexplained convulsions. The worm can even damage the intestines causing ulceration's and infections.

In part 3 of “Parasites the Merchants of Mayhem” we will discuss parasite treatments.


Parasites, The Merchants of Mayhem

Part Three
The Art and Science of Their Elimination
Compiled by Michael C Biamonte CCN

Pharmaceuticals and Parasites

W Peters wrote in the Institute of Medicine. Division of International Health. Pharmaceuticals for developing countries. (Conference proceedings, Washington, D.C., January 29-31, 1979) Washington, D.C., National Academy of Sciences, 1979. (IOM-79-001) p. 59-82 , “Simple improvements in personal hygiene, in water supplies, in disposal of excreta, and in housing do more to reduce or even eliminate many parasitic diseases than the use of specific anti-parasitic drugs. Also needed in the future will be new and better drugs to help prevent and control many parasitic conditions. Full collaboration of the pharmaceutical industry is essential if new anti-parasitic drugs are to be discovered. It is also necessary to strengthen the facilities for clinical trials of new drugs as they emerge.”

In a Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA (2000-11-12) called “Economic Realities Depleting Arsenal” November 12th, 2000

While resistance may be reducing the effectiveness of our medicine chest, we have another force to fear: economics.


Many drugs still effective against parasitic diseases are either no longer available, no longer manufactured, or in danger of being pulled from the market simply because they are not

economically viable, say researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at a presentation during the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in October 2000.


"Parasites are a very common cause of disease in the world but because there is no market for anti-parasitic

The Secret of an Effective Parasite Program

Herbal treatments for parasitic infections are widely available and have been historically effective if used correctly. Over a 20 year period, I have personally used and tested dozens of formulas and products. Freshness and quality of the herbs are often more important than the formulation. One can have an amazing formula, but if the quality of the herbs are poor, and if they are so old as to render the active ingredients, then the product will not provide satisfactory results.


When one opens the package containing the herbs there should be a strong aromatic smell to the product. The product should not look oxidized, moldy or be disintegrating. It should not smell musty, moldy, or chemically. They should smell fresh, vibrant, and grassy or flowery depending on the herb.


Adult parasites, commonly seen with the naked eye are typically referred to as worms. Worms may also be called helminthes, particularly in medical terminology when referring to parasitic worms, especially the Nematode (roundworms) and Cestoda (tapeworms). Hence "helminthology" is the study of parasitic worms. When an animal, such as a dog, is said to "have worms", it means that it is infested with parasitic worms, typically roundworms or tapeworms.


Worms in general are easy to kill using the herbs. The true challenge is destroying the eggs that are being constantly laid. The eggs are almost impossible to kill due to the frequency at which they are produced. As the herbs kill the adults the eggs they have laid begin to hatch. Mother Nature loves all her babies, not just us. So the protocol must be carried out long enough to kill the eggs that hatch and to permeate the eggs as they are laid in order to kill them. The length of time is typically agreed upon as being 30 -90 days. If one does not complete the cleanse in that time period, the products they are using are either inferior or they are being reinfected.


Also antioxidant vitamins must be avoided during the 30, 60 or 90 cleanse period. The vitamins will serve as antidotes for the herbal medicines and protect the parasites from their effects. Why bother doing a parasite cleanse if you are going to revive them with vitamins!

Traditional Herbal and Botanical Treatments for Parasites

There are many herbal-botanicals that have been used for microscopic parasite infections (protozoa) and for intestinal worm infections (helminthes). In this section we are going to concentrate on the key herbs that are generally agreed upon by most herbalists as being the most important for the elimination of helminthes. Keep in mind that there are other adjunctive substances used besides the ones mentioned here!

Black Walnut Hulls

Organically grown green black walnut extract is what is preferred by most practitioners. It is considered a powerful vermifuge agent for treating parasite conditions. Green black walnut extract is made from organically grown, green black walnut hulls. It is produced in a special way that maximizes its potency. Green black walnut extract greatly assists the removal of parasites from extra cellular fluids, such as the blood and lymph, and in organs such as the liver, kidneys, brain, heart and intestinal tract.


Several species of walnut trees grow in the United States. Two of these are native to the East – the black walnut and the butternut, also called the white walnut. Black walnut trees grow in forests from Massachusetts to Florida and west to Texas. They are hardy trees that are grown mainly for their lumber. The nuts also are harvested and sold. They have a distinctive and rich flavor, but their shell is hard and thick.


Black walnut wood is dark purplish-brown, with a fine grain and luster. It is valuable for interior finishing, furniture, and gunstocks. This wood is becoming rare.
The Black Walnut Hull contains a number of active ingredients, of which the most important are juglone, tannins and iodine.


Juglone is a brown constituent of the black walnut hull, leafs, bark and even roots. It is called a phytotoxic allelochemical. Phytotoxic means that it kills plants, and allelochemical means that the black walnut tree produces this chemical to keep other plants from growing around it. You may have noticed that vegetation under black walnut trees is rather scarce, and this is the reason. Since yeast and fungus in humans are also plants, it has been conjectured that it will work against fungus as well and it has been described as an anti-fungal in many herbal reference books. There is some scientific evidence also. Whether juglone works against parasitic infections is matter of scientific discussion. However, the NIH (National Institute of Health) writes: “Crushed unripe walnut hulls have been used for generations in various types of folk medicine […] to treat fungal, bacterial or viral infections such as herpes or warts. External applications of walnut also kill ringworm, and Chinese herbalists use this substance to kill tapeworm.”


Since we suspect that juglone is the most important ingredient in black walnut hull tincture; and since it can quickly oxidize whereby the tincture becomes less potent, we have developed a laboratory method to monitor the concentration of juglone in our black walnut hull tincture.

Tannins act as a defense mechanism in plants against pathogens, herbivores, and hostile environmental conditions. The antihelminthic properties of tannins have been shown in scientific studies. Tannins are described to be antibacterial, anticancer, antidiarrheic, antihepatotoxic, chelator, antihypertensive, anti-tumor, cancer preventive, anti-ulcer. Unfortunately, little scientific information can be found about it.


Iodine is widely used as an antiseptic in medicine. It works by attaching itself to the pathogenic bacteria and thereby killing them.

Artemisia annua

The species of wormwood known as Artemisia annua has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of fevers and malaria for many centuries. The active antimalarial compound known as artemisinin was isolated by Chinese researchers in the early 1970s. Since then research has focused on artemisinin and its semi-synthetic derivatives such as artemether and artesunate. These drugs have become established as safe and effective antimalarial drugs which have particular value in the treatment of chloroquine-resistant parasites. However, a group of German scientists have focused their research effort on the use of the whole herb, particularly when taken as an infusion with boiling water. The motivation behind this research is to understand the value of the traditional use of Artemisia annua for the treatment of malaria, because this application could readily be adopted in poor countries such as Africa where the semi-synthetic drugs are relatively expensive.

How it works!

This herb interacts with the iron found in the cancer cell, the parasite or the yeast organism. This creates “oxidative stress” or “free radical” activity in the Parasite, Cancer cell or Candida/ Yeast cell which kills them!


It is most effective against roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and pinworms. Artemisia contains the toxins thujone and isothujone which are the components that kill parasites. It also contains santonin which is known as a remedy for parasitic diseases. It is the second bitterest herb known to man. It also contains sesquiterpene lactones, which work similar to peroxide by weakening the parasites membranes therefore killing them.


A research team investigated the clinical efficacy of an Artemisia annua tea in the treatment of subacute malaria in Africa. In an uncontrolled study, 48 patients received the tea for 4 days (5g dried leaves infused in 1 liter of hot water). After the treatment, 92% of patients had no detectable parasites in their bloodstream and there were significant improvements in subjective symptoms in 70% of the treated patients


Recent use of Artemisia annua, or more specifically artemisinin, as an anticancer agent has been studied. This development is based on the finding that cancer cells have a much higher

concentration of iron than normal cells. (It is thought that artemisinin interacts with iron to generate reactive oxygen species (free radicals) which kill the malaria parasite.) Tests on cancer cell lines have established that artemisinin is also selectively toxic to cancer cells, presumably because their higher iron levels result in cytotoxic effects following free radical generation after contact with artemisinin. This is why antioxidant vitamins should be avoided while on the parasite cleanse. The same mechanism holds true in Parasites, Cancer and Candida/Yeast.

Cloves

A small evergreen tree, pyramidal, trunk soon divides into large branches covered with a smooth grayish bark; leaves large, entire, oblong, lanceolate (always bright green color), which stand in pairs on short foot-stalks, when bruised very fragrant. Flowers grow in bunches at the end of the branches.


At the start of the rainy season long greenish buds appear; from the extremity of these the corolla comes which is of a lovely rosy peach color; as the corolla fades the calyx turns yellow, then red. The calyces, with the embryo seed, are at this stage beaten from the tree and when dried are the cloves of commerce. The flowers have a strong refreshing odor. If the seeds are allowed to mature, most of the pungency is lost. Each berry has only one seed. The trees fruit is usually about eight or nine years after planting. The whole tree is highly aromatic. The spice was introduced into Europe from the fourth to the sixth century.


The finest cloves come from Molucca and Pemba, where the trees grow better than anywhere else, but they are also imported from the East and West Indies, Mauritius and Brazil.

In commerce the varieties are known by the names of the localities in which they are grown. Formerly Cloves were often adulterated, but as production increased the price lowered and fraud has decreased. Cloves contain a large amount of essential oil which is much used in medicine. When of good quality they are fat, oily, and dark brown in color, and give out their oil when squeezed with the finger-nail. When pale color and dry, they are of inferior quality and yield little oil. Clove stalks are sometimes imported, and are said to be stronger and more pungent even than the Cloves.


Clove trees absorb an enormous amount of moisture, and if placed near water their weight is visibly increased after a few hours; dishonest dealers often make use of this knowledge in their dealings, and the powdered stems are often sold as pure powdered Cloves.


The most stimulating and carminative of all aromatics; given in powder or infusion for nausea emesis, flatulence, languid indigestion and dyspepsia, and used chiefly to assist the action of other medicines. The medicinal properties reside in the volatile oil. The oil must be kept in dark bottles in a cool place. If distilled with water, salt must be added to raise the temperature of ebullition and the same Cloves must be distilled over and over again to get their full essence.


The oil is frequently adulterated with fixed oil and oil of Pimento and Copaiba. As a local irritant it stimulates peristalsis. It is a strong germicide, a powerful antiseptic; a feeble local anesthetic applied to decayed teeth, and has been used with success as a stimulating expectorant in phthisis and bronchial troubles. Fresh infusion of Cloves contains astringent matter as well as the volatile oil. The infusion and Clove water are good vehicles for alkali’s and aromatics.


Cloves have been reputed by researcher Hulda Clark PhD, as being highly effective in killing the larva or egg stage of the parasite.


For parasite cleansing, it is necessary to use fresh cloves that have not been irradiated. Most spices are irradiated with 35,000 the amount of radiation permitted in a chest x-ray. This is ostensibly done to eradicate bacteria, but spices are generally excellent bactericides so the irradiation is merely a way of destroying the precious properties of spices. Non-irradiated spices are available from most high-end health foods stores, and we, of course, carry these spices.

Cloves are among the most antibacterial spices known, but as we all know, a few cloves go a long way. Those with some familiarity with herbal medicine know that clove oil is also used to numb pain due to dental infection; but few know that part of the reason clove oil works so well is that it alleviates the infection. Cloves are antiseptic, bactericidal, and antiparasitic.


Cloves are among the most potent and volatile of herbs and have been known to melt through their capsules. They have a similar affect on parasite eggs in your body and this is why you will need them. They specifically target all parasite eggs in your body and are used during your program to prevent reinfestation.


Cloves contain caryophyllene, and tannins which are powerful anti-microbial properties – these components are what actually travel in the bloodstream killing microscopic parasites and all parasitic larvae and eggs. Cloves do not kill the parasites - cloves contain the chemical "eugenol" which melts the hard plastic-like casing around parasite eggs. This allows the larvae inside of the egg to be destroyed.


Eugenol is among the most powerful anti-microbial agents known. Eugenol kills all microscopic protozoa and removes parasite eggs in every stage of development
Cloves are tremendously effective in killing malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, scabies and other parasites, viruses, bacteria and fungi including Candida. Cloves also destroy pseudomonas aeruginosa, all species of shigella, staph and strep...

Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth is fossilized, single celled organisms called diatoms. Diatoms walls consist of two parts and contain a mineral called silica. Under a very strong microscope, diatoms have very sharp edges.


"DE", as it's abbreviated, has the neat quality of killing insects. (Unfortunately, it kills good ones, like bees and ladybugs, too, so its use shouldn't be indiscriminate.) It is 100% ecologically safe to the environment and non-poisonous to man and beast. In fact, if you've eaten anything made with flour (like Bisquick), you've eaten DE. DE is a great remover of parasites and intestinal yeasts

It works by physically scraping and by tearing into them outside membrane as if they were being attacked by thousands of tiny knives. It consists of the broken up shells of tiny critters, called diatomes, that lived long ago and died in groups so massive that they can, today, be mined and bulldozed.

DE works by slicing open the exoskeleton (outer, hard covering) of insects, causing them to "bleed" to death. (Actually, their insides leak out, they dehydrate and die.) This same things happens to yeasts and parasites

When DE is sprinkled on the ground, on an ant mound, or mixed with grains, legumes, etc., it slices and dices the insects that walk through it And it won't hurt YOU when you ingest it, 'cause the 'sharp pieces' are too small to cut you as your membranes are too thick for it to penetrate. (Many farmers deliberately mix DE with animal feed to kill internal parasites in farm animals. The DE in the animal feces even kills the fly maggots that invariably appear in the patties.)

Castor oil

Castor oil, when encapsulated and frozen, will pass through the stomach and small intestine before dissolving. Freezing the capsule before ingesting totally eliminates the traditional cramping associated with castor oil liquid because the capsules dissolve in the ileum, the last three fifths of the small intestine. Here the digestive tract hydrolyses this oil into recinoleic acid which whilst harmless to humans is deadly to parasites. The ileum connects to the cecum by way of the ileocecal valve and the majority of parasites of all kinds will nest in the cecum area ( the lower end of the ascending colon where the large bowel begins ). This area is warm and moist, providing a plentiful source of fresh food for these poisonous invaders.


Castor oil not only suffocates parasites but is nature's penetrating oil for colon plaque. When the castor oil capsule is frozen it does not act as a laxative, is odorless and will not "burp" back. Suggested dosage is 2-6 capsules every 12 hours.

So there you have it, these are the most important items in parasite elimination, when used correctly they are effective in restoring a normal balance to the intestinal tract and eliminate the “Merchants of Mayhem!”

Sincerely:
Michael Biamonte CCN.

Invasion Of The Mind-Controlling Zombie Parasites

NPR

Invasion Of The Mind-Controlling Zombie Parasites
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite, seen here in brain tissue, that can alter the behavior of the host. It can make rodents attracted to cats, leaving them vulnerable to getting eaten.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite, seen here in brain tissue, that can alter the behavior of the host. It can make rodents attracted to cats, leaving them vulnerable to getting eaten.


October 30, 2011 from WAMU

A few months back, something terrible happened to millions of flies around Washington, D.C.

"We were getting literally hundreds of reports of these crazy dead flies everywhere — on vegetation, on sign posts," says Mike Raupp, an entomologist at the University of Maryland.

He says the flies were attacked by a mind-controlling fungus.

"It basically zombie-izes them. In other words, it manipulates their behavior," Raupp says. "[The fly] moves to a high point, let's say the tip of a blade of grass."

The fly freezes at the tip of the leaf, and the fungus spews more mind-controlling spores into the wind.

Mind-controlling parasites are all around us. The number of creatures that can be affected is "huge," says Janice Moore, a professor at Colorado State University who wrote a book on parasites and animal behavior. She says some parasites play with neurotransmitters; others with hormones.

"If you take the world of parasites broadly, we don't know the half of it yet," she says.

Parasites can be terrifyingly precise. One example that's becoming a little more understood is Toxoplasma gondii.

"Toxoplasma basically makes rodents somewhat fearless around cats — in fact, it's even more than fearless," Moore says. "There's some evidence that they're attracted to the smell of cats and to cat urine."

What happens to rats that like cats? They get eaten.

On his laptop, Raupp plays a video from a lab in France. It shows giant worms exploding out of a dying cricket that's floating in a swimming pool. He says small organisms called hairworms begin to reach maturity inside the cricket. Then they make the cricket start to act erratically.

Fungus Causes Cricket Suicide





YouTube

"Crickets that would normally kind of move pretty slowly and stay in dimly lit areas actually become attracted to light," he says. "What this does apparently is bring them out of their normal habitat and increase the likelihood they're going to bump into a pond. Once they reach the edge of that water, they take the suicidal plunge into the water."

That's when the hairworms leave the host and reproduce.

Humans aren't necessarily immune to parasites' powers, either.

"Studies have looked at accidents — individuals in automobile accidents, both actually drivers and pedestrians — and they have increased rates of Toxoplasma as well," says Bob Yolken, chair of Pediatric Neurovirology at Johns Hopkins medical school.

The link is nowhere near conclusive, but still, Moore says it's enough to make you think.

"I do think about free will some because I do think about how we're all trapped in our own skins," she says, "and to tell you the truth, free will in general, it always amazes me how in the same situation some people will rise to the occasion and be saints and other people will be sinners."

Many things affect that, Moore says, but we may have to add parasites to the list.

Mind Control by Parasites

LIVE SCIENCE


Half of the world's human population is infected with Toxoplasma, parasites in the body—and the brain. Remember that.

Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite found in the guts of cats; it sheds eggs that are picked up by rats and other animals that are eaten by cats. Toxoplasma forms cysts in the bodies of the intermediate rat hosts, including in the brain.

Since cats don't want to eat dead, decaying prey, Toxoplasma takes the evolutionarily sound course of being a "good" parasite, leaving the rats perfectly healthy. Or are they?

Oxford scientists discovered that the minds of the infected rats have been subtly altered. In a series of experiments, they demonstrated that healthy rats will prudently avoid areas that have been doused with cat urine. In fact, when scientists test anti-anxiety drugs on rats, they use a whiff of cat urine to induce neurochemical panic.

However, it turns out that Toxoplasma-ridden rats show no such reaction. In fact, some of the infected rats actually seek out the cat urine-marked areas again and again. The parasite alters the mind (and thus the behavior) of the rat for its own benefit.

If the parasite can alter rat behavior, does it have any effect on humans?

Dr. E. Fuller Torrey (Associate Director for Laboratory Research at the Stanley Medical Research Institute) noticed links between Toxoplasma and schizophrenia in human beings, approximately three billion of whom are infected with T. gondii:

  • Toxoplasma infection is associated with damage to astrocytes, glial cells which surround and support neurons. Schizophrenia is also associated with damage to astrocytes.
  • Pregnant women with high levels of antibodies to Toxoplasma are more likely to give birth to children who will develop schizophrenia.
  • Human cells raised in petri dishes, and infected with Toxoplasma, will respond to drugs like haloperidol; the growth of the parasite stops. Haloperidol is an antipsychotic, used to treat schizophrenia.
Dr. Torrey got together with the Oxford scientists, to see if anything could be done about those parasite-controlled rats that were driven to hang around cat urine-soaked corners (waiting for cats). According to a recent press release, haloperidol restores the rat's healthy fear of cat urine. In fact, antipsychotic drugs were as effective as pyrimethamine, a drug that specifically eliminates Toxoplasma.

Are parasites like Toxoplasma subtly altering human behavior? As it turns out, science fiction writers have been thinking about whether or not parasites could alter a human being's behavior, or even take control of a person. In his 1951 novel The Puppet Masters, Robert Heinlein wrote about alien parasites the size of dinner plates that took control of the minds of their hosts, flooding their brains with neurochemicals. In this excerpt, a volunteer strapped to a chair allows a parasite to be introduced; the parasite rides him, taking over his mind. Under these conditions, it is possible to interview the parasite; however, it refuses to answer until zapped with a cattle prod.

He reached past my shoulders with a rod. I felt a shocking, unbearable pain. The room blacked out as if a switch had been thrown.. I was split apart by it; for the moment I was masterless.

The pain left, leaving only its searing memory behind. Before I could speak, or even think coherently for myself, the splitting away had ended and I was again safe in the arms of my master...

The panic that possessed me washed away; I was again filled with an unworried sense of well being...

"What are you?"
"We are the people... We have studied you and we know your ways... We come," I went on, "to bring you peace.. and contentment-and the joy of-of surrender." I hesitated again; "surrender" was not the right word. I struggled with it the way one struggles with a poorly grasped foreign language.
"The joy," I repeated, "-the joy of . . .nirvana." That was it; the word fitted. I felt like a dog being patted for fetching a stick; I wriggled with pleasure.

Still not sure that parasites can manipulate the behavior of host organisms? Consider these other cases:

  • The lancet fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum forces its ant host to attach to the tips of grass blades, the easier to be eaten. The fluke needs to get into the gut of a grazing animal to complete its life cycle.
  • The fluke Euhaplorchis californiensis causes fish to shimmy and jump so wading birds will grab them and eat them, for the same reason.
  • Hairworms, which live inside grasshoppers, sabotage the grasshopper's central nervous system, forcing them to jump into pools of water, drowning themselves. Hairworms then swim away from their hapless hosts to continue their life cycle.

Not all science-fictional parasites are harmful; read about the Crosswell tapeworm from Brian Aldiss' 1969 story Super-Toys Last All Summer Long (the basis for the Kubrick/Spielberg film AI), which keeps people who overeat from becoming obese. Not to mention robots based on parasites. Read press release on evidence for link between Toxoplasma and schizophrenia, Suicidal grasshoppers. Story via blogger Carl Zimmer and his readers.

(This Science Fiction in the News story used with permission from Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction.)


Total Health Clinic

Parasites, Bacteria, Fungus effecting brain function. Bacteria, Microbes in slide

Parasites, Microbes and Fungus have dramatic effects on the human brain not only in Children but also in adults. Infestation can occur in typically clean environments from even the most cautious of parents. Basiclly everyone is susceptable to infection from parasites, bacteria and fungus. Infestation occurs in one or more organs but can also be blood born and cross the Blood brain barrier and affect neurological function.

Parasite infection

An article in the June 27, 1978, Miami Herald stated that a nationwide survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control in 1976 revealed that one in every six people selected at random had one or more parasites. Projections for the year 2025 suggest that more than half of the 8.3 billion people on Earth will then be infected with parasitic diseases." lencopyrighted lencopyrighted.

"We have a tremendous parasite problem right here in the United States - it’s just not being identified." - Peter Weina, Ph.D., Chief of Pathobiology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 1991.

"I strongly believe that every human with disorders of immune function, abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, Unexplained elevated Liver enzymes, multiple allergies (especially food allergy) should be tested for the presence of intestinal parasites.

How parasites affect brain function

Parasites often excrete toxins to increase their chance of survival these toxins will often change blood PH allowing the parasite to multiply and maintain its perfect host environment. Toxic excretions effect many bodily functions in the human body, espeically immunolgical and neurological function. The toxins excreted can cross the blood brain barrier and create inflammation in the brain, creating a mild encephalitis, they can also slow down and inhibate immune function, effecting concentration, comprehension and creating brain fog.

What Are Some of The Symptoms of Parasite Infestation?

These are only possible symptoms, and please keep in mind that not everyone that has a few of these symptoms should automatically make the assumption that they are infected; however, if you suspect infection or have been unsuccessfully treated for a problem, it is worth doing some specific parasite cleansing. Please take the test, share it with friends and family and if you’re open to being healthier, discuss it.

How Can These Parasites Affect Our Health?

Hulga Clark states in her book that she has seen cases of eczema due to roundworms; seizures from a single roundworm getting into the brain; schizophrenia and depression from parasites in the brain; asthma from a parasite in the lungs; diabetes from a parasite that comes from cattle that settles in the pancreas; migraines from a threadworm; acne rosacea from a parasite and some human heart disease from the dog heartworm. She says the list goes on. There have been some reports that parasite infection is suspected in cases of Lupus, MS, Alzheimer’s, and cancers. One thing we know for certain is that parasites compromise the immune system and when the immune system is not strong all kinds of degenerative conditions can result.

While doing a parasite cleansing program, maintaining or obtaining good elimination is an absolute must. If you suspect parasites could be part of your health challenges or have some of the symptoms listed, It is important to do a parasite cleanse program. You will not experience any ill side effects, if no parasites exist. Internal cleansing whether it is for parasites, cardiovascular, bowel, blood, lymph or whatever else you want to cleanse is essential for health.

Bacteria and the Brain

As already disscussed infection and inflammation lead to changes in mood and cognitiive processing. Common symptomology of an illness is referred to involve fatigue, tempreture, social withdrawal, and irritability, also other emotional responses accompany immune activation, including anxiety.

Recent studies have shown that gastrointestinal bacterial infections lead to enhanced anxiety-like behavior in mice.Infections lead to stimulation of areas of the brain that are responsible for the activation of emotions such as fear, anxiety and agrevation. These findings help us to understand the importance of gastrointestinal cleansing as part of a process in enhancing neurological function.

A critical piece of puzzle of how infection in the gut influences the brain and behavior regards the signals generated as a consequence of bacterial infection that serve to signal sensory neurons. Essentially bacterial infection stimulates an immune/inflammatory response, which in turn affects histamine, prostaglandins, ATP, adenosine, serotonin, cytokines including interleukin 1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (Kirkup et al., 2001).
Additionally, or alternatively, gutt senistive neurons may respond directly to pathogens or pathogen excretions. These excretions build up in the brain and then induce the activation of emotional centres where the brain reacts in an anxiety, confusion or fear drivin state. .

A List of common syptoms of infestation include but are not restricted to

  • Abdominal pain
  • Myositis
  • Constipation
  • Anaemia
  • Seizures
  • Asthma
  • Runny nose
  • Anorexia
  • B-12 deficiency
  • Brain Fog
  • Rectal hemorrhage
  • Blindness
  • Hematochezia
  • Hemoptysis
  • Dysuria
  • Central nervous system impairment
  • Chest pain
  • Chills
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Colitis
  • Coughing
  • Diarrhea
  • Digestive disturbance
  • Dizziness
  • Fever
  • Enlargement of various organs
  • Headaches
  • Vaginitis
  • Jaundice
  • Joint Pain
  • Weight loss due to malnutrition
  • Weakness
  • Immunodeficiency
  • Nausea / Vomiting
  • Swelling of facial features
  • Sweating
  • Insomnia
  • Skin ulcers
  • Rectal prolaspe
  • Mood disorders
  • Mental problems
  • Lung congestion
  • Memory loss
  • Night sweets
  • Muscle spasms

Parasites, Bacteria and fungus can be detected with specific testings,

Feacal Parasite and Microbial test is available from the Total Health Clinic and is available interstate for Australian Clients, contact the Total Health Clinic for your test kit today. 0755026399 or email admin@totalhealthclinic.co


Brain parasite drives human culture

The brain parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is spread by cats and affects a huge proportion of the world’s population. It’s effects on our behaviour make it a potent driving force of human culture.

Toxoplasma, a brain parasite that drives human cultureWe like to think that we are masters of our own fates. The thought that others might be instead controlling our actions makes us uneasy. We rail against nanny states, we react badly to media hype and we are appalled at the idea of brainwashing.

But words and images are not the only things that can affect our brains and thoughts. Other animals – parasites – can do this too.

Now, Kevin Lafferty from the University of California, Santa Barbara, has found startling evidence that a common brain parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, could be influencing human culture across the globe.

Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled brain parasite spread by cats. Our feline companions are its preferred home and only there can it mature and reproduce. So like most parasites, T.gondii has a complex life cycle designed to get it into its final host.

If it finds itself in another animal, it travels to the brain and changes the host’s behaviour to maximise its chances of ending up in a cat. For rodents, this means being eaten and infected individuals are less fearful of cats and more active, making them easier prey.

Humans can become infected with Toxoplasma after contact with cats. Humans can also contract the parasite, through contact with soil contaminated by the faeces of carriers or through eating infected meat. But since cats are very unlikely to eat humans, in our bodies, T.gondii reaches a cul-de-sac. Still, there is nothing to stop the parasite, evolutionarily speaking, from trying out the strategies that work so well in other hosts.

In rare cases, T.gondii infection causes a disease called toxoplasmosis that produces mild flu-like symptoms and only really threatens foetuses and those with weak immune systems. In most instances, the parasite acts more subtly.

Carriers tend to show long-term personality changes. Women tend to be more intelligent, affectionate, social and more likely to stick to rules. Men on the other hand tend to be less intelligent, but are more loyal, frugal and mild-tempered. The one trait that carriers of both genders share is a higher level of neuroticism – they are more prone to guilt, self-doubt and insecurity.

In individuals cases, these effects may seem quirky or even charming but across populations, they can have a global power. T.gondii infection is extremely common and rates vary greatly from country to country.

While only 7% of Brits carry the parasite, a much larger 67% of Brazilians are infected. Given that the parasite alters behaviour, infection on this scale could lead to sizeable differences in the general personalities of people of different nationalities. This is exactly what Lafferty found.

Neuroticism is one of the most widely-studied of all psychological traits and Lafferty found that levels in different countries correlated well with the levels of T.gondii infection. The parasites’ presence was also related to aspects of culture associated with neuroticism.

Countries where infection was common were more likely to have ‘masculine sex roles’, characterized by greater differences between the sexes and their part in society and a stronger focus on work, ambition and money rather than people and relationships. Strongly infected societies were also more likely to avoid risk and embrace strict rules and regulations.

Obviously, different countries are also not just uniform populations, and increasing rates of migration mean that many countries are very ethnically and culturally mixed. However, this works in favour of Lafferty’s theory as any mixing would serve to mask the link between infection and culture. If anything, the link is stronger than seen in this study.

It would be imprudent to suggest that T.gondii is the major driver of human culture. It is just one of a number of influences that include genes, our physical environment and our histories. And Lafferty himself is quick to point out caveats to his own results.

For a start, they do not imply that the parasite is causing these personality types; it could be that people with these traits are more likely to become infected. To establish the true direction of causality, Lafferty will need to find out how the parasite manipulates the mind. The general idea is that infection alters levels of the immune system’s communication chemicals – the cytokines – which in turn alter levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine. But the details remain a mystery.

Nonetheless, the results are striking and they suggest that climate could have a larger effect on culture than previously thought. Toxoplasma gondii’s eggs live longer in humid, low regions so variations in climate could influence the global distribution of cultural traits. Perhaps, this could explain why men and women perform more distinct roles in society in countries in warmer climates. Other factors can also affect the risk of infection, including cat ownership and national cuisines that include undercooked meat.

We like to think of culture as something governed by the collective actions of free-thinking and free-acting humans. But Lafferty’s analysis shows us that if environmental factors like parasites can affect our thoughts and actions, no matter how subtly, they can have a strong effect on national cultures.

In many cases, these effects could be much stronger than the agents that we normally believe to drive cultural trends. After all, more people around the world are infected with Toxoplasma than are connected to the internet.

Reference: Lafferty. 2006. Proc Roy Soc B 273: 2749 – 2755.

Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

Related posts on other parasites:

Worms track us down with a chemical trail
Genetically-modified mosquitoes fight malaria by outcompeting normal ones

Parasites can change the balance of entire communities

Viruses evolve to be more infectious in a well-connected population
The secret of drug-resistant bubonic plague

What's Eating You

Aim for Health


PARASITES!

Is Something Having YOU for Dinner?

Chances are YES! What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You!

Although we don't think of ourselves as parasite hosts, million of North Americans are infected with some kind of parasite.

Parasites! Here? In modern North American? Lands of sanitary regulations, running water, and flush toilets? Countries of hygiene - and health-conscious populations? Don't be ridiculous!

Parasites, although far from mind for most of us, are closer physically than we think. Chances are that a lot of people reading this article are playing host to a few of them. The odds are at least one in 10 and possible five in 10 that you are infected with some sort of parasite. Nice to know, huh?

We may not know about parasites, or even want to know, but we should know, because they can hurt us. Parasites can produce symptoms from the milding uncomfortable to the severe: try constipation, diarrhea, gas and bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, joint and muscle aches, anemia, allergies, skin conditions, nervousness, sleep disturbances, teeth grinding, chronic fatigue, and abdominal pain.

Symptoms are not but the half of it, however. Many health practitioners believe that not only do parasites result in symptoms such as those listed above, but that they also may be responsible for a number of other health problems. These include environmental illness, hypoglycemia, Crohn's disease, long-standing obesity, depression, upper respiratory tract ailments, and endometriosis.

Parasites cause these effects because of what they do in the body. They can:

    Destroy cells faster than cells can be regenerated.
    Produce toxic substances and allergic reations.
    Irritate and invade body tissue, including the skin and intestinal lining.
    Put pressure on body organs and cause organ obstructions.
    Depress immune system function while activating immune system response.
    Result in malabsorption of nutrients.

What are Parasites?

The word "parasite" comes from the Greek para, meaning "beside," and sitos meaning "food." This means "an animal orplant that lives on or in another organism from which it obtains nutrients." Four major groups of parasites are Protozoa, Nematodes, Cestodes, and Trematodes.

Parasites enter your body in one of four ways:

  1. Through food and water intake.
  2. Through a transmitting agent, such as a mosquito.
  3. Through sexual conduct.
  4. Via the nose and skin.

The parasite is often harmful. any number of them can infect your gastrointestinal tract. Most parasites produce similar symptoms, as noted above. Parasites survive and reproduce in the body, often for long periods of time - years!

Once in your body, different parasites behave differently. Some parasites eat the food you are eating (sugar is a favorite parasite food), while others eat YOU! Parasites can attach themselves to the body and suck out its nutrition. different types of parasites can cause a deficiency of vitamin A, vitamin B12, and iron.

While some parasites stay in the intestinal tract, others explore the body, passing through any number of body parts, and often causing havoc as they go. They can, for example, get into joints and eat the calcium linings of your bones, resulting in arthritic tendencies. They can also eat the protein coating on your nerves, causing a disruption in the nerve signals from the brain.

Yes, parasites are with us and can do damage. It is worth your while to know a little bit of parasitology.

Protozoa

Protozoa cannot be seen, and they are perhaps the type of parasite that most of us are likely to contract. According to Hermann Bueno, M.D. writing in Univited Guests, the protozoa Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum are the two parasites most likely to be chowing down on Americans.

Giardia is transmitted in cyst form through food and wter that has been contaminated by human or animal feces. The cysts also can be carried by household pets. In North American, giardia is often called a "hiker's" disease, as hikers who drink from contaminated water sources come down with it. However, this parasite has moved from the country and now is turning up in metropolitan areas. Symptoms include diarrhea, bloating, foul-smelling gas, nausea, weight loss, and abdominal cramping. In the small intestine, Giardia can significantly reduce the production of immunoglobulin A, an important source of antibodies. Giardia also interferes with the absorption of vitamin A and B12.

Cryptosporidium is a water-borne parasite but is also transmitted via day-care centers (due in part to unsanitary diaper-changing). Once ingested, Cryptosporidium lodges in the intestine and can result in profuse diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, and possible low-grade fever. In 1993, almost one-half million people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received this parasite via the city water supply, and 100 died. It has caused a total of 28,000 citizens in Carrollton, Georgia, and Jackson County, Oregon, to suffer, and has also made appearances in 15 other U.S. states.

Nematodes (includes the larger parasites, such as Round, Hook, and Pinworms)

Roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) is the most common intestinal parasite in the world. It resembles an earthworm and is transmitted directly to humans from soil or food contaminated with human feces. Roundworms can pass through the liver and the lungs and, in doing so, creates severe tissue irration and allergic reactions. Symptoms in children include nervousness, colic, poor appetite, allergic reactions, and at times malnutrition, as roundworm inhibits absorption of nutrients. Adult symptoms include abdominal pain, edema of the lips, allergic reactions, insomnia, anorexia, and weight loss.

Hookworms (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenal) are found in warm, moist soil and enter the body by penetrating the skin. People who go barefoot are often infected. Hookworms travel through the bloodstream to the lungs (where bronchitis may develop) and to the trachea. They are then swallowed and end up in the small intestine. Symptoms include itchy patches of skin, pimples, and blisters. Hookworms grab onto the intestinal mucosa, resulting in hemorrhage of the mucosa and loss of blood.

Pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis) is the most common worm in the United States, and is found largely in children. The main symptom of pinworms is perianal (outside the anus) itching, especially at night. The itchiness can cause insomnia and, as a result, listlessness, restlessness, and irritability.

The pinworm leaves the body to lay eggs right outside the anus (thus the itching). The eggs can then contaminate underwear, pajamas, sheets, hands, and anything that contaminated hands may touch. The eggs can also float about the house. Thus, while most parasitic infections may be avoided through careful hygiene, you may get pinworm by simply breathing.

Cestodes (Tapeworms)

Tapeworms are the largest of the worms; a beef tapeworm can grow up to 12 meters (39.3 feet) long! There are beef (Taenia saginata), pork (T. solium), fish (Diaphyllobothrium latum), and dog (Dipylidium caninum) tapeworms. A beef tapeworm does not produce marked symptoms, but can result in diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nervousness, nausea, and loss of appetite. Pork tapeworms can be dangerous. When the larvae migrate, they can invade the muscles, heart, eye, and brain. In the brain, they can produce seizures and brain deterioration. It is often misdiagnosed as epilepsy. Fish tapeworms are common in the Great Lakes area and Canada. They can be contracted by eating raw or lightly cooked freshwater fish. Fish tapeworms can consume 80% to 100% of a host's vitamin B12. Symptoms include nausea, anorexia, and pain or fullness in the upper abdomen.

Trematodes (Flukes)

Flukes reside in different areas of the body. There are blood flukes (Schistosoma spp), liver flukes (Clonorchis sinensis), oriental lung flukes (Paragoniumus westermani), sheep liver flukes (Fasciola hepatica), and intestinal flukes (Fasciolopsis buski).

Liver, oriental lung, sheep liver, and intestinal flukes are all transmitted via food, while blood flukes are transmitted via swimming or bathing water. Most fluke infections have occurred outside of North American. Still, it is very possible to contract a fluke. One health practioner, Hulda Clark, Ph.D, claims that parasites (along with pollution) cause all illness, and that intestinal flukes are the worst parasite.

Fluke symptoms include urinary problems, liver problems, hepatitis, abdominal papin, liver abscesses, fibrosis, diarrhea, and vomiting.

What to Do

Although natural and herbal remedies abounded in earlier times, drugs are now generally prescribed for parasites. Unfortunately, many drugs are not as effective as they once were. According to Louis Parrish, M.D., Flagyl, a first-line killer of protozoa, is only 5% effective. Most drugs also come with a long list of side effects.

Many health practitioners now recommend herbal remedies. These remedies use a number of herbs with antiparasitic properites.

Prevention

Now that you know something about parasties, do your bet not to let them hurt you. Take preventive measures!
  • Wash your hands before eating and after going to the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets.
  • Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating them.
  • Keep your fingernails short and clean.
  • Do not walk barefoot.
  • Have regular parasite checkups (especially if you travel frequently).