More About Parasites

HEARTWORMS
The heartworm is a tiny roundworm that lives in the heart of dogs, humans, and other mammals. It is becoming an increasing problem worldwide. It lives in the heart, blood vessels, and lungs, causing a chronic cough and chest pain. It can cause blockage in blood vessels.

This worm is transmitted through a mosquito bite. Tiny larvae live in the mosquito and are passed on to the host through the bite.


TRICHINOSIS
This is another tiny roundworm. Trichinosis can infect any meat eating animal, including rats, pigs, bears, dogs, and humans. Infection comes through eating the larval cyst present in an infected animal’s muscle tissue. From this cyst, the worm matures and releases a huge number of young worms in the intestines of the host. These young worms burrow through the intestinal wall, causing diarrhea, intestinal pain, fever, and symptoms of low grade infection or food poisoning.

The worms then move into the blood vessels, causing swelling or edema, especially around the face and hands. As the larva wander around internally, they can cause symptoms including:
Encephalitis
Pneumonia
Brain damage
Eye damage
Intestinal disturbances

Eventually they settle in the muscles, where they form cysts that calcify.


PROTOZOA
This includes a large variety of one-celled parasitic organisms. According to Hanna Kroeger, in her book titled “Parasites: The Enemy Within”, a great little book available in health food stores, more people are injured or killed by protozoa infection around the world, than from any other type of parasite.

Protozoa are able to form a dormant cyst that is highly resistant to heat, cold, chemicals, or drying. In the cyst stage, protozoa are very small and light, and carried around by the air. They are easily inhaled or ingested, and easily passed from one person to another.

Symptoms of the following diseases are commonly caused by protozoa:
Arthritis
Asthma
Diabetes
Colitis
Degenerative muscle diseases
Hodgekins disease
Leukemia
Multiple sclerosis
Psoriasis
Lymphoma
Ovarian cysts
Itching/dermatitis
Sores and skin lesions
Swelling
Papular lesions


TOXOPLASMOSIS
This is a protozoan. It is very contagious and has a worldwide distribution. Many mammals can act as a host to this parasite, including humans. Nearly all house cats test positive for infestation, and actively pass cysts to humans through their litter box.

Humans can also acquire these parasites through eating raw or undercooked mutton, beef, pork, or chicken, or by being in contact with any of these animals that have been infected. They can also be infected through handling contaminated soil, litter boxes, outdoor sand boxes, etc., or by eating food that has been contaminated by houseflies or cockroaches.

Toxoplasmosis is associated with the following health issues:
Lymphoma
Hodgekin’s disease
Heart diseases
Blindness
Pneumonia
Low blood sugar
Diabetes
Brain and spinal cord issues
Eye infections
Cerebral calcification
Epileptic seizures
Symptoms of influenza or mononucleosis
Chills, fever
Headaches
Weakness
Swollen lymph glands
Liver damage
Extreme fatigue
Depression


TAPEWORM
Tapeworms are another family of parasites that are long, flat ribbon like worms. They do not have a digestive system of their own, so they hook on to the host’s intestinal wall and absorb the nutrients through their skin. They rob of the host of nutrients, and deposit extremely toxic waste products into their system.

Tapeworms come in all sizes; pork and fish tapeworms are the longest, growing up to 30 feet long inside the intestine. Pork and beef tapeworms can roll up into a ball just under the ribcage on the right side, below the liver, sometimes palpable.

The dwarf tapeworm is only a few centimeters long, and is easily passed from person to person, as it needs no intermediary host. Humans are infected by ingesting the eggs, or ingesting grain that has been infected by grain beetles or many other insects.

People with tapeworm infestation usually experience some or all of these symptoms:
Feel toxic
Dizziness and unclear, fuzzy thinking
High or low blood sugar
Hunger pains
Poor digestion
Allergies
Symptoms of pernicious anemia
Weight loss or weight gain
Teeth grinding


FLUKES
There are many species of flukes; they are grouped into 4 types: Blood flukes, Liver flukes, Lung flukes, and Intestinal flukes. Humans usually become infected through eating under cooked fish or crab, eating infected vegetables, or drinking or wading in infected water.

Flukes migrate through the body, causing a lot of inflammation and damage to organs and tissue. They may end up in various organs, including the heart, lungs, brain, intestines, urinary bladder, liver, and gall bladder.

Some of the symptoms of fluke infestations include:
Pain in liver
Pain in right side
Toxicity
Jaundice
Alcoholism
Flu
Pneumonia
Lung conditions
Blood clots
Heart palpitations
Insomnia
Protein imbalance
Anemia


These are the most commonly occurring parasites in human beings. They are so widespread that many healers and herbalists begin every treatment program with a parasite cleanse.

Through my own experience in working with people who have degenerative symptoms, disease diagnoses, etc., I have come to believe as Hulda Clarke and many other herbal healers believe; that parasites are truly the cause of virtually all disease, on a physical level. This shows why we can deal with and heal the energetic and emotional causes of our conditions, yet still not experience a complete physical healing.

Once parasites are established in our bodies, we must do something very pro-active if we want to effect a change. Parasites are very sneaky--their whole existence depends on their ability to fool our immune systems into thinking that they are a part of us.

Anyone with a diagnosis of cancer, diabetes, arthritis, or another degenerative disease should include a parasite cleanse in the initial stages of recovery. In fact, I have long recommended that everyone should do at least one parasite cleanse every year, regardless of how clean and healthy we believe we are. Many of us should do more than one every year, depending on our personal lifestyle and exposure level.

Thankfully, there are medicinal herbs that have an agreement to support our systems in identifying and expelling these creatures. In the next BLOG post, I will talk about herbal parasite programs, and offer suggestions for other herbal treatments.

Blessings, Kathryn

The Balance Point

Hi Everyone,

I am finally able to write this BLOG entry, which I have been waiting to write for quite some time.   We have had very high winds for several weeks, and high winds effect our new internet connection, as we are learning.  I believe in perfect timing, so here we are.

I would like to spend some time on the balance point for vibrant health, physical regeneration, and ascension.  Most of you have been on the adaptogenic tonics now for months or even over a year.  During this time, if you are consistently taking your tonics daily, your body is very gradually rebuilding its cellular foundation.  The herbs we use in these tonics contain advanced biochemical nutrition that is simply NOT AVAILABLE from our food system, no matter how great we think our diet may be.  These herbs carry a density and unique combination of herbal nutrition that can regenerate our body and energy system completely, over time.

Now what happens when you reach a ceiling with the tonic herbs?  Some of you have undoubtedly already experienced this--a feeling that they have "lost their punch", that they are no longer having a healing and building effect on your body.

When this happens, it is your body's signal that you need to change directions, and recreate the balance point for your body's healing or regenerative process.  Here is what I mean by this.

The adaptogenic tonics have a "rebuilding" action, nutritive and healing to the organs and systems.  They are the mainstay of the herbalist's program to regenerate, and to maintain a vibrant state of health.  The balancing action for this, is provided in the "cleansing" tonic--a tonic made of herbs that initiate and support the body's natural cleansing processes.

When we come to a ceiling point with the tonic herbs, it is the body's signal to begin a cleanse. Ordinarily this is best accomplished during the warm months of Summer, and the energy flows of Autumn, but it can be done any time of year if it is necessary.

Specifically, I want to talk about parasite cleansing.

Parasite infestation is so much a part of our human condition that many healers begin every client's healing program with a 30 or 90 day parasite cleanse.  (I tend to begin with rebuilding formulas first for some people, and parasite cleanses first for others, depending on the person's medical history, drug history, and other factors).

Herbal adaptogenic tonics will build the body's system to the point where it can expel parasites effectively.  I find that many people are actually so depleted (even and especially those who are overweight, with underlying nutritional depletion), that their body actually needs to rebuild for awhile before the parasite cleansing will be effective.

Just so begin to get an idea of how widespread this condition is, here is a list of the most common parasites in the general population.

Roundworms
There are many different species of roundworms.  It is estimated that 25% of the world's human population has this parasite.  The infection begins when eggs are inhaled or ingested on fruit or vegetables that have been grown in infested soil.  One female worm can release 200,000 eggs per day, and each roundworm goes through several developmental phases that cause it to migrate from the digestive tract through the blood, lymph, lungs, and liver.  In the adult phase, roundworms have been known to migrate into the eyes, brain, ears, and other organs and tissues, causing tissue damage.  These worms consume a large amount of food and produce a large amount of excrement in the system, including a protein that can cause the host to become allergic to many foods and substances.
Symptoms of roundworm infestation are:

• Grinding teeth at night
• Allergies
• Intestinal gas and bloating
• Asthma
• Snoring
• Anemia
• Restlessness
• Weight gain around the full moon
• Any type of digestive issues
• Coughing or clearing the throat
• Post nasal drip
• Sinus irritation
• Headaches
• Cravings
• Blood sugar imbalance

Hookworms

Hookworms are most common in mild climates, but can be contracted in any part of the country.  Hookworms are contracted by walking barefoot or digging in infected soil; or eating vegetables or fruits from infected soil.  In the adult phase of their life cycle, hookworms attach themselves to the walls of the intestine and drink significant amounts of blood.  Once established, a worm may lay 30,000 eggs daily.  Symptoms are very slow to develop and be recognized; people gradually become less energetic, listless, mentally slow, weak, lazy, and anemic.

Symptoms of hookworm infestation include:

• Malnourishment
• Low energy
• Chronic fatigue
• Anemia
• Losing passion and excitement for life
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Indigestion
• Diarrhea
• Food cravings
• Substance cravings/addictions

Pinworms

There are many species of pinworm, and it is the most common roundworm infestation in the USA.  It is common to all socioeconomic groups and both cold and warm climates.  It is very contagious, and if one family member is infected, usually the whole family is infected.  The adult worms live in the cecum and areas of the large and small intestine.  The worms are very tiny, from 2 to 10 millimeters in length.  Female worms crawl down the intestine and out of the anus to lay their eggs.  One female may lay between 5,000 and 15,000 eggs daily.  After a few hours, the eggs can infect other people.  They are very light and can be carried by the air, or transferred through sheets, clothing, carpets, etc.  Female worms may crawl into the vaginal canal and create itching and irritation. Worms may migrate to other organs and blood vessels throughout the body, causing extensive damage.

Symptoms of pinworm infestation include:  

• Itching sensation around the anus, sometimes worse at night
• Vaginal itching or irritation
• Nervousness
• Insomnia, sleep disturbances
• General irritability
• Heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat
• Weak vision
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Food poisoning symptoms
• Toxic low grade infection
• Diarrhea
• Swelling of tissues
• Kidney damage
• Lung damage
• Heart damage
• Damage to muscle fibers
• Brain damage
• Thyroid damage
• Organ damage of all kinds

I will continue this discussion and address the wonderful herbal options that can help us reclaim our space suits and our health, in the next few days.    

In Gratitude,

Kathryn