A parasite is an organism that lives off another organism, animal or human. They travel throughout the body, live off of the food and nutrients, and leave their waste behind! (Not a nice thought!)

We are finding clinically that these microscopic “aliens” are more common than we previously thought and often explain “unexplained” symptoms, such as stomachache,  irritable bowel, skin conditions, and chronic fatigue. They feed off metabolic processes and drain inner resources, leaving the host less than healthy and, in some cases, their effect can be deadly.

In 1993 an outbreak of Cryptosporidium in the Milwaukee water supply sickened over 400,000 people and killed over 100. Parasites are becoming more of a problem because of pollution, day-care-center crowding, household pets, antibiotic overuse, infected food and water, and infected community swimming pools. Many people who are carrying these disease-causing organisms are not aware of it.

Pets are also at risk. One out of every five dogs is affected by one or more types of parasites, which can be easily transferred to the human intestinal tract. Some types live in the body, creating “minor” issues, for years and years.

Here is a short quiz you can take to assess your risk for parasite infestation:  

1.   Do you experience unexplained muscle aches and pains?

2.   Do you have normal bowel movements with bouts of intermittent diarrhea or constipation?

3.   Do you have unexplained weight loss and/or fever?

4.   Do you have bloating or distention of your belly?

5.   Do you grind your teeth at night?

6.   Do you have dark circles under your eyes and/or acne?

7.   Do you have insomnia or disturbed sleep?

8.   Do you travel outside the country?

9.   Do you eat unwashed, unpeeled raw fruit and/or vegetables?

10.  Do you have pets that sleep in your bed with you?

11. Do you eat without washing your hands after you have contact with your pet?

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, you may be suffering with an all too common parasite problem. Read our Health Tip to learn how you can protect yourself against parasites.