5 Signs You May Have a Parasite 🪱
Parasites are organisms that thrive by feeding off nutrients and energy from their hosts—unfortunately, that includes us! Parasitic infections can quietly impact your overall physical and mental health, manifesting through symptoms ranging from digestive discomfort to emotional imbalance.
How You Get Parasites (Exposure)
Parasites are commonly contracted through contaminated food and water, undercooked meats, unwashed fruits and vegetables, and poor hygiene practices. Additionally, exposure can occur from international travel, contact with pets, and swimming in contaminated water bodies.
Types of Parasites:
- Protozoa: Single-celled organisms like Giardia and Blastocystis.
- Helminths: Worm-like parasites such as roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms.
- Ectoparasites: Parasites that live on the surface of the host, like lice and fleas.
In my holistic nutrition practice, the most frequently encountered parasites include:
- Blastocystis Hominis (protozoa)
- Trichuris trichiura (Whipworm)
- Dientamoeba Fragilis (protozoa)
Signs of a parasite infection
Recognizing the signs of a parasite infection early can be key to effective treatment and overall health restoration. Here are five common indicators to look out for:
Digestive Problems
Unexplained changes in digestion can signal parasite issues. Symptoms may include persistent constipation, diarrhea, excessive gas, bloating, or nausea. Parasites often disrupt gut flora, leading to significant discomfort and digestive irregularities.
Chronic Fatigue or Exhaustion
If you're feeling persistently tired, even after restful sleep, it may indicate a parasitic infection. Parasites feed on your nutrients, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies, leaving you depleted, fatigued, and struggling to maintain energy.
Skin Issues
Parasites can cause noticeable skin irritations, including unexplained rashes, itchy skin (especially around the anus), hives, redness, bumps, or sores. Skin conditions often reflect underlying gut health issues, signaling internal imbalances.
Changes in Appetite
Have you noticed that you're never fully satisfied after meals or that you're experiencing an increased appetite without corresponding weight gain? Parasites can interfere with nutrient absorption and satiety cues, causing irregular hunger and nutritional deficiencies.
Mental and Emotional Symptoms
Parasites impact more than just physical health. Commonly, clients report brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms arise because gut health is intimately connected to our emotional and cognitive functioning.
Testing for Parasites
1) Functional testing
Functional Testing such as the GI Map can test for parasites. This advanced DNA-technology stool test provides detailed insights into your digestion, gut microbiome, and gastrointestinal function, pinpointing the presence of parasites and other pathogens.
Click here for more information about the GI Map Test.
You may have already run this test through your MD if a parasite was suspected, but unfortunately it’s not the most reliable option. Since it typically uses only one stool sample, parasites can easily be missed depending on their location in the gut, how much is present, and whether they are being shed at the time of collection. If you do choose this method, I recommend submitting at least three separate samples on different days for better accuracy.
Anti-Parasite Diet
An anti-parasite diet is vital to support your treatment plan.  If you’ve tested positive for a parasite, or strongly suspect you may have one, adopting an antiparasitic diet can play an important role in your treatment plan. This approach focuses on:Â
- Reducing sugar intake as parasites thrive on sugars.
- Eating garlic, pumpkin seeds, and papaya seeds, known for their anti-parasitic properties.
- Increasing fiber intake to support bowel movements and remove parasites.
- Hydrating adequately to assist in flushing toxins from the body.
- Including herbs and spices like oregano, ginger, and turmeric, known for their antimicrobial properties.
Ready to Take Back Your Health?
I’m here to help guide you through identifying and addressing potential parasites and pathogens holistically. Together, we can create an effective, gentle detox plan and restore your digestive health, energy levels, and overall well-being.
If you suspect you have a parasite (even though your MD said you tested negative), get more accurate results through the GI map test, let’s connect and order your GI Map test today.