A Little More About Parasites

I'm afraid I 'stirred the soup,' so to speak, with this week's article on intestinal parasites. It's a touchy subject, and not a particularly pretty one. However, I thought it important to address. So, here, I will give a little more information and, perhaps, do a little damage control.

Intestinal parasites are mostly, but not all, worms. Tapeworms, roundworms, pinworms, and other creatures find their way into the bodies of animals and live there. They don't discriminate between puppies, kittens, and children; a host is a host.

Humans don't get parasites because they're 'dirty' or poor, or because they don't take care of their pets. They can get parasites only if they ingest them. This is easily done if the human is a child who may swallow lake water while swimming, or put her hands in her mouth after touching the ground or floor. However, adults are at risk as well.

Left untreated, some parasites can cause serious complications. Ascarids, which are a parasitic worm, can migrate to the liver, lungs and brain. Therefore, it is important to treat parasitic infection, especially in children.

How do we know when there's a parasite? Some parasites, including ascarids, must be detected by bloodwork. Others have symptoms, such as bloating, constipation, anemia, fatigue, diarrhea, skin rashes, or asthma attacks. These can be identified as symptoms of parasitic infection by a licensed physician. As with any sudden or persistant symptom, these should be investigated without hesitation.

I hope that you, dear reader, can file this information away for future use. Remember that parasitic infection is not a sign of bad hygiene or a source of shame. They are a fact of life that must be faced, an ailment as treatable as any other. With your new knowledge, you can treat it naturally with the healing power of herbs.