Parasites Explored: History, Symptoms & Connections to Your Health

Parasites, often veiled in controversy, are ever-present in our lives. Dr. Todd Watts' assertion that if you have a pulse, you have a parasite might sound jarring, but it holds a lot of truth. Parasites are microscopic organisms that inhabit various corners of our environment, including water, food, soil, and even the air we breathe. Though often overlooked, these tiny unwanted travelers can significantly influence our health and well-being. Today we are talking about the realm of parasites, understanding their prevalence, and their often underestimated role in health conditions.

Parasites come in various forms, ranging from protozoa to helminths and ectoparasites, each with their distinct characteristics and modes of transmission. They are opportunistic, always seeking ways to thrive undetected within their hosts. Surprisingly, parasites can be found even in clean environments, disproving the common misconception that modern sanitation protects us from them.

Much like we deworm our pets regularly, acknowledging the presence of parasites in humans is critical. They are a root cause of a multitude of chronic health conditions, and addressing them can be pivotal in the journey towards healing complex ailments.

Parasites find multiple pathways to enter our bodies, including food, water (see studies here and here and here), insect bites, sexual transmission (see studies here and here), and even the air we breathe (see studies here and here). They can be introduced in utero, passed from mother to child (see studies here, here and here), or through breast milk (see studies here and here). Yet, unlike the imagery of swallowing large worms, infections are often initiated by microscopic eggs entering the body through the hands, nose, mouth, or skin.




SYMPTOMS

Parasites excel at staying concealed. Often, their symptoms are mistaken for other conditions or go unnoticed entirely. They can manifest as a range of issues, and identifying their presence requires a keen eye for symptoms that might seem unrelated. Symptoms that can hint at a parasitic presence include, digestive troubles, fatigue, joint pain, skin issues, mood disorders, and more. Scientists have even discovered cancer cells in a common parasite that they believe may take root in people with weakened immune systems.

Other symptoms that are less common but together build a case for parasites:

  • Digestive issues (constipation, diarrhea, alternation of both)

  • Gas

  • Bloating

  • Mucus in stool

  • Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

  • Intestinal permeability

  • Allergies

  • Chronic ear and sinus infections

  • Rashes

  • Insomnia or waking up multiple times during the night

  • Teeth grinding at night, jaw pain or clenching

  • Joint pain

  • Anemia

  • PMS

  • Chronic candida

  • Endocrine disruption

  • Restless sleep

  • Poor nutrient absorption

  • Muscle and joint pain

  • Twitches

  • Eye floaters

  • Headaches, migraines

  • Seizures

  • Always hungry

  • Foul smelling stools

  • Anal itching, especially at night

  • Bed wetting (in kids)

  • Mood issues (anxiety, depression, hyperactivity)

  • Skin issues (acne, eczema, psoriasis, hives etc.)

  • Wheezing and coughing

  • Unexplained dizziness, weakness

  • Brain fog

Parasites are not just nuisances; they can significantly impact health conditions. Here are some of the top health connections we see related to parasite infections.

Iron Anemia: Some parasites, like hookworms, rely on iron to grow. Parasitic infections can lead to iron-deficient anemia.

Neurological Illnesses: Research suggests links between parasite infections and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and epilepsy.

Reproductive Health: Parasites can affect reproductive health, causing irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, and complications during pregnancy.

Mental Health: A combination of parasites, viruses, molds, bacteria, and heavy metals can increase the risk of mental health issues.

Endometriosis: Parasites can invade the uterus, mimicking endometriosis symptoms.

Cancer: According to research, parasites can mimic cancer, contribute to cancer growth, or cause cancer. Researchers speculate about different ways that parasites might be involved in cancer inducing: interfering with the normal functioning of cells, including encouraging cells to divide more than usual.




TESTING

Laboratory findings, such as white blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, and liver markers, can also offer insights into potential infections. However, identifying parasites through stool testing can be challenging due to their ability to hide under biofilms or swiftly destroy their DNA.

Stool testing is a great tool and one that we use with all clients BUT it’s important to understand that stool testing is often flawed for detecting parasitic presence. This is due to their ability to produce large amount of biofilms, making them undectable via stool analysis.

You can sometimes see signs of parasitic infections on stool testing such as the GI MAP from Diagnostic Solutions may look like:

  • Low Secretory IgA

  • The presence of multiple pathogens, such as h. pylori and candida

  • Recurrent infections of opportunistic pathogens

  • SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth)

On bloodwork, you can find additional clues for parasitic overgrowths contributing to your health status including:

  • High or low total white blood cell count (WBC)

  • Depressed hemoglobin, MCV, and MCH

  • Elevated neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils (though eosinophils are the main indicator or parasitic overgrowth and should be below 3%)

  • Low vitamin D levels

  • Low total iron and ferritin (iron is required by every living organism, to include parasites)

  • Elevated AST and ALT

  • NOTE: Not all of these markers indicate a direct connection to parasites, but they can start to give you clues about what’s happening in the body

It’s important to note that symptoms can be a big guiding factor for the presence of parasites and testing can help determine the need for rebalancing.




TYPES OF PARASITES

Understanding the diversity of parasites is essential. We commonly see three categories of parasites:

Protozoa: Most parasites are once cell Protozoa and they can invade any cell in our bodies, leading to a wide array of symptoms. Protozoa reproduce and multiply by duplicating themselves like a bacteria or virus. Most protozoa are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Examples include toxoplasma and giardia.

Helminths: Live in the gastrointestinal tract, blood, lymphatic system and other tissues. They are multi-celled organisms that can live on or inside of the body. These include roundworms, pinworms, whipworms, hook worms and flukes.

Ectoparasites: Can be transmitted from ticks, fleas, lice, mites, bed bugs, or any other biting insect - including mosquitos. They live on the surface of the human first or feed off the skin. Examples include malaria, filaria, brugia and babesia. 

For anyone who is interested in taking a peek, we have put together a folder with images of different parasites to show what they look like during the eradication process.

Here are some of the most common types of parasites we see in our practice from clients;

Ascaris (roundworm)

  • Ascaris is one of the most common roundworms and are typically found within the small intestine. Ascaris can harbor bacteria such as lyme, lyme co- infections, heavy metals, candida, mold and viruses. 

  • The eggs of ascaris are found in feces and soil. Ascaris can also be transmitted via animals, such as contaminated pork. Ascaris affects vitamin C in the organs where they infect. 

  • Common symptoms include:

    • Abdominal pain and inflammation

    • General weakness

    • Teeth grinding

    • Drooling while sleeping

    • Body itching

    • Liquid bowel movements (sometimes with visible worms) and/or constipation

    • Fatigue

    • Mitochondrial dysfunction

    • Eczema

    • Acne (especially around the jaw/neck)

    • Seizures

    • Depression

    • Schizophrenia

    • Night sweats

  • Ascaris and roundworms are thin like pencils. They can multiply rapidly. A female worm can produce up to 200,000 eggs a day. Roundworms can be up to 3 feet long. They typically come out in pieces, passing multiple pieces at a time. Coffee enemas and digestive enzymes can be extremely helpful for breaking down the dead protein body of a roundworm. 

  • Ascaris and roundworms can cause physical blocking of the GI tract, causing bloating, bowel obstructions, and more. They have also been known to block the pancreatic duct and be a cause for pancreatitis. This is largely due to their size. These worms range between 4 inches to 3 feet. They are typically brown, light brown, or nude. At times they may have a green color, which indicates biles. Ropeworm

  • Unlike others, these parasites do not have muscles, nervous system, or distinct reproductive organs, etc., and dry out quickly when exposed to air. The main reason these parasites have not been previously discovered by the researchers, is because they rarely come out as whole fully developed adult species. They can look like long ropes or have multiple limbs. Ropeworms are more of a biofilm that is made of different parasite DNA and die-off. They can easily be pulled apart unlike other worms that are firm. 

  • The rope worm produces a slimy sticky substance with a distinct odor, twists like a corkscrew, and may obstruct the intestine. It may also cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas, indigestion, and constipation. We may see them being removed from the body during coffee enemas or colon hydrotherapy. 

Strongyloides (threadworms)

  • Strongyloides are often referred to as “threadworms” and can invade any part of the body. Most commonly, they infect the small intestines. 

  • They can also cause masses in the breasts, tumors, and cysts within the brain and can invade the sinus cavity. Those who struggle with chronic sinus issues often see relief with nebulizing anti-parasitics for this reason. 

  • Strongyloides are very small (less than 2.5mm long). Due to their sizes and ability to migrate to many areas of the body, this makes them more stealthy parasites. They are often hard to identify in the stool, but tend to be a major contributor for malabsorption and significant gastrointestinal symptoms. 

  • Common symptoms includes:

    • Abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation

    • Food allergies especially dairy

    • Migraines and headaches

    • Depression and anxiety

    • Pulmonary symptoms

    • Eosinophilia

    • Fatigue

    • Disruption of bowel mucosa

    • Rashes

Clonorchis (flukes)

  • Clonorchis is a parasite found in the liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder. These are what we commonly refer to as liver flukes. It is transmitted through the consumption of an infected fish, especially undercooked fish, crabs and crayfish. 

  • Common symptoms include:

    • Indigestion

    • Abdominal pain

    • Diarrhea

    • Constipation

    • Obstruction of bile ducts

    • Nausea

    • Enlarged liver 

    • Malnutrition

    • Fever

    • Chills

    • Jaundice

    • Epigastric pain

    • Pancreatitis

    • Infections may persist for up to 24-30 years

  • Flukes are between 2-4 inches and multiple flukes are typically passed at one. They are not always visible, defending on the texture of the stool. When flukes look like tomato skins or apple skins, they are very dead. Freshly dead flukes tend to look more similar to mushrooms and are brown and more slug looking. Not all flukes stay within the liver. Flukes may also reside in the bloodstream and in the bladder. 

Ropeworm

  • Unlike others, these parasites do not have muscles, nervous system, or distinct reproductive organs, etc., and dry out quickly when exposed to air. The main reason these parasites have not been previously discovered by the researchers, is because they rarely come out as whole fully developed adult species. They can look like long ropes or have multiple limbs. Ropeworms are more of a biofilm that is made of different parasite DNA and die-off. They can easily be pulled apart unlike other worms that are firm. 

  • The rope worm produces a slimy sticky substance with a distinct odor, twists like a corkscrew, and may obstruct the intestine. It may also cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas, indigestion, and constipation. We may see them being removed from the body during coffee enemas or colon hydrotherapy.

ERADICATION

There are many ways that you can support parasite eradication at home, but we want to emphasize that

  1. You should always be under the guidance of a professional for parasite eradication for your safety. Everyone reacts to drainage and parasite eradication differently. At Always Growing, we do blood work with all clients to determine the state and condition of their detox pathways to prepare for this type of eradication. This is also to ensure reduced herx reactions and prevent potential dangerous situations like liver failure.

  2. Eradication during pregnancy and breastfeeding is unsafe. There are very few scenarios in which we would ever recommend this for clients.

The consumption of anti-parasitic foods regularly can help support a balanced microbiome. Remember that parasites are a normal part of our internal terrain, but we can keep them regulated by eating these types of foods. Note that an anti-parasitic diet alone is not enough to support eradication.

Anti-Parasitic Foods

  • Pineapple

  • Papaya

  • Pomegranate

  • Blackberries

  • Pomegranate Juice

  • Cranberries (up to 4 cups/day)

  • Garlic

  • Citrus fruit

  • Carrots (raw)

  • Sweet potatoes

  • Winter squash

  • Onion

  • Raw cabbage

  • Kelp

  • Coconut oil

  • Turmeric

  • Ginger

  • Clove

  • Psyllium husk

  • Flax seeds

  • Pumpkin seeds - raw and sprouted is best

Acknowledging the existence of parasites as a natural part of ecosystems and understanding their roles can help dispel any fears. Parasites are a part of our lives and are here to stay. The key is to embrace their coexistence while reducing their burden on the body when we are able to.

You can find our podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Check out today’s episode below.


Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. Please consult your physician for medical advice. We always recommend working with a trained practitioner if you suspect parasitic infections. 


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