Blastocystis Hominis and Dientamoeba fragile are the two most common causes of digestive problems I see in my clinic. These critters can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms in children and adults.
I have a high success rate in clearing parasites using herbs, prebiotics and nutrition, but I don’t always treat them. Why? Because I have seen it happen. I have also learned that strong herbs can cause more damage if the person’s stomach is in an extremely bad condition.
This may surprise you, but I can feel people’s disapproval as my words are written. I have dealt with my fair share of intestinal parasites, so I feel comfortable being controversial.
Here’s my opinion on parasites and some clinical observations.
Why are some people affected by symptoms while others don’t?
Recent research has shown that Blastocystis Hominis may not always be pathogenic. This is likely because it has different subtypes. Therefore, some subtypes might be more dangerous than others.
This is the only test that I know of in Australia. However, the test will not likely give you any useful information, and I do not recommend it. If you have severe symptoms, you should know that you can’t use the test to diagnose you. You need to figure out how to treat them. You don’t want to deal with chronic diarrhea in the long term.
This could be one reason why some people are more affected than others. However, I do not test for subtypes, so it doesn’t affect my clinical decision to treat.
This is more than a difference between subtypes.
I have observed in the clinic that the patients who are the most successful (meaning they clear parasites the fastest) fall into a particular category.
- They are usually free from co-morbidities. Their only symptoms are those of the parasite and not their gut symptoms. How can I tell? I run additional tests to rule out Helicobacter Pylori infection, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Celiac Disease, IBD, food intolerances, etc.
- They have treated virgins, meaning they have not been through rounds of antibiotics.
- They are COMPLIANT. Let’s not underrate this fact. Supplements and herbs only work if taken exactly as directed and for the prescribed time.
- They are open-minded. People live in constant fear and are afraid of the unknown. I will write a post about high histamine traits. Many people I meet aren’t ready to let go of old beliefs and habits to improve their lives. ).
- They had been eating a healthy, whole-food diet with plenty of good options for their gut.
- They are strong and have high vitality. They are naturopathic and exude strength and vitality.
It’s not hard to treat everyone. You know herbs are gentle.
Treating every case of parasites is against my philosophy in the clinic. I want to assess people individually and not treat them as separate diseases.
If someone says that their digestion has been bad since childhood, if they’ve had to take antibiotics for a long time, or if they’ve had IBS, IBS, and inflammatory bowel problems throughout their lives, I don’t rush to treat them.
Why?
The person’s intestinal ecosystem is already very imbalanced. I would have to use essential oils and herbs for several weeks to eliminate the parasite. If not used carefully, herbs can damage the gut ecosystem. It doesn’t have to look like a plant, but that doesn’t make it gentle.
I don’t treat people with a notch in my belt and then claim on forums that I treated Blastocystis well. This is not why I became a naturopath.
Every person is unique, and each individual’s response to treatment fascinates me. For such people, I would start with restoring their upper digestive function by giving them some bitter and liver herbs. Then, I’d assess their zinc status and introduce a gentle prebiotic fiber like GOS to see if they can tolerate it.
I would evaluate their diet to determine if they have been on a crazy, gut-destroying diet such as GAPS. If so, we’d look at if there is any way we can move towards a more alkalizing and fiber-rich diet (grain-free initially, since most people with this condition cannot tolerate grains). I would find out if they have food intolerances and then remove them.
I would then switch to a strain-specific probiotic like Saccharomyces Boulardii Var Biocodex. This is not available in Australia, but it is easily accessible over the internet and well tolerated.
I might add gentle tannin-containing herbs to slow down transit time, such as Punica granatum. If alcoholic extracts are not acceptable, a simple decoction from the greengrocer of pomegranate shells is usually tolerated.
Is this a good approach?
YES.
It may not be right for everyone. It is a world that offers only black and white answers. We have so much information and misinformation but cannot access true wisdom or knowledge. Facebook groups are flooded with new treatment protocols, but sick people don’t know any better. Many people are desperate for quick relief and will do anything to improve their lives.
That is what I understand. It’s true. It’s not something that anyone enjoys doing. However, I have seen many people willing to do a colonic injection for antibiotics. This is the best way to eliminate resistant blastocysts. Over the past year, I’ve seen many people with severe illnesses who cannot recover after several colonic injections.
Many of these people can only tolerate a handful of foods, and some even have trouble with probiotics. Some have undergone multiple fecal microbiological implants, where a healthy stool sample is “implanted” back into the colon. However, they continue to struggle with severe food intolerances. You can test their stool with a PCR CSA, the most accurate stool analysis. However, their symptoms are still present. Could this be because antibiotic infusions may have killed fringe strains of bacteria we don’t know about? This is my suspicion.
I am curious if these poor people gave their consent to undergo such severe procedures. Is it possible they will feel worse even if the parasite is eradicated? What about the loss of fringe beneficial bacteria due to the harsh antibiotic treatment? They were told that a probiotic supplement would not be able to replace all the beneficial bacteria species lost.