WHAT’S BUGGING YOU? Part 2/7 - All About the Bugs

Part 1 – The Overview laid the groundwork for this seven part series. In this next installment, Part 2 – All About the Bugs, we will dive in to what parasites are, how we contract them, and how to know if we have them. To better understand how they affect us if we do have them, see Part 3 - The Ramifications of Bugs.

WHAT PRECISELY ARE PARASITES?

To borrow the definition from the CDC, “A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. There are three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites.”  Protozoa (also known as protists - see also here ) and helminths affect the body internally and ectoparasites, such as mites, ticks, and lice, latch on to the host through the skin. 

All parasites range in size from microscopic to visible to the naked eye and can live, undetected, in a host for years or even a lifetime.  Some parasites cause obvious symptoms while others silently undermine health, wreaking havoc insidiously.  They have been around from antiquity, can appear anywhere on or in the body (not just in the digestive tract), and are responsible for billions of human infections and illnesses.

HOW DO WE CONTRACT PARASITES?

There are a number of ways parasites are acquired and transmission is typically classified as horizontal or vertical. They include:

• Mosquitos and other insects such as flies.

• Animals, whether wild, exotic, farm, or domesticated pets such as dogs, cats, reptiles (e.g., pet lizards) and fish; through handling and/or being exposed to excrement, polluted water, urine, and body fluids such as saliva (think dog kisses).

• Soil, especially contaminated

• Blood (e.g., transfusions)

• Unwashed fruits and vegetables

• Imported foods. Locally sourced is said to have fewer instances of egg sacs compared to intercontinental foods, reducing the likelihood of exposure. Regardless of the origin, always purchase ingredients from reputable vendors, using organic, non-GMO, locally sourced, natural, fresh, quality, least processed ingredients, grass-fed meats, and wild caught game, fish, and seafood, whenever you are able.

• Undercooked or raw meat and fish, including sushi

• Water from any source not to mention treated drinking/tap water (yes, that includes “city” water) and related activities such as swimming in lakes, rivers, or streams

• Personal care, wound cleaning, and changing diapers (e.g., daycare environments, and nursing homes)

• Through sexual relations

• Congenital transmission (mother to child)

• Travel, especially to under-developed regions

• Unclean surfaces, particularly in bathrooms and food prep areas

• Improper hand-washing and poor personal hygiene

• Unsanitary, squalid conditions, and exposure to public garbage

• A compromised immune system and/or poor digestive function

• Impoverished and undernourished populations

• Hot and humid conditions and lower altitudes

 HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE HAVE PARASITES?
CAN WE TEST FOR THEM?

While there are some diagnostic tests such as blood work, imaging, swabs, and stool analysis that can be used to rule out certain parasites, the vast majority of tests are too narrow to detect all of the near countless number of species and are not sensitive enough to identify more subtle, but still impactful, cases. As well, some parasites release an enzyme that dissolves their body as they die-off making it almost impossible to visibly verify, save for a possible Herxheimer reaction experienced by the hosts (more on Herxing in Part 6). Here are some practical ways you can evaluate the likelihood of parasites:

1. If you are or have been exposed to any of the delivery mechanisms described above.

2. If you have any of the symptoms or conditions outlined in this 7-part series.

3. If you happen* to see any evidence of parasites in your stools such as the ones found in these images:

   • Human parasite pictures

   • Parasite gallery

   • Parasite identification chart

   • Parasite Images from Oregon State Public Health Laboratory

*Just because you don’t see parasites in your stool doesn’t mean you don’t have them. Many are too small to be pinpointed by the naked eye or they may be hidden within your stool. So, unless you have a microscope or you wish to sort through your poop, you may not find tangible evidence.

A note on rope worms/mucoid plaque… there are two camps when it comes to this purported ‘parasite’ - those who insist they are worms and those who disagree and say it is shedding from the intestines. I suggest you study up on them, starting with this great article. Make no mistake, something is off balance if this is present in your stool. No matter what it is ultimately identified as, take it as a visual cue to work on digestive health.

Really, as simplistic as it may sound to some, people must become reacquainted with their very powerful, God-given innate intelligence and common sense and stop relying solely on a study, test, “professional”, or entity to tell you when something is wrong. When you know, you know.

Bee intuitive,
Marie Stumphauzer, FNTP

To learn how parasites can directly affect your health, read What’s Bugging You Part 3 - The Ramifications of Bugs.

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