by Richard Cawte
This might not be a pleasant topic to discuss over dinner, but the fact is there are over a hundred different types of parasitic worm inside you right now, wriggling away unseen but perhaps not unnoticed. Some live in your gut. Some are in your eyes. There can even be some in your brain. Over 70% of these little blighters are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Others can grow to be several metres long.
Having parasites inside you is a normal state of affairs, until such a time as you become infected with parasites that are harmful.
The word parasite comes from the Greek word “parastos” which means “someone who eats at another person’s table” – in other words, an univited guest who eats your food and never pays the bill. Today we’re taking a look at intestinal parasites that live in your gut noshing away happily at the food that is meant for you.
Worms that turn.
The two major types of intestinal parasites are typically protozoa or helminths.
Protozoa
Protozoa are single-celled organisms that move or multiply by splitting into two. They are the smallest but perhaps deadliest of the lot and are often transmitted by flies or mosquitoes.
The word helminth comes from the Greek word for worm. Helminths can’t multiply in the human body, which means that they usually clear up with treatment without re-infecting the body. The most common types of helminths are tapeworms and roundworms, but there are lots of others.
So how do you know if you have a parasitic infection?
Signs and Symptoms of Intestinal Parasitic Infection
The most common symptoms are:
- Loose, foul-smelling stools
- Diarrhoea/gastrointestinal upset
- Mucous in stools
- Abdominal cramps and gas
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetite or increased appetite/cravings*
- Distended abdomen
- Vaginal irritation
- Coughing
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Listlessness, chronic fatigue
*If you find yourself craving unusual amounts of food, especially sugary ones, but are not putting on weight this can be an indicator that you have a parasitic infection. The worms are hungry, not you and they’re intercepting most of the nutrients you require.
More Signs of Infection.
Signs of infection may include other symptoms such as:
- a runny nose
- night-time restlessness
- blisters on the lower lip or inside the mouth
- allergies
- anaemia
- fuzzy thinking
- headaches
- wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels
- anxiety-attacks/nervousness
- hair loss
- arthritis
- mineral imbalances
- night-time teeth-grinding
Please note: one or more of these symptoms may occur to a greater or lesser degree depending upon the individual. Long term, undetected infestation can cause many systemic problems.
In the next article I’ll discuss how and where you can become infected. In the meantime, if you have any concerns, consult your doctor or qualified health practitioner.
The post What’s Eating You? A beginner’s guide to parasitic infections. appeared first on that Gluten Free site.
