Happy Halloween to you!

I thought today would be a good day to talk about a health subject that seems like a real-life horror movie.

I’m talking about creepy crawly creatures that are living inside of YOU—right now.

That’s right--while the thought of them makes a lot of people uncomfortable, the fact is, your body is home to trillions of microscopic little parasites.

The good, the bad and the creepy

Parasites are organisms that invade and live at the expense of another organism called the "host," using their host for a home and nourishment.

Over 3,200 varieties of parasites have been identified, broken down into three major types.  But contrary to what you might think, they're not all bad guys. 

The first type is symbiotic.  These are the friendly bacteria that populate your gut microbiome and enhance your health.

Then there are commensal organisms.  They have a "roommate" arrangement with you--and while they don't HELP you in any way, they also don't HURT you.

And alas, the third kind is the "true" parasite.  Their presence always has a harmful effect on your health.

Here are some examples of the havoc they can wreak.

Adding to the waste load

As a human, you live, eat and have "by-products"--including your sweat, exhaled carbon dioxide, urine and feces.

Well, the same applies to anything that's alive in you.  It too lives, eats and has by-products (wastes).

And when you're talking about bad parasites, their wastes can be downright toxic to you.

For example, the wastes created by harmful parasites can trigger inflammation in your intestines.  They can also contribute to autoimmunity or hyper-immunity.

Plus they put an additional burden on YOUR organs of detox--including your liver, kidneys, skin, lungs and lymph system--to filter out and eliminate the wastes.

Exploring the territory

Some people have the mistaken impression that parasites only live in your intestinal tract.

Not so.

There are several parasites that live in your blood or lymphatic system. 

They can also nestle into any of your vital organs or burrow themselves into your body's tissues. 

Many parasites start in your intestines, but if you have a leaky gut wall, they can get into circulation and cruise all over your body.

There are other “routes” as well.  For example, hook worms enter your body through the skin, travel through your blood and then latch on to your lungs.

How in the world?

One of the most common ways for parasites to invade you is when you ingest them with contaminated food or water.

Other ways you can be exposed to parasites include:

• Contaminated water from lakes, rivers, streams and wells
• Tap water
• Swimming pool water, especially public pools that may be contaminated with feces
• Pets, especially those that spend time outdoors
• Raw and under-cooked foods, especially shellfish
• Lack of proper hand washing
• Sexual contact
• World-wide travel. Note that YOU don't have to be the worldly traveler.  Even if you board an airplane that's been on an international flight, it could be contaminated with parasites.

One small creepy-crawly, one GIANT bunch of symptoms

Since parasites can get into your bloodstream and go anywhere inside of you, there is a HUGE variety of symptoms that they can stir up that you might not ever suspect is being caused by an itty-bitty microscopic being.

These can include:

• Bloating no matter what you eat
• Allergy symptoms, sinus congestion
• Diarrhea and constipation
• Abdominal pain, cramps
• Mucus in your stools
• Food cravings, especially for sugar
• Fatigue
• Skin itching, especially around the anal area
• Acne, hives, skin rashes
• Dark circles under your eyes, bluish tint around your lips
• Depression, anxiety, nervousness, moodiness
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite or insatiable appetite
• Joint or muscle aches or pains
• Vertigo, disorientation, ringing of the ears
• Hyperactivity, restlessness

Note that the type and degree of symptoms you could experience, as well as whether a parasite will invade you to begin with, is largely dependent on the strength of your immune system. 

When it's healthy and working as it should, your immune system engulfs and eliminates many parasites.  And even if one does happen to sneak by, it will likely lie dormant in the face of a strong immune system.

In addition, the hydrochloric acid in your stomach also helps to protect you.  Your stomach acid kills many of the unwelcome guests you take in with your food or drink.

Get it out of me!

Now that I've probably got you sufficiently creeped out, I'll tell you what you can do if you suspect that may you have dangerous parasites in your innards.

A doctor can test for parasites, but the tests are not always reliable.  If a test is done when a parasite is in its "egg cycle" and hasn't hatched yet, it might not be detected.

Stool tests can miss parasites living somewhere other than your intestinal tract.

Even treatment does not guarantee your problems are over.  Parasitic infections are commonly treated with antibiotics, which can destroy your friendly gut flora, weaken your immune function and leave you even more susceptible to infections.

Plus many parasites burrow themselves deeper into your tissues and "hide" when they sense antibiotics, then re-emerge once you stop taking the medication.

A three-step approach

The best protection against parasites is using a smart three-step approach:

1- Change the external environment

First and foremost, it's important to avoid the sources of parasites that I mentioned above.

For example, when you travel only drink bottled water and wash your hands often.  Have your pets tested for parasites by a veterinarian and properly treat them.

Also have your tap water tested and consider filtration. 

2- Change the internal environment

This involves supporting your body’s two "lines of defense" against parasites--your stomach and your immune system.

If you take antacids or acid reducers, you are crippling your stomach’s important defense against parasites (and other harmful organisms). 

Many people have gotten tremendous relief from heartburn or acid reflux by naturally supporting their body’s digestive efforts with an enzyme formula like Digestizol Max. 

Digestizol Max’s complete blend of 15 enzymes can help your body efficiently break down any kind of food you eat.  When your body can accomplish digestion the way it is supposed to, heartburn and acid reflux can become a thing of the past!

The other half of this is supporting your immune system with "good symbiotic parasites"--otherwise known as probiotics!

Since 80 percent of your immune system lies in your gut microbiome, it's essential to make sure yours is healthy and in the proper balance with a full-spectrum probiotic formula like Super Shield.

Super Shield's 13 well-studied strains of friendly bacteria are up to the task, ready to line your intestinal walls and help make them less porous (so parasites are less likely to "leak out"), help keep your BMs regular and support sound immune function.

3- Elimination

Here are natural ways to help eliminate parasites:

• Foods such as garlic, leeks, onions, radishes and cabbage have been known to have anti-parasitic properties.
• Helpful spices include thyme, fennel, clove, cayenne pepper and ginger.
• Herbs like chaparral, black walnut, rhubarb root and wormwood have been shown to be helpful.

Parasites are sneaky and can challenge your health in so many ways.

But by being diligent about prevention, strengthening your body from within and safely eliminating them, you can help make sure parasites and their health-wrecking abilities stay far away from YOU!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia