MY PARASITE CLEANSE – BACKGROUND

Since I know how easy it is to get infected with parasites and with only recently overcoming a very serious tapeworm infection, I do a parasite cleanse on a regular basis.  Some cleanses are a lighter version, but a few times a year I do a more serious cleanse.  This is one of those times.  I follow a very strict diet that focuses on all meals being based on a combination of anti-parasitic foods, spices, and herbs, as well as using various herbal remedies, supplements, and detoxification protocols.  In addition, I avoid all foods and drinks that will not benefit the cause.

One may encounter a video or other source that claims that doing [fill in the blank] will destroy/eliminate/kill ALL parasites in [fill in the blank] days/weeks/months, but that is (unfortunately) not true.  Not any one substance is effective against all parasites.  Plus the best plan of action varies from person-to-person depending on many factors, such as the type(s) of parasite, overall parasite load, health of individual prior to infection, current health of individual, length of time of infection, diet and lifestyle of individual, age of individual, etc.  In addition, some herbs and supplements are not the best option(s) for some people for various reasons, especially pregnant or lactating women, the elderly, children, those on other medications (whether they are pharmaceuticals, OTC, herbals, etc.), and thus, a one-size-fits-all plan does not exist.

To have a better chance of success in dealing with any infection, I know it is essential to strengthen the immune system.  This requires getting adequate rest, drinking plenty of liquids, and getting proper nutrition.   A weakened host will have a more difficult time overcoming any infection.

Most known parasite cleanse programs in books, online, or included with parasite cleanse kits provide widely varying time frames, but most have a plan that has a period of time actively engaged in the cleanse followed by a break, then repeating multiple times.  It is known that the eggs may take 8-14 weeks for some species of parasites to hatch.  Thus, for me I am going with a plan that will span 90 days with modifications after 30 days and 60 days.   A basic plan for me in an ideal world would be 10 days actively on followed by 5 days off (and then repeating) for a period of 90 days.  But I have to work and have other obligations that mean that modifications will be made to adjust around my schedule.  That said, I chose a time when I will be less busy than normal and only traveling for overnight stays rather than for extended periods for the first 30 days, as it takes some preparation to get things together.  I, of course, would rather be doing something else, but I know that this is extremely important and sacrifices will need to be made.  Another note is that I try to shop for needed foods during the break time as much as possible. 
 
Preparation is key.  I plan and write out a basic meal plan with menu ideas.  I used to make charts with the days of the cleanse listed with the elements of the protocol, so I could check them off and not forget what I intended to do.  When I began overcoming my tapeworm infection, I was very ill and had a lot of die-off symptoms (more on that in a future post). Now I just write some notes on paper, when I outline the days that I will be doing the cleanse on a calendar. 

I like focusing on foods and spices that are healthy and have anti-parasitic properties, because changing my diet doesn’t really cost any more than eating foods that are unhealthy and that are going to feed parasites.  In all actuality, it probably costs less for me, because I don’t eat out 99% of the time and that expense can really add up.  Yes, there is a learning curve to go from the Western Diet to a healthy diet.  I went from a girl who ate at McDonald’s on a VERY regular basis and thought that a home cooked meal involved Hamburger Helper and reheating leftovers in a microwave a little over a decade ago to a woman who makes her own kefir and sauerkraut; sprouts grains, legumes and nuts; makes home-made nut milks; and never uses a microwave. Surprisingly, I don’t miss fast food, processed foods, microwaves, or diet soft drinks at all.  Hence, there is hope for all of us. 

Now onto my plan ...

I plan for this protocol to last for 10 days ON, 3 days OFF, 5 days ON, 3 days OFF, 10 days ON, 4 days OFF, 7 days ON, 7 days OFF, and then I will see how I feel to re-access.  The reason for the strange numbering is that I have some travel plans to work around.  As mentioned above, trying to maintain a full protocol while traveling is not easy and not worth the mental stress, if you can avoid it.  In the past, I had to do that a few times and got through it with some modifications.
 
A thing that must be noted is that during my break or OFF days, I will not be eating refined foods, until at least 30 days have passed. My OFF days will be where I will be eating some fruits and vegetables that I avoid during the cleanse and not be taking the anti-parasitic herbal tinctures, supplements, or doing any colon cleanses.  The OFF days are designed to be immune boosting, liver supporting, and relaxing. 
 
It is important to give the body a rest from very strong herbs (some have toxicity concerns and are not for long-term use), as well as to keep the parasites guessing.  Parasites and other pathogens are very smart and hide very well.  That is why it is a good idea to bait them.  That is the rational of the Ayurvedic anti-parasitic protocol of using Jaggery followed by Carom Seeds (Trachyspermum ammi).  Jaggery is known as "gud" in Sanskrit and Carom is known as "Ajwain."  I will explain further when I add this mini-protocol to what I am currently doing during my ON days.  Right now, I am not eating any sweeteners, but will be using Jaggery and raw honey as a bait in future phases.  That is my plan, but for someone else using Jaggery and Carom at the beginning may be best.  

Now before I begin I want to simplify things with some basic background information. 

• The meals that I ate are based on what I like to eat. I use the foods, herbs, and spices that are anti-parasitic, along with foods that are health supporting to support my immune system and body during the cleanse.  The meals must be as delicious as possible, else it would be very difficult to maintain.  That said, I would rather be eating chocolate, bananas, dried fruits, and drinking Kombucha right now, but that will not help me rid any parasites and other pathogens.  To get better faster, it takes discipline and motivation.  I also work on creating nice looking, as well as delicious tasting meals.  But there are times that I have to eat foods that are not easy to consume like lots of raw garlic, but I know that it is necessary for success over the long-term. 
• All foods are organic (not necessarily certified, if collected wild, from my neighbor's garden, or from a local farmer). 
• All unpeeled fresh fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw are soaked in water with food-grade hydrogen peroxide and/or Celtic salt added for a minimum of 60 minutes to kill any existing pathogens. 
• All eggs are pasture-raised and local.
• All dairy that I consume is non-homogenized and organic.  I consume whole milk yogurt, goat milk from Pennsylvania from which I make homemade kefir, small amounts of 100% grass-fed raw milk cheeses, 100% grass-fed organic butter, etc.
• All spices ae certified organic.
• All herbal tinctures used are organic or wild-crafted. 
• All dried herbs are organic or wild crafted.
• I drink various herbal teas throughout the cleanse that included peppermint, fennel seed, epazote, papaya leaf (I make a quart at a time and drink over 2 days), Gaia Herbs Cleanse & Detox, Natural Hope Herbals Black Walnut tea blend (I make a quart at a time and drink over 2 days), green tea, ginger,  burdock, Echinacea, etc.   All of these teas have benefits that assist during a cleanse.  I choose what I am needing at the time or what sounds good to me.
• I use the hottest cayenne powder that I can find that is organic.  I currently have cayenne pepper that is rated as 75,000 Scoville heat units (SHU).  I like hot peppers, so for me, the hotter the better. 

Now before I begin I want to simplify things with some basic background information. 

• The meals that I ate are based on what I like to eat. I use the foods, herbs, and spices that are anti-parasitic, along with foods that are health supporting to support my immune system and body during the cleanse.  The meals must be as delicious as possible, else it would be very difficult to maintain.  That said, I would rather be eating chocolate, bananas, dried fruits, and drinking Kombucha right now, but that will not help me rid any parasites and other pathogens.  To get better faster, it takes discipline and motivation.  I also work on creating nice looking, as well as delicious tasting meals.  But there are times that I have to eat foods that are not easy to consume like lots of raw garlic, but I know that it is necessary for success over the long-term. 
• All foods are organic (not necessarily certified, if collected wild, from my neighbor's garden, or from a local farmer). 
• All unpeeled fresh fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw are soaked in water with food-grade hydrogen peroxide and/or Celtic salt added for a minimum of 60 minutes to kill any existing pathogens. 
• All eggs are pasture-raised and local.
• All dairy that I consume is non-homogenized and organic.  I consume whole milk yogurt, goat milk from Pennsylvania from which I make homemade kefir, 100% grass-fed raw milk cheeses, 100% grass-fed organic butter, etc.
• All spices ae certified organic.
• All herbal tinctures used are organic or wild-crafted. 
• All dried herbs are organic or wild crafted.
• I drink various herbal teas throughout the cleanse that included peppermint, fennel seed, epazote, papaya leaf (I make a quart at a time and drink over 2 days), Gaia Herbs Cleanse & Detox, Natural Hope Herbals Black Walnut tea blend (I make a quart at a time and drink over 2 days), green tea, ginger,  burdock, Echinacea, etc.   All of these teas have benefits that assist during a cleanse.  I choose what I am needing at the time or what sounds good to me.
• I use the hottest cayenne powder that I can find that is organic.  I currently have cayenne pepper that is rated as 75,000 Scoville heat units (SHU).  I like hot peppers, so for me, the hotter the better. 

I eliminated these foods from my diet during all active (“ON”) phases of the parasite cleanse and for all breaks – that is, “OFF” days – during the first 30 days as well:

• All chocolate and any foods containing cocoa or chocolate, even raw cacao.
• All sugars and any foods containing sugar, including the natural sweeteners that I occasionally consume like raw honey, organic blackstrap molasses, and maple syrup. (I avoid refined sugars as a rule and always avoid high fructose corn syrup with no exceptions).
• All dried fruits.
• All gluten containing grains. I used to be gluten intolerant and was told that I likely had Celiac Disease.  After addressing my parasitic infection, my issues with gluten, dairy, etc. completely disappeared.  I had every symptom listed on Celiac.org's website. 
• All refined and processed foods, including rice cakes, pastas, cereals, granolas, breads, crackers, etc.
• All deep-fried foods (I don't eat deep-fried foods 99.99% of the time anyway).
• All oils, except small amounts of coconut oil.  (I avoid oils as much as possible and avoid soybean oil, Canola oil, corn oil, safflower oil, etc. always.  In my opinion, it is healthier to get your fats from whole foods.  This is definitely the case for flax seeds and hemp seeds, as the oils turn rancid quickly, thus making them very bad for one's health and I never consume them.  If anyone is interested in this topic, it can be covered in detail in the future.). 
  
• Peanuts and peanut butter.
• I do not eat red meat, pork, sushi, or sashimi, but would eliminate them during a cleanse if I did, as they are major carriers of parasites and they are hard to digest.
• Soy anything (soy is only healthy if fermented (e.g., natto, miso, tempeh). 

To be continued with more details…