Two days before I turned 37, I had a mysterious stomach infection. Not really nausea, but nausea. Not really cramping, but cramping. Not really discomfort, but discomfort. Overall, I was miserable for three days, and couldn’t figure out what was happening to me. I had no appetite, but tried to stay nourished to fight whatever was making me sick. It was a futile effort, and would be for the next several months. Little did I know, but there where parasites in the stomach causing all these crazy symptoms!

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After several weeks of feeling constant stomach discomfort, losing weight due no appetite, and chiropractic care I was at a loss. So, I reached out to a friend who is also a certified holistic nutritionist. I’d been doing several things to find the source of my pains and relief still could not be found. I figured a different perspective or thought process on my situation might prove to be useful. Come to find out, it was.

Parasites in the Stomach

My friend asked if I’d ever been checked for parasites or at least done a parasite cleanse. I knew what a parasite was, but I didn’t knew how that would play into my stomach discomfort. She sent me an article titled Are There Bugs in Your Belly?, and it was packed with useful information regarding parasites in the gut.

Let me give you the quick rundown of parasites in the gut.

About 90% of the population lives with some type of parasite in the gut. Most of those parasites are microscopic and many of us live our entire lives without ever knowing we are host to them. However, some of us do have symptoms of parasites and we may not recognize it as a result of parasites.

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Symptoms of Parasites in the Stomach

Some of the symptoms of parasites in the gut include:

• Lowered immune system and constant illness
• Rectal itching, especially at night
• More than one vaginal yeast infection
• Sores on the mouth or lips or white spots inside mouth
• Constant tiredness
• Difficulty sleeping and waking up
• Toe fungus or athlete’s foot
• Bloating and gas
• Allergies
• Sensitivity to food or chemicals
• Sensitivity to the smell of strong perfumes or cigarette smoke
• Rashes or itching around genitals in men or women
• Recurrent bladder infections
• Food cravings, especially for sweet or starchy foods
• Intestinal cramps
• Endometriosis
• Psoriasis or eczema
• History of antibiotic use
• History of steroid use including inhalant or asthma medication
• History of contraceptive use
• Brain fog or mental fuzziness
• Menstrual irregularities including irregular periods, heavy bleeding, cramps, PMS, or anovulation
• Anxiety or depression
• Floaters or spots in the eyes
• Muscle or joint aches
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Previous or current cigarette smoking
• Use of fluoride or consumption of fluoridated water

• History of high sugar/carbohydrate consumption

10 Signs You May Have a Parasite by Dr. Amy Myers

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People Susceptible to Parasites in the Stomach

People with the following issues are more susceptible to having parasites in the stomach:

• Infertility or permanent fertility damage
• Cancer
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Malnutrition
• Vitamin Deficiencies
• Chronic Fatigue
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Kidney Stones
• Crohn’s Disease
• Skin conditions including eczema and psoriasis
• Insomnia and sleep disturbances
• Digestive problems of all kinds

Good Chance of Having Parasites

Pretty crazy, huh? Yeah, my mind was blown away by this newly discovered information.

All of my symptoms were matching up to the ones in the lists above. I didn’t want to admit it, but there was a very good chance I had parasites living in my gut. It would be the reason I had a big commotion going on in there and couldn’t find relief from the previous attempts.

What the hell? I’ll give it a shot. All other ways had failed and I couldn’t give up and just live this life of constant stomach pains, fatigue, headache, and more. I had to keep trying.

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Are there natural ways to kill parasites in the stomach?

According to Katie’s article, there are various easy ways to get rid of potential parasites. The method I choose to use is 1 teaspoon of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar thirty minutes prior to meals. Not only would this help kill any potential parasites in the gut, but it would also increase the acid levels of my stomach. There are other multiple benefits of apple cider vinegar, too, but don’t take too much of it because there are also drawbacks of too much of ACV.

Are there side effects to a parasite cleanse?

There is a drawback to parasite cleansing known as “herxing”.

Herxing is when you have a reaction to the parasites dying off and the toxins leaving your body. It feels like the flu in the more mild cases, but the more aggressively you purge the toxins, the more extreme your symptoms of herxing will be. There are ways to avoid or lessen this reaction. Read more about the 4 Mistakes I made with a parasite cleanse (and how I fixed them).

To avoid herxing while cleansing:

• Drink plenty of water.
• Exercise.
• Soak in warm epsom salt baths.
• Have regular bowel movements.
• Stay nourished with healthy foods.
• Rest during the days, if you can.
• Sleep 8-10 hours each night.
• Sauna
• Coffee enema (Here is a useful coffee enema guide.)

Are there foods to avoid while doing a parasite cleansing?

I came across an article about parasite cleansing on the Dr. Axe website, and it includes the foods to avoid and eat while doing a parasite cleansing. These foods should be avoided because they ‘feed’ the bad bacteria in the gut.

• Alcohol
• All grains
• Added sugars
• Processed foods
• Fresh fruit
• Pork (can contain parasites even if it’s fully cooked)

What foods can be eaten while doing a parasite cleansing?

The foods you should be consuming are the ones that are antiparasitic and antimicrobial. These foods include:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Coconut oil
• Herbs
• Garlic
• Onions
• Probiotic foods like kimchi, kefir, and yogurt

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Did the parasite cleansing work?

Yes, for me the parasite cleansing does work (is working at the time of this writing). After eight days of ACV 30 minutes prior to meals, I passed a worm that was about five inches in length. It totally freaked me out. I mean, I believed in a parasite cleansing, but never in my wildest dreams did I think of a parasite as a worm. But it’s true! (I took a picture of it to show my gastroenterologist. Thankfully I did because many conventional physicians are skeptical of worms in the gut.)

This reaffirmed my suspicions and the need to stick with the cleansing for a few more weeks. However, I didn’t realize how bumpy the road would become and how terrible I’d feel as I aggressively attacked and killed off these parasites. I tried various ways to help with cleansing including diatomaceous earth and coffee enemas.

Learn about the 4 mistakes I made with a parasite cleanse (and how I fixed them).