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Blastocytis Hominis parasite
Any suggestions for getting rid of the Blastocytis Hominis parasite please?
Some natural health practitioners will tell you it is impossible to suffer from this parasite unless, of course, you have been travelling abroad and have not been careful enough about what you eat and drink.
Alison Loftus, a nutritionist who specialises in treating parasitic infections, does not agree. A former sufferer herself, she used natural remedies to eliminate the infestation she picked up from overseas but says the problem is much more common here than people realise. (One laboratory in Leeds, for example, reported that 40% of all stools tested were contaminated with parasites.)
Telltale signs of an infection, according to Loftus, include being overweight, being tired all the time and suffering from the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can include constipation and/or diarrhoea, bloating and stomach cramps, chronic fatigue and achy joints.
One of the most effective treatments is Biocare’s Eradicidin Forete (£16.95 for 90 capsules), which contains the herbs artemesia, berberis, and grapefruit seed extract. A good treatment programme will aim to kill off the organism, repopulate the good bacteria of the gut and support the liver, which is put under extra strain when the parasites die off.
A common complication, says Loftus, will be a yeast overgrowth in the gut. A condition known as leaky gut is also a risk. Here, the sieve-like holes that line the digestive tract to allow certain nutrients to pass through, have enlarged and become less selective about what gets into the bloodstream. This can cause hidden food intolerances but is easy to test for. Ask your nutritionist for a simple gut permeability test to determine the extent of the damage before embarking on treatment.
*To find a nutritionist in your area, contact The British Association of Nutritional Therapists on 0870-6061284. Alison Loftus practices at The Hale Clinic (020-7631 0604).