You might think occurrences of parasites in humans is a rare thing – but you would be wrong!
I once quoted the National Geographic program “The Body Snatchers” as saying, “Parasites have killed more humans than all the wars in history.” [Season 1, Episode 17]
Of all the land mass available on Earth, less than half of it is farmable and inhabitable due to parasitic invasions from species that include malaria, trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, and onchocerciasis.
In my book The Parasites Handbook, I explain, “In Africa alone, an area the size of the United States cannot be farmed because of trypanosomes and many millions in South America have never had a healthy day in their lives because of this protozoan parasite. Horses, dogs, and cattle are killed very quickly. Humans may survive but trypanosomes invade every organ and tissue in the body, having a predilection for the lymphatic system and the brain, with disastrous consequences.”
Parasites Outnumber…Everything
Identifying parasites in humans is not a new thing…it was a problem in ancient civilizations and has never been resolved!
A study published in the British Medical Bulletin found that, “A predominant misconception is that parasites are a problem found only in tropical and third world countries, but nothing could be further from the truth. However, people who live in affluent modern society fail to appreciate the biological importance of parasites because they are so rarely encountered in everyday life. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes parasites among the six most harmful infective diseases of man and parasitic infections outrank cancer as the number one killer in the world.”
These harmful invaders not only survive better than people over thousands – if not millions – of years, they thrive in conditions humans cannot. As a result, parasites are some of the most successful and abundant organisms on the planet.
They are literally everywhere around you right now. They saturate our environment – soil, water, air – and transfer to humans easily through the plants or animals we consume, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.
No living organism is safe from parasitic infection. Even microscopic bacteria have parasites.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 3.5 billion people are infected with a parasite at any giving time. That equates to half the global population and I assure you, that number is conservative. The true statistic is likely closer to 94-98% (it’s our reality).
Parasitic infection causes 25% of all deaths worldwide annually.
In the modern world, ease of travel has made life significantly easier for parasites. They have no difficulty spreading to new areas and infecting new hosts.
I’ve said for decades that it is unlikely that there is a human who exists who doesn’t have at least one species of parasite inhabiting their tissues. Of that one species, there could be thousands (or far more) individual organisms.
As you can imagine, parasites in humans becomes a far greater concern when the immune system is compromised. With the veritable explosion of autoimmune disorders, there are a lot more people vulnerable to these invaders.
While these creatures don’t intend to kill their host outright, they compete for nutrients, lower immunity, and sometimes cause severe allergic reactions.
Could You Have a Parasitic Invasion?
Parasites in human patients may not be the sole cause of an illness or condition – but they can easily contribute to toxic burden and nutrient deficiency that trigger other diseases and disorders.
They are typically the last problem that doctors search for (especially in affluent countries as mentioned in the University of Ulster I quoted above) and it would be smarter for it to be the first. If your doctor can’t pinpoint what’s happening in your body – demand a parasite check – particularly if you have any of the following symptoms!
- Exhaustion or fatigue despite adequate rest
- Listless or lethargic
- Fluctuations in appetite
- Mood swings that include irritability or depression
- Trouble sleeping
- Aches and pains with no identifiable cause
- Changes to bowel movements
- Skin rashes or itching skin (particularly anus or ears)
There are 5 parasitic diseases (there are actually more likely thousands) that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believe are overlooked, misunderstood, and not treated properly.
- Chagas disease
- Neurocysticercosis
- Toxocara canis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Trichomonas
Right now, over 300,000 people in the United States are infected with the parasite that causes Chagas disease (which leads to heart failure and death). More than 300 infected babies are born every year in the United States.
Toxocara canis is a parasitic infection that occurs in cats and dogs. At least 14% of the U.S. population has been exposed to these parasites.
Trichomoniasis is a major cause of infertility and preterm labor in women, and low birthweight in babies. Every year, 8 million people are newly infected with trichomoniasis in the U.S.
WHO estimates that 880 million children around the world are infected with intestinal worms that have a measurable effect their nutrient absorption, mental development, and overall health.
Parasites in humans is a problem that not enough people are working to solve. The CDC is trying to raise awareness through educating the medical community and the public but…when was the last time you saw anything to do with parasites?
7 Tips to Protect Yourself from Transmission
- Always wash your hands thoroughly after scooping (or cleaning) animal feces.
- Filter your water as much as possible.
- Avoid drinking raw (unpasteurized) milk.
- Thoroughly wash all foodstuffs before preparing or eating.
- Clean all surfaces and equipment well before preparing food.
- Take care to protect yourself from mosquitoes.
- Wash hands and practice safe sex when interacting with other humans.
There is so much more you need to know. The list of conditions (and symptoms) that can result from parasitic infection is daunting.
There are so many signs of parasites in humans that are being treated (but never resolved) through prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Treating the symptoms, never the cause.
No one wants to think about these critters roaming around – wreaking havoc – in your body but you need to know everything there is to know to avoid getting them (and how to get rid of them if you have them already).
Read my book The Parasites Handbook for everything you need to know about this epidemic (that no one realizes is an epidemic outside the CDC and WHO).
The post Common Parasites in Humans that Are Making You Sick! appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.