Come Back From Vacation With a Critter Souvenir?

Parasites aren’t something we want to think about or talk about or have! But the reality is that most of us have at one time or another, especially coming back from a tropical paradise or deepest darkest Africa. If you have had any digestive problems while traveling, then chances are you’re bringing back a souvenir you didn’t plan on. But parasites aren’t just from bad water or bad food. Many people can pick up parasites such as Tinea from the beach, pinworms from your pets, bacteria from your vegetables at the grocery store, or ticks from camping in the mountains. All of these are parasites and doing an internal cleanse can really keep unwanted critters at bay.

The reality is that we share this world with insects and parasites of every description in species far too many to count, and most of which are microscopic to the eye. So doing an anti-parasitic cleanse at least once each year is a great way to eliminate any negative bacteria, as well as a host of other possible parasitic elements that can live in our digestive systems and throughout our body tissues. I recommend an intensive 30 day cleanse at least once a year and especially after traveling. It is perfectly safe for children, which should be ratioed based on body weight.

The cleanse basics are:

• Wormwood Complex - 4-6 tablets per day for 10 days. Then take a 10 day break and then repeat for 10 days.
• Andrographis Complex - 4 tablets per day for 30 days.
• Garlic — 3 tablets per day on the same days as the Wormwood Complex
• Digest — such on 1 tablet before each meal until bitter, then swallow. This is essential if low gastric acid is a problem.
• Colax — 2-6 tablets before bed twice a week to create a loose stool, during the time of Wormwood Complex to assist elimination of parasitic debris.
• Zymex II — 8-12 capsules on rising with two glasses of warm water on an empty stomach for nine weeks. This contains enzymes which destroy parasitic encasements.
• Meta Fiber — 2 scoops early morning and evening before bed every day, for thirty days.
• Golden Seal — 4 tablets per day for 30 days.

Once this thirty day Anti-Parasitic Regimen is completed, it is important to restore normalized bowel flora to protect the mucous membranes and integrity of the intestinal tract. I like Pharmax Preprobiotic followed by Synbiotic Intensive powder. This is a ten day regimen. A second option is a bit more comprehensive, but lasts only five days.

In either case, be sure to avoid yeast, sugar and starches and to try to have light meals during these days. I highly recommend prebiotic foods such as: Jerusalem or Globe artichoke, onion, banana, okra, asparagus, leek, garlic, wheat and barley.

Five Day Regimen:

Day 1 & 2: Twice during the day away from food, take one to two cloves of crushed fresh garlic or 1-2 tablets of pure garlic extract and 1 tsp. of herbal Uva Ursi extract with a large amount of water. This moves the garlic quickly into the small intestines, and inhibits digestive action on the garlic in the stomach.

At another time during the day, take 1 Tbsp of a good powdered fiber such as Slippery Elm or Standard Process Whole Food Fiber with a large amount of water which will expand in the intestinal tract and provide food for the healthy flora. This specialized fiber is considered a prebiotic. It will act as a demulcent, emollient and a nutrient which soothes the intestinal tract and encourages the growth of beneficial bowel flora. Fiber also helps to prevent pathogenic bacteria from adhering to the lining of the intestinal tract.

Day 3 — Take 2 tbsp. of powdered fiber with a large amount of water.

Day 4 & 5 — Gradually introduce fresh food and continue with the intestinal fiber. Drink 2 cups of strong green tea today which was found in a small study in Japan to "positively affect intestinal dysbiosis in nursing home patients by raising levels of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, lowering levels of Enterobacteriaceae and decreasing odorous compounds."