parasites
i'm curious if anyone else has had a parasite.
earlier in the summer i was told i had blastocystis - a parasite. since i went to western samoa and did a lot of camping in hawaii, it wasn't such a surprise. now i was just told i had the parasite giardia i haven't traveled since the summer. i'm not sure where i picked this one up.
my mom and others give me a hard time and say, "thats what you get for always eating organic." i'm currently doing a research project in which i'm looking at the difference in bacteria found in conventional vs organic produce. the research i've seen shows that there isn't a difference. the difference is found in the type of produce, such as lettuce is more likely to have bacteria than berries.
anyway, just wanted to see if anyone else had an experience or has an opinion regarding parasites.
From what I've been told by those with experience, it can take some time (as in several months) for a parasite infestation to show up on the medical radar. It can vary from one to another, but when you consider how tiny many are, it can take awhile for them to "take over" a host sufficent to be percieved.
Your mom's comment wasn't terribly helpful...which is worse, a possible bacteria/parasite, or a definite slow poisoning from chemicals? But then of course comments like this usually spring from intimidation anyway at someone who dares to be different. (((Tuttle)))
Giardia, as you will have read by now, hangs out in the intestinal tract. So, you're in jeapordy when you are exposed to water or food where it has been deposited. I don't think being omni/veg/vegan increases or decreases your risk of infection.
I met someone who had giardia from washing their face in a pond a few months earlier and she still had symptoms, although they were less severe. She was on medicaiton.
I know someone else who had Giardia who never took medication. Once you have it, there can be re-occurrances. This man fasts for a few days to starve the Giardia. That only works, of course, if you health allows for it (i.e. no diabetes, hunger depression, etc.).
from what i have read, a large percentage of people have parasites and never know it because they don't exhibit any sure-fire parasite symptoms. they may gain weight, be tired, have flu-like symptoms, gas, burping, joint pain, etc. most people don't go to the doctor for being tired or having gas or burping, and most docs won't test you for worms if you have those symptoms.
we get parasites from unclean water sources, pets, walking barefoot outside, eating fruits, etc. they are not necessarily life-threatening, but it is better to be rid of them.
i did a parasite cleanse about a year ago as part of an overall body cleanse. it consisted of diatomaceous earth, among other things. i had been having pain in my hip joints, which was relieved after that. i got the cleanse from www.hsu.com if anyone is interested in cleaning out intestinal parasites in a non-prescription way.
fiona