What Are Intestinal Parasites?

Intestinal parasites or worms are organisms that feed off of other organisms, like humans or animals. The most common types of intestinal worms are flatworms and roundworms. Flatworms include tapeworms and flukes, while roundworms cause ascariasis, pinworm, and hookworm infections.

Tapeworm: Tapeworms are white, often growing to be multiple meters in length, and can live in humans for decades.

Flukes: Fluke is a type of flatworm.

Hookworms: These worms are spread through feces and infected soil.

Pinworms (Threadworms): These are tiny worms that occur mostly in children.

Trichinosis Worms: Trichinosis worms are roundworms that are often passed through animals. Consuming undercooked meat that may contain the larvae of these worms is one of the most common ways of getting infected.

Intestinal parasite infections may be quite hard to detect, and you may not even know if you are harboring these worms. Although most of the times, there are no symptoms, infected individuals may develop mild symptoms like the ones given below.

Signs And Symptoms of Human Intestinal Parasites

Loss of appetite Stomach ache Nausea Weakness Fatigue Weight loss Anemia

A tapeworm infestation is likely to cause:

Bumps Allergic reactions Fever Seizures

Flukes are likely to cause fever and fatigue. Symptoms associated with hookworm infections include:

Fatigue Itching skin Rashes

Pinworms may cause itchiness in or around the anal area, and you may also notice these tiny worms in your feces if you are infected. Trichinosis worms can travel through your bloodstream and enter your tissues, thereby causing:

Swelling of your face Fever Muscle tenderness Sensitivity to light Headaches

You may get infected by intestinal parasites in different ways. Some common risk factors and causes of developing human intestinal parasites are listed below.

Causes And Risk Factors Of Human Intestinal Parasites

You can become infected by human intestinal parasites by:

Consuming undercooked meat Drinking contaminated water Coming in contact with contaminated soil, water, feces or some household utensils Poor hygiene and sanitation

Certain factors can increase your risk of getting infected with parasites. They are:

Age: Children and older adults are more susceptible to parasitic infections because of weak immunity Living in areas with poor hygiene

You may become infected with intestinal parasites in the blink of an eye, in the most unpredictable way. However, sooner or later, symptoms will surface. If you have developed intestinal parasites, the following remedies can help in cleansing your intestines and getting rid of the parasites naturally and effectively.

Home Remedies To Treat Intestinal Parasites

1. Tea Tree Oil

12 drops of tea tree oil 30 mL of coconut oil

You must do this once daily. Tea tree oil is quite popular for its antimicrobial properties. One of its lesser-known ability is its potential to fight parasites. Applying the oil can help remove the parasites attached to your intestinal walls and expel them (2).

2. Garlic

2-3 cloves of peeled garlic Chew on two to three cloves of peeled garlic and consume daily on an empty stomach. If you have a sensitive throat, try baking the garlic with it coated in coconut oil. Consume 6 gloves a day, instead of 2-3, as it becomes less potent against parasites with baking. Do this every morning. The presence of compounds like allicin and ajoene in garlic impart anthelmintic properties to it. Thus, eating raw garlic daily can help in killing stomach worms quite easily (3).

3. Castor Oil

1 tablespoon of 100% organic castor oil 1 cup of hot water

You must do this once daily for a few days. Castor oil can be an effective tool to lessen the population of intestinal parasites due to its strong laxative properties especially when bowel movements are less than twice a day. It enhances the secretion of intestinal mucus when taken with hot water, which, in turn, forces out bile along with the toxins and parasites (4). You must only consume 100% organic castor oil.

4. Cloves

2-3 cloves 1 cup of water Honey

You must consume this solution 3 to 4 times daily for a week. Clove contains a compound called eugenol, which is a strong germicidal and anthelmintic agent. Its regular intake promotes the destruction of intestinal parasites and their larvae and eggs (5).

5. Herbal Tea

1 teaspoon of peppermint or fennel tea 1 cup of water

You must drink this 3 to 4 times daily for at least a week. Certain herbal teas (like those made from fennel and peppermint) are rich in components that speed up the destruction of intestinal parasites. They possess antiparasitic properties that flush out toxins and parasites from your system (6).

6. Turmeric

1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 glass of hot coconut milk

You must do this 1 to 2 times daily for a few days. The presence of curcumin in turmeric imparts many benefits to it, including the ability to get rid of intestinal parasites. Curcumin exhibits anthelmintic and antimicrobial properties that cleanse your intestine of parasites as well as other toxins (7).

7. Papaya

1 tablespoon of papaya seeds ½ cup of papaya 1 cup of coconut milk

You must do this once every three days. Papaya seeds possess anthelmintic and anti-amoebic properties that help in expelling intestinal parasites. They enhance your digestion while also killing intestinal worms (8).

8. Ginger

1-2 inches of minced ginger 1 cup of water

You must drink this solution 3 to 4 times daily. A compound called gingerol in ginger enhances your digestion and helps in eliminating and killing intestinal parasites like roundworms, blood flukes, etc. (9).

9. Olive Leaf Extract

180 mg of olive leaf extract supplement Divide 180 mg of olive leaf extract supplement into three doses and consume daily. You must do this on a daily basis till you notice an improvement. Olive leaf extract exhibits powerful parasiticidal properties shown in studies again leishmania parasites (10).

10. Neem

8-10 neem leaves Water

Do this once in three weeks until you get rid of all your belly worms. Neem leaves help in killing and eliminating parasites from your intestinal walls. This is mainly because of their anti-parasitic properties (11).

11. Cinnamon

½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder 1 glass of warm water Honey (optional)

You must do this at least three times daily for a few days. Cinnamon increases the temperature within your intestine, thus making the survival of parasites difficult. It also improves your digestion and makes the excretion of parasites easier (12), (13).

12. Vitamin C

2000-5000 mg of vitamin C supplement Take 2000-5000 mg of vitamin C in two to three doses. Do this once daily for a few days. Vitamin C is an exceptional antioxidant known for its immune boosting properties, which help kill intestinal parasites (14). Vitamin C must not be taken with magnesium or calcium supplements.

13. Aloe Vera

1 glass of fresh aloe juice Drink a glass of freshly prepared aloe juice. You must drink 2 to 3 cups of aloe juice daily for effective results. Aloe vera exhibits purgative effects that help in flushing out all the toxins as well as parasites from your belly. It is one of the best remedies for treating intestinal parasites (15).

14. Grape Seed Extract

8-12 drops of grape seed extract 1 glass of water

You must drink this solution 1 to 2 times daily. Grape seed extract contains oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes ( OPCs). These impart antimicrobial properties to it that help in getting rid of the intestinal parasites (16).

15. Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds ½ cup of coconut milk ½ cup of water

Repeat this procedure for 2 to 3 weeks for complete recovery. Pumpkin seeds contain a compound called cucurbitacin that paralyzes the worms inside your stomach, thereby helping in detaching them from your intestinal walls and expelling them via stool (17). For large parasites, chewing the seeds after the are cooked will put the seeds into the digestive tract in a way that will mechanically cut at the parasites. The above remedies can speed up the cleansing process of your intestines, thereby assisting greatly in expelling the worms within your stomach. Additionally, you should also pay extra attention to your diet to help the remedies do better.

What To Eat

Green leafy veggies Green onions Pineapples Fish rich in fatty acids Probiotic-rich foods

What To Avoid

Sugar Refined carbohydrates

In addition to your diet, you must also follow a few other tips like the ones mentioned below to prevent the recurrence of parasitic infections.

Prevention Tips

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after eating food. Avoid raw fish and meat. Wash your hands after using the loo and before cooking. Wash and peel fruits and vegetables before you cook/consume them. Disinfect all utensils that may have come in contact with raw fish or meat. Avoid direct contact with soil. Always carry a hand sanitizer while traveling. Drink only bottled water while you are traveling.

We are all at equal risk of developing intestinal parasites. So, we must take extra precautions when it comes to our day-to-day hygiene (especially while traveling). What does poop look like when you have worms? If you are infected with intestinal worms, you might see small white thread-like structures in your stool. How long do intestinal worms last? Worms can live in your intestines from a few months to even decades. However, with treatment, you can speed up their elimination. What teas are good for killing intestinal parasites? Herbal teas like peppermint tea and fennel tea are a great way to expel worms from your intestines. What kind of doctor should I see for intestinal parasites? For intestinal worms, you can visit an infectious disease specialist or even a general physician as this medical condition is a common occurrence. Does Epsom salt get rid of parasites? There is a lack of scientific evidence suggesting that Epsom salt may be used to get rid of parasites. Is there a home test for parasites? Yes. There are many commercially available at-home stool test kits that can help detect parasites. Can you see parasites in a colonoscopy? Yes, colonoscopy or endoscopy can be performed to detect parasites. Are intestinal parasites contagious? Yes, these parasites are often passed via the oral-fecal route. A person may become ill if they consume food or drink contaminated with parasite eggs or larvae. Can parasites make you tired? Yes. Fatigue due to energy depletion and nutrient malabsorption is frequently observed in patients infected with intestinal parasites.