Parasites: Dealing with Uninvited Guests

Best Single Herb: Wormwood

Best Combinations: Elecampane, mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), spearmint, turmeric, ginger, garlic, clove, wormwood (Artemisia absinthium); cascara sagrada; black walnut

Other Helpful Supplements: Acidophilus; food enzymes with hydrochloric acid

Possible Causes: Poor stomach acid; problems with the drinking water; transfer from food or pets

Complementary Help: Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly; cleanse the bowel; avoid sugar

Parasites are organisms that live off a host (you) that do not contribute to the welfare of that host. Basically life-suckers, parasites are linked to a myriad of illnesses, and parasite infestation can be very damaging to the system. Several different types of parasites exist, from microscopic organisms to large intestinal tapeworms. Because most of you will be terribly grossed out by this topic, I’ll spare you the gruesome details. However, I think that everyone should be aware that more of us than you might think have parasites.

In this section, I’ll also make you aware of some of the signs of infestation, and I’ll give you some preventative measures to take. Then we can get on with the herbal remedies.

Parasites can be transferred through contact with the following contaminated items:

• Animals
• Feces
• Meat
• Soil
• Vegetables
• Water

Parasites can enter our body via the mouth or through the skin.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Think of bugs and parasites as nature’s undertakers — they invade only when conditions are ripe. Keep the body clean, digestion strong, and tissues oxygenated so parasites cannot take a foothold.

How can you tell if you might have a parasitic infection? Here are some things to look for:

• Sudden, unexplained illness
• Dramatic weight loss or weight gain
• Diarrhea, intestinal distress
• Vomiting, nausea
• Grinding teeth, especially at night
• Sugar cravings
• Abdominal bloating
• Lowered immunity
• Insomnia
• General body aches, pains, weakness
• Liver problems, anemia, cirrhosis

These ailments can be caused by a host of things (no pun intended!) but are common among my clients who suffer from parasite infections.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Avoid sugar when dealing with a parasite infection. Sugar is a favorite food of parasites, and you will need to starve the party to get rid of them for good.

When utilizing herbs to kill off a parasite infection, get some guidance from your holistic practitioner and herbalist because the process can sometimes take more than a month — and sometimes several months — to complete.

Try this regimen that my clients have followed with success:

1. Take your parasite-killing herbs (examples are given in the table at the end of this chapter) for 10 days, and avoid eating sugar, meat, cheese, and bread.

2. Replace these foods with lots of rice, steamed vegetables, tofu, beans, salads, and other wholesome foods.

3. Then, continue on your clean diet and discontinue the parasite-killing herbs for 10 days. (You can continue on your food enzyme supplement with hydrochloric acid for protection.)

4. After this 10-day rest period, resume taking your herbs for another 10 days. This will ensure that you have killed off any eggs that may have hatched from the first batch of the nasties.

Don’t be discouraged if you have to go through this process for another month or so — it will depend on how strong of a foothold the buggers have on you. You can also increase your garlic intake to speed up the process.

Wormwood, Would You?

In case you’re out in the bushes identifying different herbs, let’s clear up a common problem in identifying or labeling sage. There is the herb sage, and then there is the herb sagebrush. Sagebrush is commonly referred to as just sage, for short, but sage and sagebrush actually come from two separate families. Sagebrush is part of the Artemisia family (also referred to as the wormwood family). We’re going to talk about the wormwood or Artemisia family here for its usefulness in fighting parasites. This family contains three different herbs, and all are quite different.

Let’s get this wormwood, sage, sagebrush thing straight:

Wormwood is a common name for the herb Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia frigida, or Artemisia tilesii. This is the herb we will discuss for its effects on ridding the body of parasites.

Mugwort is the common name for the herb Artemisia vulgaris. This herb is also used to fight parasite infections and can be used together with wormwood for enhanced effect.

Sagebrush is the common name for the herb Artemisia tridentata and is the common, bush-like herb you see in the mountains, deserts, and plains of North America. We’ll talk a little more about this common plant here, too, because it’s one of my favorites. This herb has been used for respiratory ailments and many other conditions of the body. See the following photo of sagebrush taken early in the spring to help identify this herb.

Sage does not belong in the Artemisia family at all — its Latin name is Salvia officinalis, and it’s used for sinuses, the bladder, mucus membranes, sore throats, and nerves.

Growing up in Colorado (and now living in Idaho), I have been surrounded by sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) almost everywhere outdoors. I love its bittersweet smell and have harvested it for use as incense. The plant burns easily, and with an incense holder and a piece of self-igniting charcoal, you can burn the fresh herb for quite a while. Use sagebrush for a psychic cleansing for your environment and self. When moving into a new home that was previously occupied or buying a previously owned vehicle, a smoky sagebrush cleansing will help purify others energies and makes the space feel cleaner.

Artemisia tridentata, commonly known as sagebrush and sometimes called sage.

The sagebrush is the silver-green, somewhat fuzzy plant you see in the Western high deserts and plains of North America. Next time you watch a cowboy Western movie, notice the sagebrush that is always growing abundantly in the dusty, rocky ground. Pick some for its wonderful smell, and remember its differences from the other herb: sage.

Now back to the other Artemisia family members that specifically have been used as verimfuges (parasite killers) and anthelmintics (parasite expellers).

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

Having the opportunity to be involved with a tribe of Lakota Sioux Native Americans helped me see what a useful and revered herb sagebrush is. Women added a pinch of it to soups and stews; fresh sprigs were added to the flames of the sweat lodge fire; and the medicine man always cleansed the energy of each person who entered the healing ceremonies with the smoke of burning sagebrush. Sometimes when flesh offerings were given, the medicine man would pick some sprigs and immediately dress the wounds with the leaves; the application stopped bleeding immediately.

Wormwood is a plant that may have received its name because pests are repelled by it. You can take wormwood internally but only in small doses; this herb can kill and send unwanted parasites from your body, and it may work specifically well for roundworms and thread worms. You will usually find wormwood mixed with other herbs in combinations because too much of this herb can be toxic to the system. Parasites aren’t the only pests that dislike this herb — mice also are repelled by it. In fact, it is said that writers and authors in the days of old used to add the juice of the wormwood plant to their ink to protect mice from chewing on their papers! (Isn’t it funny how times have changed? Now authors couldn’t survive without a mouse!)

Terms related to herbs or holistic health

A verimfuge is a term used for an herb that has properties that push parasites from the body. This term has been used interchangeably with anthelmintic, parasiticide, and antiparasitic. An anthelmintic is a term used for an herb that has properties that kill parasites. This term has been used interchangeably with verimfuge, parasiticide, and antiparasitic.

You can also use dried wormwood to make sachets for protecting your closets and sweater drawers from moths. Try wormwood as a tea or decoction, and apply it externally for use as a topical insect repellent and to combat lice, scabies, and itchy skin.

In folklore, the dried herb of the wormwood plant was used to protect a person from spells given by the evil eye. So, it seems, wormwood has been used for a long time to rid unwanted things from our body and from our environment.

Other Herbs to Evict Unwanted Tenants

Many herbs can be used safely in combination or separately to fight parasitic infections and to protect you from them in the first place. For protection, take a food enzyme supplement with hydrochloric acid before every meal, especially when eating out or traveling. Food poisoning is usually caused by bacterial infections, but parasites can be contracted the same way — either way, hydrochloric acid should kill them both!

Here’s a list of well-known herbs that kill and rid the body of parasites:

• Wormwood
• Elecampane
• Mugwort
• Spearmint
• Turmeric (a spice used in cooking — especially in Indian curries)
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Clove
• Cascara sagrada
• Black Walnut

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

If you and your physician cannot pinpoint the exact cause of your ailments, consider a parasite infection.

Any combinations of these herbs can serve as an internal fumigation for your parasites! Not all of these are safe for use if pregnant or nursing, so see the contraindications listed back in “Herbs Are Not Just for Hippies Anymore,” before utilizing these herbs.

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