Parasites: Guests You Don't Want to Host

At the most basic level, a parasite is an organism that lives in or on another living organism- called  the host, and relies on the host for survival. 

Parasites survive in or on a host by taking nutrients and  resources from the host body, which can interfere with normal bodily functions.

Parasites may live in the digestive system, blood, in or on the skin or other tissues depending on the type, and can range from microscopic single celled organisms-to larger worm like organisms- to external parasites like lice or mites.

When a parasite is present and actively affecting  the body, it is considered a parasitic infection.

Now, Infection only occurs when the parasite successfully enters your body, survives, and begins to live and establish itself in your body in a way that starts to affect you physically.

It’s important to note here that not every parasite leads to infection, and not every infection causes major symptoms, and a lot of parasitic infections are treatable when they are properly identified, meaning, medically identified.

Parasites are typically introduced into your body through specific types of exposure- not ever randomly.

One of the most common ways is through Consuming contaminated food or water. 

We used to think nothing of drinking out of the hose- but today you don’t because of the dense population, our water has more contamination from sewage, industry, and agriculture.

 So, drinking water today needs to be treated, processed and filtered to help prevent contamination  from harmful organisms- like bacteria, viruses, and parasites from entering our bodies.

Some parasites can also be picked up through soil exposure. In some parts of the world walking barefoot outdoors can expose you to certain types of parasites, especially in environments where sanitation is limited.

There are 3 main types of parasites that are most often talked about:

*Protozoa- these are microscopic, single celled parasites- meaning they are made up of just one cell that does everything  needed for survival; getting energy, moving, reproducing and responding to its environment.

*Helminths- Are  larger, worm like parasites. They are multicellular organisms, which means they are made up of a lot of cells and each one has a different job in order to keep it alive.  

Ectoparasites-  These are external -they live on the outside of your body rather than inside.These parasites are lice and mites. 

The truth is ..

Yes, they exist.

Yes, they can affect your body.

NO. They are not something everyone is dealing with.

No. having a parasite doesn’t require you to panic or go to extreme measures to get rid of it.

There is no single symptom that automatically points to a parasite, there are symptoms associated with parasites that overlap with other health issues; digestive issues, stress, food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies , or just plain illness, so it can be hard to tell. The goal is not to overthink it. The goal is  Awareness, not anxiety. It’s Understanding how your body works, how exposure happens, and when to seek proper evaluation if something feels off. 

And like most things health wise,  its less about drastic action, and more about consistent  support. And really, it all comes back to:

Supporting your body. 

 Supporting your gut.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask - A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949)236-1529

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