The Season of Detoxing
The wintertime is a great space for reflection to slow down, turn inward, and flow with the cool, dark season. When the first signs of Spring appear, the air becomes lighter, and plants begin to sprout; we begin to shed our winter layers. It's that time of the year again when we start to awaken from the depths of winter, the snow is melting, and we begin to feel the urge for Spring cleaning. Spring is the optimal time to embark on deep cleansing our bodies may need. Chinese medicine encourages humans to live in harmony with the seasons to achieve optimal health and bodily function. The Spring season is associated with the liver and gallbladder.
What kind of detox can I do?
Today we're going to speak primarily about parasite cleansing. We will also consider candida to be a part of this protocol, and this detox will also target candida. Often when people suffer from several symptoms, it's found that candida overgrowth and parasite infections go hand in hand.
What is a parasite?
A parasite is an organism that can exist in many places, including the human body. A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another species, requiring a host to survive. It's important to note that parasites are a regular part of our daily lives and bodies. They exist in food and on things we touch, and most human beings will have parasites within them. When the body becomes weakened and hormones become unbalanced, an inflamed and acidic environment becomes the perfect space for parasites and bacterial overgrowth to flourish. When our tissue state becomes less than favorable, microorganisms will become unbalanced. Parasite infections can negatively impact the body physically and emotionally. Often, parasite infections can be the underlying reason for many mysterious symptoms, including yeast overgrowth like candida.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of symptoms that parasites may cause:
-Extreme bloating
-Hormonal imbalance
-Skin rashes/inflamed skin: Eczema, hives, itching
-Swollen Lymph nodes
-Diarrhoea
-Muscles and joint pain
-Chronic fatigue syndrome
-Depression/anxiety
-Iron absorption issues
-Teeth grinding
-Reoccurring yeast infections
-Candida
-Itching of the anal or vaginal area
-Insomnia
What can I do about a parasite infection?
Luckily there are natural ways to use antiparasitic herbs and diet restrictions to treat parasites. So we've put together a simplified protocol that will entail two phases over twelve to six weeks. I recommend starting the kill phase of the protocol on a full moon when parasites are most active.
The Diet
During the parasite detox, a therapeutic diet is essential to follow. Parasites, bacteria, and yeast feed on refined sugary foods. Any sugar, whether from candy or bread, will keep them alive. So it's important to restrict sugar and toxic processed foods to allow the organisms to die off and have your body handle the toxin release effectively.
If you want to focus on parasites, you can include some antiparasitic foods like honey and fruit. If you suspect you also suffer from bacterial or yeast overgrowth, you will want to keep all sugars restricted for the cleanse. Keep in mind that if you are already struggling with intense sugar cravings, it would be wise to limit sugar as much as
possible.
What can I eat on my parasite cleanse?
Meat:
-Grass-fed beef, ground chuck
-Wild fish (Especially sardines, mackerel, and small fatty fishes that contain fewer heavy metals)
-Well-sourced oysters, mussels, seafood
-Organic Chicken
-Turkey, ground turkey
-Duck
-Wild game
-Pastured or free-range eggs
Do your best to source your meat well to the best of your ability. Conventional, factory-farmed beef has a different nutrient profile than well-raised, organically-fed animals. The quality of the meat you're consuming will help the body heal and detox more effectively. So feel free to eat plenty of good-quality protein.
It's best to start your day with primarily fats and protein, as it will help keep your blood sugars stable and your hormones balanced and keep you feeling satiated all day.
Fats:
-Grass-fed butter
-Tallow
-Lard
-Coconut oil
-MCT oil
-Olive oil
-Avocado oil
Consume lots of fat from coconut/MCT oil during this detox, as coconut is both antiparasitic and
anti-fungal. Please avoid all seed oils, as they are inflammatory to the body. Olive oil and avocado are ok.
Vegetables:
-Onions
-Garlic
-Well-cooked dandelion greens
-Lettuce
-Well-cooked dark leafy greens
-Well-cooked beets
-Asparagus
-Well-cooked cruciferous vegetables
*Note: Cooking vegetables well will ensure that antinutrients such as oxalates are decreased and will not cause further gut irritation.
Feel free to eat lots of vegetables. However, keep your eye on how it feels to eat things like onions, garlic, and cruciferous vegetables, as it can cause more digestive upset and irritation for some. Especially for those who suffer from SIBO. (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.)
Fruits:
-Papaya
-Papaya seeds
-Avocados
-bananas
-Berries
-Apples
-Pears
-Stone fruit
Feel free to eat fruit, sticking to more low-sugar fruits. However, keep your servings to a minimum.
Grains/Carbs:
-Carrots
-Squash
-Pumpkin/Seeds
-Sweet potatoes
-Quinoa
-Teff
-Brown Rice
-Oats
During your detox, you may eat these foods but do not eat them in excess. Instead, focus on carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, as they are high in vitamin A.
Spices:
-Good quality salt
-Raw Ginger
-Raw Garlic
-Cinnamon
-Raw Turmeric
-Cardamom
-Curry
-Chilli
-Oregano
-Cumin
-Ginger
-Thyme
-Cloves
-Rosemary
Eat spices in abundance!
Foods to Avoid:
-Legumes (peanuts, lentils, beans)
-Conventional Dairy
-Refined sugar of any kind (cookies, pastries, cakes)
-Refined vegetable/seed oils
-Cereal grains
-Sugary beverages
-Processed/junk food
-Fermented foods (kombucha, miso, sourkraut)
-Mushrooms
The Protocol
The first thing to consider when cleansing is how supported your body feels. Are your hormones supported? How are your stress levels? If you are chronically stressed, depleted, and in a state of fatigue, going straight into a cleanse will because extra strain on the body. It's good to start on some adaptogenic herbs for a few weeks to a few months before detoxing to ensure your body can handle the stress a detox puts on the system.
Here is a list of the following products found in store that are excellent for supporting the body:
The following important factor in detoxing is opening your drainage pathways. Focusing on drainage can be done a few weeks to a few months before your cleanse. The amount of time you need to spend on your detox pathways will depend on your current state of toxicity. You will need to support your lymphatic system, liver, and kidneys to do this.
Here is a list of products found in store to support your liver + kidneys:
-Uva Ursi
Here is a list of products found in the store that can support your lymphatic system:
-Kidney Supporting Tincture (dandelion root tincture, Schizandra berry tincture, Ashwagandha tincture & Rhodiola tincture )
BioFilm Disruptors:
This part of the detox is vital in any parasite/candida cleansing. During this phase, you will take proteolytic enzymes and eat herbs and spices that will break down what's known as a biofilm.
What is a biofilm?
A biofilm is a collective of one or more microorganisms that can grow on many different surfaces—tiny organisms from a film consisting of bacteria, fungi, and protists. One example of this is plaque build-up on the teeth. A slime-like film is formed in the intestine, creating a shield or barrier of protection against the immune system and any medications or herbs that may kill the infection. The biofilm must be targeted and broken down for any antiparasitic herbs to
target parasites, bacteria, or fungi.
Take a combination of biofilm disruptors 4-6 weeks before starting the kill phase and continue taking biofilm disruptors until the cleanse's end.
The following products are efficient biofilm disruptors:
-Nattokinase
-protease
-streptokinase
-NAC
-Berberine
-Black Walnut
-Goldenseal
-Oregano Oil
-Garlic
-Curcumin
-Ginger
-Cinnamon
The Main Event: The Kill Phase
The products:
I suggest trying the product SCRAM by Health Force Foods. This product is easy to use and contains a perfect balance of herbal ingredients to guide you through this cleanse portion. Just follow the instructions on the bottle.
You may also buy separate tinctures to create your protocol that would look something like this:
For three weeks:
-Wormwood 2x daily
-Black Walnut 2x daily
-Oregano Oil 3x daily
-Grapefruit Seed Extract (As Directed)
-Clove Tea 3x daily
It would be ideal to consume Pau D'arco tea daily during this cleanse.
Because toxins are released into the bloodstream, it is important to take a binder such as activated charcoal.
During this phase, you will take antiparasitic herbs for around three weeks. You focus on rest and lots of water during this stage and allow the herbs to work their magic within the body. There may be a portion of time during this phase when you feel very lethargic and ill and may experience flu-like symptoms. This feeling is known as "die-off." Die-off is normal and means that pathogens die off in your body and release toxins, causing you to feel symptoms. Taking a toxin binder during the detox will help remove those toxins from the body and help prevent them from recirculating through the liver, causing you to feel worse. Remember to drink lots of fluids and focus on sleep and relaxation during this time while the body takes on extra work.
After the detox, you must integrate probiotics to recolonize your gut. Herbs are potent and will also cause the die-off of nonpathogenic bacteria. Time spent repopulating your gut with fermented foods can help you to feel your best afterward. Chat with your local practitioner or health food store to find the proper probiotic and dose. In terms of a capsulated probiotic, a high-quality product with very few strains will be necessary for a sensitive gut.
Remember that healing is not linear, and you may require a deeper look into your individual body to exacerbate the issue entirely. Reach out to your local herbalist, nutritionist, or TCM practitioner to help you through this process.
