A parasite is an organism that lives off, and generally within, a host body. This can include your body, or the body of an animal, like your pet. Parasites live off of the "life" of another body, feeding on the nutrients, cells, and organs, of the host. They can reproduce by the thousands, depositing thousands of eggs, or simply replicating by cell division, within the host's tissues and cells. Estimates are that up to 85% of the human population is infected with parasites, and up to 50% of people in the United States are infected.
Parasites are often "mobile," moving to feed off of one area of the body and then to another. They can eat the host's cells directly, or drain the best of the nutrients directly from the host's tissues. (Remember, if you are inhabited by parasites, we are not talking about some other "host," but we are talking about YOU.) After eating, the parasite excretes its fecal wastes throughout the body's host? leaving a poisonous, amonia-like substance for the host's body to deal with. Parasites are NOT friendly, well-mannered guests.
Most parasitic infections come from our food and water sources but can also be transmitted by human or animal contact. Simply petting and grooming our pets can facilitate infection, the parasites' eggs passing from their fur to our hands, nose and mouth. Some parasites (e.g. pinworms) can even be transmitted through the air and are in the dust we breath. It's likely, therefore, that those who live in the same household will all have the same parasitic infections, whether they are currently symptomatic or not. People are infected by parasites through our water sources, our food sources (especially if the people who handle our foods at restraunts are themselves infected), through our pets, and even through our infected children (children are the most easily infected). If one person in a household is infected, then chances are EVERYONE in that household is infected, and everyone in that household must be treated together!
Parasites are often mobile, "grazing" in one area of the body after another, eating the host's cells directly or draining the best of the nutrients directly from the host's tissues, all while secreting their fecal wastes throughout the host's body, leaving their poisonous toxic sludge (like ammonia) behind, further taxing the host system's abilities even more gravely. Parasites likely infect everyone. It's estimated that as many as 85% of the world's population is so inflicted. In fact, it's highly likely that you are infected by one or more of over 1000 known parasites which can live in your body at any one time. It's believed by some scientists that parasitic infection is more responsible for diseases like cancer, diabetes, liver dysfunction, even HIV infection, and others, than traditionally accepted.
There are over 1000 known parasites that can infect human hosts. Medical tests can detect only about 50 of them at this time. Unless you physician has been trained in, or worked in, a Third World Country, he or she probably does not consider the possibility of parasites as causing illness in his or her community. Unfortunately, even if your physician does detect parasites, the prescription medications used to attack them are often somewhat toxic, and must be used very carefully. To learn more about parasitic infections, and treatment options, visit http://www.newideas.net/parasites.htm.
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Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.