“MOMMMMMMM! There is a worm coming out of my butt!”
Thank goodness I have NEVER heard this from the lips of my child. I wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Not that a parasitic infection in a child is out of the ordinary. SEEING a parasite would be more unusual that actually having an infestation.
You see, parasites are pretty elusive. Those in worm form come out at night and during the day hide deep in fecal matter. You usually don’t get much of a look at them. Which of course makes it tough to know whether you or a family member have an infestation.
Most everyone around the globe will experience parasites at least once in their life. You may never know you had them. Or you may be having some rather out of the ordinary health symptoms and after lab work, discover a parasitic infection.
Before we dive into things further, let’s just take a quick look at…
Possible Symptoms of Parasite Infection
You might have parasites if you have:
- Repeated diarrhea or constipation
- Chronic, unexplained nausea, often accompanied by vomiting
- Fatigue and weakness
- Intestinal cramping
- Unexplained dizziness or Blood sugar fluctuations
- Foul-smelling gas
- Indigestion and malabsorption of fatty foods
- Bloating
- Multiple food allergies
- Loss of appetite and/or sudden food cravings
- Itching around the anus, especially at night (children pick the nose, ears and anus)
- Difficulty sleeping
- Emaciation OR weight gain
- Itching on the soles of the feet, often accompanied by a rash
- Coughing blood (severe cases)
- Palpitations (hook worms)
- Anemia
- Facial swelling around the eyes (round worms)
- Skin sensitivity (ie. Rashes, eczema)
Some parasites can eventually affect the nervous system. This can lead to sleep disorders and even hyperactivity, depression, and anxiety especially in children. In other cases memory can be effected or other major organs such as the liver, pancreas, and kidneys.
So what should you do if you think you have parasites?
Well, get tested if this is something you can afford. Knowing the exact parasite can often times help you choose the best way to help your body get rid of it. If you cannot get tested or if you have a confirmed parasite but money is tight, you can turn to a gentle, affordable, easy to find potential remedy to see if that offers you any relief.
What am I talking about? Coconut of course. And not just coconut oil! We are giving coconut meat some airplay today too.
Coconut oil has plentiful Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA) which can defend you from parasites. There isn’t anything super sciency about how it works either. Parasites and MCFA just don’t mix well. The other role of coconut oil during a parasitic “cleanse” is that it will help your liver during the detoxification process. Your liver will be taxed heavily as the parasites come rolling out but coconut oil and give it the strength it needs to stay the course.
While coconut oil obviously has value when it comes to parasites, coconut meat really is that star of the show here. Check this out. It comes straight from Cooking with Coconut Flour by Bruce Fife, N.D.
An interesting benefit of coconut fiber, not found in other fibers, is that it can expel intestinal worms. Eating coconut meat to get rid of parasites is a traditional practice in India that was recognized among the early medical profession and is still used in some parts of the country today. Researchers have tested this method and have found that eating a sufficient quantity of coconut can expel 90 percent of intestinal parasites within 12 hours. Dried coconut is more effective than fresh in removing tapeworms. The researchers recommended eating foods made with coconut flour, a form of dried coconut, as a safe and relatively easy way to treat tapeworm infestation.
Coconut meat is rich in fiber. Note that not all fibers have the ability to eliminate parasites. Acting as a vermifuge is an important coconut fiber benefit not found in other fibers. A vermifuge is simply a medicine or agent serving to discharge worms or other animal parasites from the intestines.
Using coconut meat to get rid of parasites and worms is not just a traditional practice in India. The effectiveness of coconut meat as a vermifuge (a medicine or agent serving to discharge worms or other animal parasites from the intestines) has also been tested in a study that was conducted in 1984 in a village in Rajasthan India where there are many cases of tapeworm infestation. As the people there are non-vegetarians, they usually get to east raw or improperly cooked beef. The study used fifty individuals infected with parasites volunteered for the study and they let them take different coconut preparations combined with Epsom salt which is a strong laxative. The subjects that were given either 400 grams of fresh coconut or 200 grams of dried coconut followed with Epsom salt successfully expelled parasites. After 12 hours, it was learned that those who were given dried coconut expelled 90 percent of parasites while those who took fresh coconut expelled 60% of parasites. Therefore dried coconut is much effective than fresh coconut as a vermifuge.
The health condition of the subjects was checked six months after the study and 1/3 of them had no reoccurrence of parasites. The majority of those who were infested with tapeworms again acquire it from eating improperly cooked raw beef.
Interesting stuff right?
If coconut oil isn’t your thing, there are other gentle ways to help certain parasites move along. I have used a couple of products myself, more for maintenance and not because I had a known parasitic infection. These are:
It also helps if you take a binder like Activated Charcoal or Bentonite Clay during your parasite cleanse. Just be sure to take the binders 2 hours before or after other supplements and main meals.
Curious what else coconut oil can do? Check out my post on Uses For Coconut Oil.
Have you battled parasites and used coconut oil or dried coconut to beat them at their own game? Do share in the comments. Also, are you wondering which coconut oil I use and why? Check out my Products I Love page.
Sources for this article include:
Kris says
September 7, 2016 at 10:23 PMHi!
I am Kris
Wanted to know who is Epson salt taken
what would the ratio be?
Thanks!
just discovered this website today
Much Appreciated
Jennifer says
November 14, 2016 at 6:06 PMHi Kris! I am afraid that I am a little confused by your question. Can you please clarify?
Carol says
April 16, 2018 at 8:09 AMJennifer how much coconut oil is required and do you need to add epsom salt? Thank You for sharing your wisdom in this field of speaciality .
Carol says
April 16, 2018 at 8:10 AMSorry for the misspelling of your name
Jennifer says
April 22, 2018 at 12:09 PMHi Carol! Basically, if you can work up to 1/4 cup a day, that would be ideal. Start slow though – take 1 tablespoon and work up. No, you do not need to add epsom salt.
Jenipher Wanjahi says
July 27, 2017 at 7:18 AMVery educative information, thank you for that.
My question is it the same by drinking a glass of water mixed with one tablespoon of coconut oil?
Kindly help
Jennifer says
August 8, 2017 at 12:47 PMHowever you can get the coconut oil into your system is fine! Mixing it in with things won’t change its superpowers.
Bellamarie says
December 22, 2017 at 7:43 AMHello, my name is Bella and I just found this great page. I’m really on the fence with my issues. I’ve been having heart palpitations, slight high blood pressure, low sugar, aniema, bowel movement with sweats, racing heart that wake me up every morning. I’m losing weight with out trying and now it’s 100 X worst. I’m concerned that I might have parasites. Last year I was deadly sick and I was in the hospital for 9 day because my gallstones bursted in me that triggered my pancreas to almost shut down. Now I’m a hot mess again and need your advise. I notice that with the coconut oil, you didnt say how much to drink and how much Epsom salt I add to a 8 oz of coconut oil. I really want to give this a try. Thank you Bellamarie 🤗
Jennifer says
January 11, 2018 at 3:28 PMHi Bellamarie! I am so sorry that you are going through this. Any chance you are being exposed to mold? That can cause symptoms like this as well. You can take as much coconut oil as you can handle. I would start with a tablespoon or two per day and start working up. If you start to feel lousy from it, that means your body is getting rid of the bad stuff. Back off on the amount you are taking and slowly work up again. The study that I referred to didn’t mention a specific amount of epson salt. Usually a teaspoon is plenty though.
S says
April 13, 2018 at 8:09 AMI was diagnosed with Lymes, but was breastfeeding at the time. I used baby formula while I was on the antibiotic bit stopped the antibiotic after 2 days because it was worthless. Decided to do a parasite detox instead.
I would use my zapper randomly, (to get the bugs moving I assumed) then drink a hot chocolate (to attract I assumed) with two tablespoons along coconut oil (to kill I assumed) as many times as I could. Within a few days, Lymes was gone! I don’t know if was the combination or one specific item, I’m just thankful it worked.
Jennifer says
April 22, 2018 at 12:15 PMOh how interesting! But it actually makes a lot of sense. Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
Mrs. B says
October 11, 2018 at 6:48 AMHi,
How exactly did you use the zapper to get the bugs to move down, please?
Emily says
May 10, 2018 at 7:28 AMA great way to take coconut oil is in your coffee! I blend my favorite brew with two tablespoons of coconut oil, and for flavor add a dash of cinnamon, almond or vanilla extract, and a little bit of stevia for sweetness. I have this every morning on an empty stomach and always feel amazing afterwards. Good article!
Zara says
July 3, 2018 at 7:52 AMThank you i will try this! I havent had a regular bowel movement since my now 5 year old was born. Ive been antibiotics most of my childhood and adolescence years. I get movement in my intestines every now and then and almost like a scratching feeling too. I took sugar out my diet and had a late period now again 3 days late still waiting. The natural doctor i went to some months ago just took a saliva and urine sample and told me i need to heal my gut and organs and sold me over $200 worth of vitamins. I was going okay but stopped because of money and weird headed feelings, lightheadedness,aim, ect. Im a little skeptical of putting high doses of poison in my body to heal it especially since my regular doctor did a blood test and found nothing. I took a at home 14 test kit and only found kidney damage. I check my blood sugar once a month and it is usually below 120 after meals. I pee alot at night and really dont sleep well. I know diet is key so i only eat veggies and fruits and lean protein to try and rid my body of whatever. Should i be taking acv on top of my organic greek yogurt and coconut oil too? I cant stomach the coconut oil alone so i drink it with my tea cinnamon and honey. But i find if i drink too much tea or coffee i get symptoms of heat palpatations or lightheadedness. thank you
Jennifer says
July 13, 2018 at 1:47 PMHi Zara! I am not a doctor but I know a lot about poop. 😉 Did you have your magnesium levels checked? This could definitely be the issue if you are on the low side of things. It is very common. Do you take any probiotics?
Micalah says
December 23, 2018 at 10:00 PMA few days ago, I had mild intestinal cramping, lack of appetite, and diarrhea that only lasted half a day. Nothing major, until I realized the next day that my poop was yellow. Currently, the yellow excrement is the only thing that’s wrong with me, but I’ve been taking coconut oil to be on the safe side. Dr. Google suggests I have giardia. Do you agree, or am I just being a hypochondriac?
Jennifer says
December 26, 2018 at 1:11 PMThat is almost impossible to know just by poop color. Yellow can be due to other things like excess bile. If it continues, you likely will want to run a stool test to determine the cause. If you don’t have a trusted practitioner, I can refer you to someone who works with clients remotely and is GREAT with this sort of thing.
Cathy Nellen says
April 21, 2019 at 10:34 PMHi Jennifer my name is Kathy and I see worms in my stool I’ve been bitten by them and I’ve been diagnosed with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver and I keep telling my doctors that it is because of the parasites in my body but they don’t believe me I’ve been tested in the parasites hide but I know I was not sick until I start seeing these bugs and they started itching me can you please give me the name of the doctor that works with the clients remotely I really appreciate some more help thank you
Jennifer says
April 22, 2019 at 11:21 AMOh Cathy! I am so sorry you have to deal with this! Elizabeth at http://wellnessimages.com/ is a wonderful practitioner who knows TONS about parasites and can absolutely help!