If you’re struggling with gut dysbiosis, inflammation or other chronic conditions, parasites, yeast overgrowth or “bad” bacteria in the gut may be to blame.

These three are the underlying cause of many illnesses. You may not even know about some that are present in your body, but others can cause serious health problems.

It’s important to speak with a medical practitioner before you embark on a parasite, bacteria or yeast cleanse. Once you have a diagnosis, you can work with a Functional Medicine health practitioner to ensure the cleanse is safe and effective.

Parasites

What are parasites?

Parasites are organisms that infect the body of another living being and live off their hosts to survive. Some parasites do not cause any symptoms, others can make you very ill. Parasitic infections occur when parasites grow, reproduce, or invade organ systems that make their hosts ill.

Common parasitic infections can include worms such as roundworm and pinworm, toxoplasmosis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis and trichomoniasis.

Symptoms of parasites in the body

Most parasites come from consuming water or food that has been contaminated. Travelling abroad can also expose you to tropical parasites. Depending on what parasite you have and what body system it affects, symptoms of parasitic infections can include the following:

stomach pain
stomach cramps
nausea
vomiting
dehydration
weight loss
fever
gas
diarrhoea
constipation
upset stomach
dehydration
flu-like symptoms
swollen lymph nodes
aches and pains
itching
redness
irritation [1]

How to do a parasite cleanse

The key to a parasite cleanse is avoiding refined sugars, grains and processed foods that the parasites feed on, boosting your intake of fibre to cleanse the body and getting good nutrients to build your immune system.

Incorporate garlic, honey, pumpkin seeds and papaya seeds and avoid tap water and raw or undercooked meat and seafood. Many nasty parasites will require a tailored approach targeted to the exact parasites based on detail microbiome and systemic testing.

Find out more here.

Yeast

What is yeast?

Yeast, also known as candida, is the most common fungus in the human body, often found in areas like the mouth, skin, digestive tract, toenails, rectum and vagina. Mostly, having a small amount of yeast in the body is harmless but if there is an overgrowth, it can lead to infection.

Symptoms of yeast infections in the body

These include:

Nausea
Bloating, constipation or diarrhoea
Chronic fatigue
Skin issues such as eczema or rashes
Recurrent urinary tract infections
Irritability and mood swings
Anxiety or depression
Joint pain [2]

How to do a yeast cleanse

The key to cleansing your body of yeast is to avoid the foods and drinks that support the growth of yeast – alcohol, caffeine, and foods high in sugar and gluten.

The first stage of a full candida cleanse include drinking broth made from organic onions, garlic, celery, kale, sea salt and purified water for one to two days.

You then spend three to five days eating the below:

Steamed organic vegetables but exclude starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn and carrots.
Drink lots of purified water
Salads made with leafy greens with coconut oil or apple cider vinegar

After these two stages, you will start a diet rich in vegetables, protein and gluten-free grains. It is also recommended that you regularly enjoy the following:

apple cider vinegar
green veggies
green drinks
coconut oil
Manuka honey
garlic
ground chia and flaxseeds
unsweetened cranberry juice
cultured dairy
spices (like turmeric and cinnamon) [3]

These dietary measures can assist with mild overgrowths but and heavy overgrowth or well set in colonisations will require a targeted approach from your practitioner with specific herbs and supplements.

Find out more here.

“Bad” gut bacteria

What is “bad” gut bacteria?

Not all bacteria are harmful. Good bacteria are essential to our survival and help us digest food and absorb nutrients and contribute enormously to our overall wellbeing.

However, harmful and opportunistic bacteria cause a myriad of problems, including SIBO and IBS. Removing the harmful bacteria from your gut can assist with improving digestion and clearing up a range of unwanted symptoms.

Symptoms of unwanted bacteria in the body

The following can be signs of a gut bacteria imbalance:

Autoimmune problems, such as thyroid issues, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes
Digestive issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn or bloating
Sleep issues
Skin rashes and allergies
Sugar cravings
Unexplained fatigue or sluggishness
Unexplained mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety
Unexplained weight gain or weight loss [4]

How to do a bacteria cleanse

Eliminating or reducing the number of harmful bacteria in your gut can be achieved by avoiding processed and junk foods, refined sugar and artificial sweeteners, alcohol and caffeine. You will also need to avoid inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, soy, corn, nightshades and eggs.

Increase your intake of prebiotics and probiotics and eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruits. Look at your lifestyle and see if you can improve your sleep, decrease your stress levels and exercise more.

Find out more here.

Powerful herbs for cleansing the body of parasites, bacteria and yeast

As Functional Medicine health practitioners, there are many natural supports we use to cleanse the body of parasites, yeast and bacteria.

Some of these include:

Black walnut

One of the key active components of the black walnut hull is juglone. Juglone exerts its effect by inhibiting certain enzymes needed for metabolic function. It’s highly toxic too many insect herbivores and researchers have observed that black walnut can expel parasitic worms from the body.

Black walnut is effective against ringworm, tapeworm, pin or thread worm, and other parasites of the intestine. [5]

It also has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.

Wormwood

Artemisinins are derived from extracts of sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) and are well established for the treatment of malaria, including highly drug-resistant strains. Their efficacy also extends to phylogenetically unrelated parasitic infections such as schistosomiasis. [6]

Berberine

Berberine is found in goldenseal, Coptis or goldenthread, Oregon grape, barberry), and tree turmeric. The berberine alkaloid can be found in the roots, rhizomes, and stem bark of the plants. Berberine extracts and decoctions have demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against a variety of organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths, and chlamydia. Currently, the predominant clinical uses of berberine include bacterial diarrhoea, intestinal parasite infections, and ocular trachoma infections. [7]

Pau D’arco

Pau D’arco comes from tree bark of the Tabebuia impetiginosa or Tabebuia avellanedae species from the rainforests of Central and South America. It contains plant-based naphthoquinone compounds called lapachol and beta-lapachone. Vitamin K is also a naphthoquinone and increases blood clotting.

Pau D’arco has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties and is especially effective in the treatment of Candida. The bark is highly resistant to rotting and mould. [8]

Clove oil

Clove oil has many health benefits, including the ability to kill parasites, fungus and bacteria. It is especially effective in its anti-fungal activity against opportunistic fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus. [9]

Oregano oil

Oil of oregano contains active ingredients with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The active ingredients in oil of oregano belong to the phenol family and include thymol, carvacrol and rosmarinic acid.

It is helpful in clearing up yeast bacterial infections and intestinal parasites, as well as correcting the overall imbalance in your gut environment. [10]

Thyme

Thyme is a perennial wild shrub from the Lamiaceae family and native to the Mediterranean region. It is abundant in phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins and has long been known for its antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiseptic activities, in addition to remarkable disruption of microbial biofilms. [11]

Anise

Pimpinella anisum (anise), belongs to the Umbelliferae family. It is an aromatic plant which has been used In Iranian traditional medicine as carminative, aromatic, disinfectant, and galactagogue.

Studies also demonstrate that anise has antimicrobial, anti-fungal, antiviral, antioxidant, muscle relaxant, analgesic and anticonvulsant properties, as well as having different effects on the gastrointestinal system. [12]

Coconut oil

Coconut oil has many healing properties and is known for its below properties:

Antiviral effect: Coconut oil’s medium-chain fatty acids are believed to fight against lipid-coated viruses, such as influenza and Epstein-Barr. The MCFAs disrupt the virus membranes preventing them from growing and maturing.

Antibacterial effect: In certain concentrations, coconut oil “exhibited bactericidal activity” against E. coli and several other bacteria.

Anti-fungal effect: Caprylic acid is known to have anti-fungal properties. Since its not water soluble, it may have an easier time attacking wet membranes that protect fungal cells. [13]

Grapefruit seed extract

Grapefruit seed extract has effective anti-microbial properties. Studies show that it can combat a wide range of gram-negative and gram-positive organisms at dilutions found to be safe. It disrupts the bacterial membrane and liberates the cytoplasmic contents within 15 minutes after contact even at more dilute concentrations. [14]

How we can help

As you can see from the above, there are many different supports available for you to rid your body of parasites, harmful bacteria and fungus. A carefully tailored diet, combined with lifestyle changes and prescribed natural herbs and supplements, will give you a better chance of undertaking a cleanse that works.

At Advanced Functional Medicine, we will help to improve general gut health, your immune system and other body systems, to get you back on the road to recovery and wellness.

We find parasites, yeasts and bacteria’s at the root cause of many of our patients adverse symptoms they are experiencing.

Call us to find out more.

Cleanse Your Body of Parasites, Yeast and Bacteria For Better Health