Green Pharmacy for Worms

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Green Pharmacy for Worms

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/bookshelf/Books/41/122.cfm

 

Here's a letter I received after one of my Amazon ecotours. It came

from a tour participant who decided to put some of the herbal

medicines he learned about on the tour to the test.

 

" I enjoyed finally meeting you and attending your lectures during

the Pharmacy from the Rain Forest workshop last fall in Peru. I

thought you might like to know that the field trip to the local

aguardiente (rum) distillery proved to be unexpectedly educational.

 

" I believe that as a result of sampling the fermenting brew prior to

pasteurization, I unwittingly ingested some intestinal parasite.

 

An unpleasant experience followed, but my abdominal distress

nevertheless afforded an opportunity to put to use some of the folk

medicine of the region that you discussed.

 

" An infusion of wormseed in warm milk relieved all my symptoms for

two days, " my correspondent continued.

 

While I can't be sure from this letter that this fellow actually had

worms, I felt glad that he learned something at the workshop and was

able to treat his symptoms herbally.

 

The worms that we're concerned with in this chapter are tiny

parasites that invade the human intestinal tract and occasionally

other parts of the body.

 

True worms include flukeworms, hookworms, pinworms, roundworms,

tapeworms and whipworms.

 

More than one billion people worldwide are host to various

intestinal worms. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this

problem is confined to developing countries.

 

The New York Times estimates that 25 million Americans, mostly young

children from all social classes, have worms.

 

Green Pharmacy for Worms

 

Mainstream medicine uses a variety of drugs to treat worms. They are

generally effective, although some may cause severe side effects,

including nausea, diarrhea, cramps and vertigo.

 

If you suspect intestinal parasites, it's a good idea to get a

diagnosis from a physician and follow his or her advice concerning

treatment. Then discuss these herbal remedies with your doctor. If

you try a natural approach, you might be able to deal with the

problem without the side effects caused by many pharmaceuticals.

 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale).

New England herbalist Paul Schulick, author of Ginger: Common Spice

and Wonder Drug, states that the tangy root is remarkably effective

against some of the world's most dangerous parasites.

 

Among these is the anisakis worm, a Japanese worm that is carried in

raw fish and is now increasingly common in the United States.

 

No wonder the Japanese eat pickled ginger with their raw fish

dishes: In one study, a ginger extract immobilized more than 90

percent of anisakis larvae within 4 hours and destroyed them in 16

hours.

 

If you're a big fan of sashimi, the Japanese raw-fish specialty, it

probably wouldn't be a bad idea to adopt the Japanese custom of

having some pickled ginger along with your meal or shortly

afterward. This should offer a measure of protection.

If it's not served in the restaurant where you have your sushi, you

could enjoy a piece or two when you get home. Pickled ginger is

available in Asian markets and many specialty food stores.

 

The same advice goes for eating ceviche, the Latin American dish

made from marinated raw fish: Top off your meal with a piece of

pickled ginger.

 

Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo).

Pumpkin seeds and extracts have been shown to immobilize and aid in

the expulsion of intestinal worms and other parasites.

At least one patent has been granted for the use of a pumpkin

extract in an intestinal worm treatment.

Alternative practitioners often suggest that people with intestinal

parasites eat one ounce of pumpkin seeds a day while the problem

lasts. You could munch on pumpkin seeds and ginger for a double

whammy.

 

Wormseed (Chenopodium ambrosioides).

Wormseed is not used as a dewormer only in the tropics. As a long-

time resident of Maryland, I am proud to relate that wormseed was

once produced commercially in my state's Carroll and Frederick

counties for treatment of intestinal worms in American children and

pets. I've also found that wormseed helps relieve gas, so I add it

to bean soups. For worms, I'd try a concentrated tea.

A word of caution: The concentrated wormseed oil is too potent to

use.

 

You're far more likely to find this herb sold under the Spanish

name " epazote " . Although wormseed is the correct English name,

natural food stores tend to shy away from selling it under this

name.

 

Garlic (Allium sativum).

Naturopath Chris Deatheridge, N.D., a Missouri herbalist, uses

garlic to treat pinworms, roundworms, giardia (an amoeba) and other

parasitic infections. He suggests juicing three cloves with four to

six ounces of carrot juice and taking it every two hours.

 

papaya (Carica papaya).

Here's another Panama-Peru connection: The Choco Indians that I

studied more than three decades ago used to take the protein-

digesting (proteolytic) latex of papaya to get rid of intestinal

parasites.

 

My new Peruvian Indian friends have gotten a mite more efficient and

tidy: They swallow about a dozen of the pellet-size papaya seeds to

accomplish the same end. I have chewed papaya seeds, and they are

almost as hot as mustard seeds.

 

 

papaya

The fruit of the papaya has plenty of vitamin C, which helps build

immunity, and hot-flavored seeds that help repel intestinal worms.

 

 

Pineapple (Ananas comosus).

Tapeworms may clear up after three days of eating nothing but

pineapple. Pineapple contains the protein-digesting enzyme

bromelain.

 

Turmeric (Curcuma longa).

Indian folk healers recommend this tasty spice for getting rid of

worms, particularly nematodes. Turmeric contains four compounds with

antiparasitic action.

 

Individually, each of these compounds is ineffective, but when

they're mixed together, they have strong worm-killing properties.

The best way to take turmeric, as far as I'm concerned, is to enjoy

curry dishes, in which it is a key ingredient. It is responsible for

curries' yellow color.

 

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum).

Cloves have been demonstrated to be active against several

parasites, including intestinal worms. I'd recommend taking a strong

clove tea or adding powdered cloves to pineapple or papaya juices.

 

Finally, because proteolytic enzymes play such a major role in worm

treatments, I'd recommend my Proteolade, a fruit smoothie made by

blending the juice and pulp of fruits that are well-endowed with

these enzymes.

 

These include breadfruit, figs, papaya and pineapple. Spice the

beverage to taste with cloves, ginger and turmeric. (Unless you live

in the tropics, you probably won't be able to get the breadfruit.

It's okay to leave it out.)

 

You might also add a little prune juice as a laxative to help expel

dislodged worms.

 

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/bookshelf/Books/41/122.cfm

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