To deworm or not to deworm at least once a year? That is the question. However, many people never deworm after childhood – which can cause some negative effects on the gut and overall health.
What is deworming?
Deworming, also referred to as worming, drenching or dehelmintization is the giving of an anthelmintic drug (a wormer, dewormer, or drench) to a human or animal to rid them of helminths parasites, such as roundworm, flukes and tapeworm, Wikipedia explains.
The history of deworming
Earlier curriculums included annual mass deworming campaigns of school children. Children can be treated by administering mebendazole and albendazole. The cost is relatively low.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 870 million children are at risk of parasitic worm infection, Wiki Continues.
It seems inconceivable for many people that they may be among some 1.5 billion people around the world that the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates to be hosts to parasites such as roundworm, hookworm and whipworm – just three of the possible 130 types of parasites existing inside humans and animals.
Travellers who end up with diarrhoea after eating food from street markets in some exotic destination know the effects of parasite infestation well, but even those who stay home or who stay only in 5-star hotels can pick-up parasites in plush bathrooms and they remain unaware of it because parasites may do damage to cells, tissues, organs, suppress immunity and cause malabsorption of nutrients but they don’t usually kill.
More rural communities, where there is no indoor plumbing or clean running water, are often identified as breeding grounds for parasitic worms and their larvae where they contaminate food and water sources. Some worms enter the body through the feet if you walk around bare feet in high-risk areas.
Gut health
According to Gastroenterologist Johannesburg, Dr. H. Schneider – Milpark … without deworming, which expels intestinal worms from the body through ingesting anthelmintic medication, parasitic infestation can lead to malnutrition. Parasites such as worms cause the host to develop common symptoms such as: abdominal pain; diarrhea, nausea or vomiting; gas and bloating; redness or rash on the buttocks; fatigue; frequent urination; weight loss; tiredness, weakness or hunger; abdominal tenderness; dehydration and blood in the faeces.
Diagnosis
When it comes to diagnosing parasite or worm infestation, gastroenterologists may conduct the following tests: faecal tests, blood tests to determine the type of parasite, tissue swabs; colonoscopy, which involves the insertion of a thin camera to check for parasites in the bowel; imaging tests to check the organs for parasitic damage, tape test over the anus to check for signs of larvae and checking the fingernails for left-behind larvae because this where the parasites catch a ride into the intestines when the host picks up something to eat.
Some cases are treated with antiparasitic medication, while other cases are monitored. If you are infected, everyone in your family should be treated, even if they don’t have symptoms.
Who should be dewormed?
Babies and small children because they are at risk at daycare centres; people who handle pets; people who work with raw meat and those who live in poor home conditions or who don’t follow basic hygienic standards like washing their hands after going to the toilet and before cooking and eating.
Other standards that apply are:
- cooking meat properly before eating
- never leaving food uncovered
- drinking clean water
- keeping your nails short and clean
- avoid eating unwashed raw fruit and vegetables.
In fact, all the standards of sanitisation that people have been applying now during the COVID-19 pandemic apply when it comes to keeping one’s home as free of parasites as possible, particularly when it comes to cleaning surfaces.
Remedies
With any illness, prevention is always better than cure. As with most conditions, there are natural remedies that assist the body in its fight to be rid of parasites. These are: raw garlic, which naturally deworms, kills and expels parasites; pumpkin seeds paralyse worms, which reduces their chance of survival, and the enzyme papain found in raw papaya works as an anthelmintic that kills intestinal worms while the papaya seeds expel them. While immune boosters such as carrots, which are rich in vitamin A, turmeric with its antiseptic properties and lauric acid found in coconuts all strengthen immunity to ward off and eliminate parasitic worms from the body.
Cleansers
Health stores stock a number of natural intestinal cleansers made with herbs such as thyme, peppermint, garlic and the digestive enzyme bromelain. These eliminate infestation from the four major groups of parasites; Protozoa – amoeba and giardia; Nematode – round, pin and hookworms; Cestode – tapeworms and Trematode – flukes, while bacteria can also be grouped as parasitical. As with all natural preparations, it should be taken under the supervision of a health practitioner.
The Medical Society has a team of dietary and medical professionals who can help you with all your gut health and other health issues.
The Medical Society covers you and your family for whatever unforeseen illnesses may come your way, offering affordable healthcare for adults. Adult members are covered for an array of Primary healthcare treatment benefits.
Starting from R89 a month, members are covered for unlimited nurse-room visits, as well as dietary advice from professionals.
Adults also receive chronic illness monitoring, advice and prevention for conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Treatment for minor medical conditions such as sprains, cuts, bruises and burns is also available.
