Parasite Cleanse 101: Signs, Solutions, and Foods That Carry Parasites
Estimated read time: 17 minutesParasites may sound like a problem only faced in developing countries. But in reality, millions of people in the U.S. and other industrialized nations harbor them without knowing it.
Low energy, digestive discomfort, skin issues, nutrient deficiencies, and even mood swings can all stem from underlying parasitic infections.
In the Bible, God gave us dietary instructions not only for spiritual reasons, but also for physical protection, including against contaminants like parasites. As you'll learn below, many of the Bible's same “clean and unclean” food laws can continue to serve as practical safeguards against pathogens that threaten our health today.
Common Causes of Parasites
Most parasitic infections start with something simple: what’s on your plate or in your glass.
Contaminated meat, seafood, or water are the most common culprits, but even produce can carry invisible eggs or larvae when grown in unhealthy soil or irrigation water.
1. Pork and Shellfish: The Original “Unclean” Foods
The Bible warns against eating pork and shellfish for a reason. These animals are natural scavengers and can harbor parasites, including Trichinella spiralis in pork and Vibrio species in shellfish. These pathogens are resistant to light cooking and can cause gastrointestinal and systemic infections.
Pork and shellfish can also contain heavy metals and environmental toxins absorbed from their surroundings, making them even riskier choices.
Even some “clean” fish can contain parasites, especially wild-caught varieties. For instance, you may have even seen tiny white worms moving around in fish you've caught or been served.
However, most parasites are killed by freezing and thawing the fish before cooking. According to the FDA, freezing fish at –4°F (–20°C) for 7 days, or flash-freezing at –31°F (–35°C) for 15 hours, effectively destroys parasites. Cooking also kills parasites, but freezing first offers an added layer of safety.
2. Contaminated Water and Produce (Especially When Traveling Abroad)
Unsafe drinking water, particularly when traveling to other countries, remains a leading cause of parasitic infections like Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica.
Even if it looks clean, water can contain microscopic parasites. This risk is higher in untreated or poorly filtered tap water, lakes, streams, wells, or when traveling in developing regions.
Overcrowded environments or inadequate sewage systems can lead to even higher rates of parasitic spread in developing nations, so it's wise to do some research about where you're traveling before heading there.
Produce grown in contaminated water or fertilized with sewage sludge can also carry parasite eggs. For example, unwashed fruits and vegetables grown in contaminated soil or irrigated with unclean water are risky to consume. Cross-contamination is another concern, such as when cutting raw meat and produce on the same board, which can also spread pathogens.
Always use a high-quality filter or boil water when in doubt. When traveling, stick to bottled or properly filtered water and wash or peel fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
Wash produce thoroughly with a vinegar or salt-water rinse and keep raw meats separate.
3. Poorly Absorbed Iron (Usually From Supplements)
Parasites depend on your body for survival. They consume nutrients from your body, steal your iron, and thrive when your immune system is weak.
Interestingly, poorly absorbed synthetic iron supplements can actually feed parasites. Iron in the gut that isn’t bound or absorbed properly becomes a nutrient source for parasitic organisms.
Instead, prioritize iron from food sources like grass-fed liver, beef, and lentils, or use supplements bound to amino acids (such as iron bisglycinate), which are absorbed more efficiently and don’t feed parasites.
4. Pets, Livestock, & Soil Contact
While I love being around cats, dogs, and farm animals, they can host parasites like roundworms, tapeworms, or Toxoplasma gondii that can be transferred through feces or contaminated surfaces.
Barefoot walking, gardening, or handling soil contaminated by animal waste can also transmit parasites like hookworms or roundworms.
Regularly deworm pets (naturally when possible), wash hands after handling animals, and keep litter boxes clean. Wear gloves when gardening around animals and shoes outdoors, especially in tropical or humid areas that are more prone to parasites.
4. Unwashed Hands
Parasites can spread easily from surfaces, soil, or fecal matter to the mouth via unwashed hands, especially before meals. Handwashing with soap before eating and after using the bathroom is one of the most effective parasite-prevention habits.
5. Sexual Transmission
Certain parasites, such as Trichomonas vaginalis, are sexually transmitted. Practice safe intimacy and seek testing for persistent genitourinary symptoms.
How to Know If You Have Parasites
Parasite infections often go unnoticed for months or even years, because their symptoms can mimic other digestive or immune issues. Still, there are several telltale signs that can suggest your body is hosting unwanted guests:
Digestive distress: Chronic bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea can indicate that parasites are interfering with nutrient absorption and gut balance.
Unexplained fatigue: Parasites consume nutrients meant for you, leading to iron deficiency, weakness, or persistent tiredness even with adequate sleep.
Skin issues: Rashes, itching, or eczema may appear as your immune system reacts to parasitic toxins.
Unusual cravings or weight changes: Parasites can alter hunger signals, driving cravings for sugar or carbs while causing either weight loss or gain.
Sleep disturbances or teeth grinding: Nocturnal restlessness and jaw clenching can be linked to parasitic activity at night, when they are most active.
Mood or concentration issues: The gut-brain connection means parasitic toxins can trigger anxiety, irritability, or brain fog.
If you experience several of these symptoms, especially after travel, eating raw foods, or exposure to questionable water, it’s wise to work with a functional or integrative practitioner to test for parasites and begin a natural cleanse protocol.
Foods and Herbs That Help Cleanse Parasites
Fortunately, while parasites are common, nature offers potent anti-parasitic compounds, many of which are found in bitter herbs and spices that have been used for centuries to cleanse both humans and animals. If you've been exposed to parasites, here's where I suggest starting:
1. Bitter Foods, Spices, and Herbs
Bitterness is your friend during a parasite cleanse. Bitter foods stimulate bile flow and digestive enzymes that make your body less hospitable to parasites.
Herbs like gentian root, dandelion, and artichoke leaf help flush out toxins and improve the body’s natural detox pathways. Research shows that bitter polyphenols can inhibit helminth growth and disrupt parasite reproduction cycles.
2. Clove and Other Spicy Botanicals
Clove contains eugenol, a compound shown to paralyze and kill parasitic larvae and eggs. A study in Antioxidants found that clove essential oil significantly reduced intestinal worm counts in animal models.
Other pungent spices like cinnamon, chili, and ginger may also enhance intestinal cleansing through their antimicrobial and motility-boosting effects.
3. Oak Leaves, Wormwood, and Black Walnut
These are among the most powerful anti-parasitic botanicals.
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) contains sesquiterpene lactones that may help weaken parasite cell membranes.
Black walnut hulls are rich in juglone and tannins, compounds shown to help expel intestinal worms and disrupt their reproduction, while also fighting oxidative stress.
Oak leaves, often used in animal herbal medicine, have tannins that bind to parasitic proteins and suppress infection.
In livestock, these same herbs have been shown to help reduce parasite loads comparably to conventional anti-worm drugs, making them powerful, natural alternatives for both humans and animals.
4. Tannin-Rich Leaves and Fruits
Tannins have astringent, antimicrobial, and anti-parasitic properties that help defend both humans and animals against unwanted pathogens. They're naturally found in fruit tree leaves (such as walnut, oak, or grape) and bind to parasitic proteins, effectively immobilizing and killing them.
In studies on animals like goats and sheep, tannin-rich diets helped to significantly reduce worm burdens and improve gut health. You can follow your own high-tannin diet by eating foods like:
Fruits with skins: Pomegranates, cranberries, blueberries, aronia berries, Indian chokeberries, and wild grapes.
Nuts and seeds: Walnuts, almonds (especially with their skins), hazelnuts, and chestnuts.
Herbs and leaves: Oak leaves, olive leaves, black walnut hulls, wormwood, and tea leaves (especially green and black tea).
Antioxidant beverages: Green tea and soursop tea contain potent tannins that inhibit parasite activity.
Spices: Clove, cinnamon, and sumac are all rich in tannins and beneficial polyphenols.
Helpful Supplements for a Parasite Detox
While food and herbs form the foundation, certain supplements can assist your cleanse by binding to toxins, improving gut defenses, and supporting elimination.
1. Soil-Based Organism (SBO) Probiotics
Strains like Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis produce antimicrobial peptides and enzymes that attack biofilms, the protective layers parasites build in the gut. They also strengthen the immune system and crowd out harmful microbes.
Take SBOs daily during and after your cleanse to reestablish healthy gut flora. At the same time, consume fermented foods such as kefir, kimchi, or natto to naturally boost your probiotic intake.
2. Proteolytic Enzymes
These enzymes break down the protein-based walls of parasites and their eggs, helping the body digest and eliminate them.
Research shows that proteolytic enzymes, such as serrapeptase and bromelain, can help degrade biofilms, the protective layers that parasites and harmful microbes use to evade the immune system. This makes it easier for your immune defenses and cleansing herbs to do their job. They also help reduce inflammation caused by parasitic die-off and tissue irritation.
You can take them on an empty stomach between meals for the best effects.
3. Lactoferrin and Colostrum
Lactoferrin, found naturally in colostrum (which can be taken in powder form), binds to iron and makes it less available to parasites. This starves them while supporting immune function and gut repair.
Studies suggest that lactoferrin has antimicrobial and antiparasitic effects by disrupting parasite metabolism and enhancing macrophage activity. Colostrum also strengthens the intestinal barrier and provides immunoglobulins that help defend against reinfection.
Combine these two with probiotics to further enhance the gut’s natural defenses and restore balance after cleansing.
4. Fulvic Acid, Humic Acid, and Shilajit
These mineral-rich substances are derived from decomposed plant matter and soil, and they have strong binding and detoxifying abilities. Fulvic and humic acids help chelate (bind) heavy metals and microbial toxins that are released when parasites die off, preventing them from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.
Research has found that humic substances enhance cellular antioxidant defenses and support the integrity of the intestinal barrier, both of which are crucial during detoxification.
Shilajit, often used in Ayurvedic medicine, contains natural fulvic acid and over 80 trace minerals. It’s been shown to boost mitochondrial function, improve nutrient absorption, and enhance the body’s resilience against oxidative stress.
Take these in liquid or capsule form once daily during detox to aid mineral replenishment and toxin removal. For more tips on how to use them, see below for a sample schedule.
5. Calcium Bentonite Clay
Calcium bentonite clay works through adsorption, binding toxins, heavy metals, and parasitic fragments in the digestive tract so they can be safely eliminated.
Studies demonstrate that bentonite clay can bind to aflatoxins, pathogenic bacteria, and other toxins, reducing their harmful effects on the gut and liver. By acting as a “magnet” for impurities, it helps prevent the reabsorption of waste materials during parasite die-off—a key step in reducing detox symptoms, such as headaches or fatigue.
Mix BC with water and take between meals, at least two hours apart from supplements or medications, to avoid nutrient interference.
How to Sequence Binders and Minerals During a Parasite Cleanse
Morning (Empty Stomach):
Start your day with a gentle binder, such as calcium bentonite clay or activated charcoal, mixed with filtered water. These binders absorb toxins and parasitic fragments as your body begins eliminating waste overnight.
Wait at least 1.5–2 hours before taking supplements or food to prevent nutrient binding.
For best results, follow with a glass of mineralized water (add trace minerals or a pinch of sea salt).
Midday (With or After Meals):
Take humic/fulvic acid or shilajit, ideally with food. These help restore essential minerals and support cellular energy while chelating leftover toxins. Fulvic acid also improves nutrient transport, helping your herbs and probiotics work more effectively.
Evening (Post-Dinner or Before Bed):
End the day with probiotics and enzymes (like soil-based Bacillus species and proteolytic enzymes). These repopulate the gut with beneficial microbes and help digest any remaining debris.
Combine this with a calming herbal tea (chamomile, peppermint, or ginger) to support liver and lymphatic flow overnight.
Key Takeaways on Why & How to Do a Parasite Cleanse
Parasites are more common and more disruptive than most realize. Yet God’s creation provides every tool needed to defend your body naturally: clean foods, bitter herbs, healing spices, and powerful minerals from the earth.
A Biblical, holistic parasite cleanse focuses not only on killing pathogens, but also on restoring balance, including by supporting the gut, liver, and immune system along the way.
Start simply: remove unclean foods like pork and shellfish, strengthen your gut with probiotics and bitter herbs, and use nature’s own medicines—clove, wormwood, black walnut, and tannins—to clear out what doesn’t belong.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/causes/index.html
https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Fish-and-Fishery-Products-Hazards-and-Controls-Guidance-Chapter-5-Download.pdf
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