Intestinal worms are parasites, which
thrive in the intestines of another organism. Parasites enter the
human body in one of four ways through food and water, through transmitting
agents, such as a mosquito and sexual contact and also through nose and skin.
Even though there are thousands of parasites that infect humans, only four are
very harmful. They are:
• Roundworm (spreads through food
and water)
• Pinworm (spreads from person to
person
• Whipworm (spreads through food and
water)
• Tapeworm (spreads by eating raw or undercooked meats)
• Tapeworm (spreads by eating raw or undercooked meats)
Symptoms of Intestinal Worms
Worms can live within our intestines for
years without causing any symptoms. But they can start troubling us with some
of the following symptoms:
• Stomach pain
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea
• Dysentery
• Weight loss
• Dysentery
• Weight loss
• Tiredness
• Passing a worm in your stool
• Itching around the rectum (where you excrete solid waste)
• Passing a worm in your stool
• Itching around the rectum (where you excrete solid waste)
Causes of Intestinal worms
• Eating contaminated food
• Drinking contaminated water
• Poor sanitation
• Using human excretion as fertilizer
• Poor personal hygiene
• Eating raw and uncooked meat
• Eating contaminated food
• Drinking contaminated water
• Poor sanitation
• Using human excretion as fertilizer
• Poor personal hygiene
• Eating raw and uncooked meat
Remedies
for Intestinal Worms
1.
Coconut
Coconut is a
very effective remedy for expelling all types of intestinal worms. It acts as a
very strong anti-parasitic agent. Both the fruit and oil can be used to treat
intestinal worms.
- Eat one tablespoon of crushed coconut
with your breakfast. After three hours, drink one glass of warm milk with
two tablespoons of castor oil mixed in it. Repeat this process daily until
the infestation disappears. Castor oil, though, is not recommended for
individuals suffering from gastrointestinal disease and children below
five years of age.
- Also, eat four to six tablespoons of
extra virgin coconut oil daily. This oil is loaded with medium-chain
triglycerides that help expel parasites from your body and also boost
the immune system to fight against them.
2. Garlic
Garlic is a
popular anti-parasitic food that can help deal with any type of intestinal
worms. Raw garlic has sulfur-containing amino acids that are anti-parasitic in
nature. Plus, the antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties in garlic
help kill microbes in the body.
- Eating three cloves of raw garlic on
an empty stomach every day for one week is one of the simplest ways to get
rid of all types of intestinal worms.
- Alternatively, you can boil two
crushed garlic cloves in one-half cup of milk and drink it on an empty
stomach. Do this for about a week.
3. Unripe
Papaya
Unripe
papaya has been used widely in Ayurvedic medicine for many ailments, including
intestinal worms. The latex from unripe papaya fruit is rich in the enzyme
papain, which has anthelmintic properties that can effectively destroy
intestinal worms. Plus, papaya seeds contain a substance called caricin that
can help expel intestinal worms.
- Mix one tablespoon each of fresh raw
papaya juice and honey with three or four tablespoons of hot water. Drink
it in the morning on an empty stomach. After two hours, follow it with a
glass of warm milk with two tablespoons of castor oil mixed in it. Follow
the treatment for two to three days. When using this remedy for children,
reduce the dosage to half.
- You can also grind papaya seeds into
powder form. Mix two teaspoons of this powder with one cup of warm milk or
water. Drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for three
days.
- Alternatively, you can make a
smoothie by grinding papaya seeds taken from an average-sized
papaya, adding to it one tablespoon of coconut oil, one cup of
coconut milk and chunks of papaya fruit (turning green to yellow),
and blending again. Finally, mix one tablespoon of honey and blend again
until smooth. Drink it daily in the morning at least for one week.
4. Pumpkin
Seeds
The
University of Maryland Medical Center recommends the use of pumpkin seeds to
get rid of intestinal worms. A compound called cucurbitacin in pumpkin seeds
has anti-parasitic properties that can paralyze the parasites. This in turn
prevents them from holding on to the intestine wall and they soon are
eliminated from the body.
- Add two tablespoons of peeled and
crushed pumpkin seeds to three cups of boiling water. Let it steep
for 30 minutes. Allow it to cool, and then drink it. Try to fast for a day
and drink the juice of boiled dry prunes to help cleanse the intestines
before taking the pumpkin seed infusion.
- Mix together one tablespoon of roasted
and crushed pumpkin seeds with an equal amount of honey. Eat this mixture
each morning on an empty stomach for a week. Then include a laxative food
like a banana or kiwi in your breakfast.
5. Carom
Seeds
Carom seeds
can be used to treat intestinal worms. The thymol content in carom seeds has
the ability to inhibit the growth of undesired parasites in the intestine.
According to Ayurveda, carom seeds and jaggery should be used together for the
treatment of intestinal worms.
- Eat a small piece or about one
tablespoon of jaggery in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Wait for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Then eat one-quarter to one-half
teaspoon of crushed carom seeds along with a glass of water.
- Do this once daily for two weeks for
complete treatment of intestinal worms.
6.
Pomegranate Tree Bark
The bark,
root, stems as well as the leaves of the pomegranate tree contain anthelmintic
properties and this is why pomegranate is considered a good remedy for
intestinal worms. The alkaloid punicine present in pomegranate tree bark is
highly toxic to intestinal worms and especially tapeworms.
- Add a two-inch piece of pomegranate
tree bark to one cup of water.
- Boil it until half the amount of water
evaporates.
- Allow the mixture to cool and drink it
three times a day, at intervals of a couple of hours.
- Then eat a purgative fruit like banana
or avocado to facilitate a bowel movement.
- Follow this remedy for a few days.
When using
this remedy for children, reduce the dosage of the decoction to one-third.
Eating pomegranate fruit or drinking its juice can help prevent attacks of
intestinal worms.
7. Indian
Lilac (Neem)
Also known
as neem, Indian lilac is an effective natural method for removing all types of
intestinal worms. It has anti-parasitic properties that not only kills
parasites, but also helps remove the toxins that they leave behind as they are
dying.
- Fry one tablespoon of dry neem flowers
in one teaspoon of clarified butter or ghee. Eat them with plain boiled
rice twice daily for four days.
- Alternatively, drink a glass of warm
milk or water mixed with one teaspoon of dried neem leaf powder twice
daily for a week.
- You can also grind neem leaves to a
fine paste and eat one-half tablespoon of the paste with a glass of water
every morning on an empty stomach for a week. Then, after a gap of
one week, repeat again in the third week.
8. Carrots
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a
precursor for vitamin A which can destroy the eggs of intestinal worms. Plus,
the vitamin C and zinc present in carrots also support the immune system.
A strong immune system will fight off parasites quickly.
- Grate two carrots.
- Eat them on an empty stomach first
thing in the morning.
- Avoid eating anything else during the
morning.
- Do this every day for a week to get
rid of intestinal worms.
9. Cloves
Cloves have antiseptic, bactericidal
and anti-parasitic properties that help destroy parasitic eggs and kill
intestinal worms within the body. Plus, cloves can help prevent future episodes
of infestation.
- Add one teaspoon of powdered clove to
a cup of hot water.
- Cover the cup with a plate and allow
it too steep for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Drink this three times a day for a
week.
Always use freshly ground clove powder
to get the maximum health benefits.
10. Turmeric
Turmeric is another excellent natural
remedy for intestinal worms. It acts as an internal antiseptic and contains
antimicrobial properties that help kill intestinal worms. Plus, turmeric can
help relieve bloating, excessive gas, nausea and abdominal pain, which are
some of the common symptoms of intestinal worms.
- Extract the juice from raw turmeric.
Add a pinch of salt to one teaspoon of this juice. Drink it in the morning
on an empty stomach. Repeat daily for a week. If you have turmeric powder
then add one-half teaspoon of the powder and a pinch of salt to one-half
cup of warm water and drink it daily for five days.
- Alternatively, add one tablespoon of
turmeric juice to a glass of buttermilk. Drink it once daily for three
consecutive days.
REMEMBER
You can further reduce your risk of Intestinal worms by washing your
hands before and after using the toilet and by following these food safety tips.
- Avoid raw fish and meat.
- Thoroughly cook meat to temperatures
of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit for whole cuts of meat and to at least
160 degrees F for ground meat. Then let it rest for at least 3 minutes
before carving or eating. Safe temperatures for poultry are different.
- Freeze meat to -4 degrees F for at
least 24 hours to kill tapeworm eggs.
- When traveling in undeveloped
countries, cook fruits and vegetables with boiled or
chemically-treated water before eating.
- Wash hands with soap and hot water
before preparing or eating foods.