Some may interact with your current prescription medications, and others may cause problems for children and pregnant or breastfeeding moms. If you’re pregnant, talk to your doctor about any parasitic infection concerns right away and follow their instructions to keep you and your growing baby safe. During a parasite cleanse, it’s important to follow a balanced diet high in nutrients and low in refined sugars and processed foods. Fiber is particularly important, as it keeps your bowel movements regular while you cleanse.

If your symptoms seem to be gut-related—meaning they’re affecting your digestive tract as well as your mood and energy—you might come across parasites as a possible explanation. “The things that will make us look for parasites are a history of travel, a history of anemia, persistent or chronic diarrhea, or intermittent diarrhea that doesn’t have another cause,” says Dr. Sears. “And with diarrhea can always come abdominal discomfort, bloating, your appetite can be down, that whole constellation of symptoms that tend to go together in any sort of intestinal illness.” Toxoplasmosis is another parasite that you can pick up from your pet (particularly your cat’s litter box) or even from eating undercooked meat. In most cases, it doesn’t lead to any symptoms at all, though it’s more serious in pregnant people and those with a weakened immune system.

“Colon-cleansing regimens being sold, whether pills or enema therapy, can have unexpected consequences. You don’t know what’s in them,” says Dr. Mannon. “They can be contaminated by pathogenic bugs or toxic compounds like lead, mercury or arsenic.” Side effects aside, using a photo on Facebook to diagnose a parasitic infection is unreliable, said Dr. Benjamin Levy, the division head of gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago.

He estimates that they’re found in around 1 in 10 people in higher-risk groups, and only about 1 in 100 people in the general population. In fact, even if a doctor suspects that a patient with symptoms might have these larger parasites, once they actually check, they usually don’t find any. national reclamation act These are individual herbs and plants that treat parasites. Most would recommend taking some wort of wormwood, black walnut, and clove combination to start. But if you’re not interested in figuring out your own combination, then there are plenty of pre-fabricated cleanses you can take.

I love to garden and grow my own fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. I enjoy spreading the word about new and popular products on social media. Poor hygiene and poor sanitation, including contaminated water, food, and soil are ways people can contract parasites. Worden notes that contraction is “more likely with international travel.” She adds that the “elderly and young children are more likely to get infected.” Homeopathic “parasite cleanses” are probably just going to make you poop…a lot. That said, parasites do happen—to millions of people, even—but most don’t cause worms in your poop, and they usually don’t even lead to any symptoms.

You should be going to the bathroom a minimum of once a day. When parasite cleansing you may notice you get more constipated or even suffer a bit of diarrhea. Whatever you do, don’t let yourself get constipated. Drink more water and consider adding an intestinal mover and maybe enzymes too.