Parasites And Blood Sugar: How Do They Relate?

Parasites are a hot topic. If you’ve opened social media lately, you’ve probably seen a barrage of videos about parasite cleansing. Did you know that blood sugar symptoms can be caused by parasites?

Let’s dive into this fascinating topic and uncover how these tiny invaders might be affecting your body’s blood sugar balance.

FIRST OFF- WHAT’S A PARASITE?

Parasites are organisms that live in or on a “host,” like you, your dog, or your cat, and take in nutrients at the host’s expense. They use your body as a nutrient source, causing issues like nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, immune system flare ups, gut issues and more. Cue the horror movie vibes.

Parasites can bring on a variety of symptoms and health issues. Some of the most common symptoms include digestive system issues like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, as well as skin issues, migraines,, anemia, and fatigue. However, a lesser-known aspect of parasitic infections is their potential impact on blood sugar levels.

Let’s explore the relationship between parasites and blood sugar.

THE BASICS OF BLOOD SUGAR REGULATION

First, let’s chat about blood sugar. Blood sugar, or glucose, is the primary energy source for the body’s cells. Basically, blood sugar is the fuel that keeps our bodies running smoothly.

Our pancreas produces hormones like insulin and glucagon that help regulate our blood sugar levels.

• Insulin lowers blood sugar by helping cells to absorb glucose.
• Glucagon raises blood sugar by prompting the liver to release stored glucose.

You can imagine how these two are the yin and yang of a healthy blood sugar. Their healthy balance is crucial for our overall well-being.

Imbalances in the blood sugar system can lead to serious, chronic health conditions, like diabetes, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease. 

More common and less severe effects of blood sugar imbalance include anxiety, PMS, PCOS, fatigue, brain fog, cravings, and more.

HOW PARASITES CAN MESS WITH BLOOD SUGAR

Is it something you’re eating? Are you stressed? Or… is it parasites?

If you’re following the healthy blood sugar basics like:

• Eating breakfast and 2-3 main meals per day with minimal snacking in between
• Eating mainly real food found in nature (vegetables, meat)
• Having protein and fat with every meal
• Avoiding processed foods and drinks
• Avoiding/limiting processed carbs and grains (pasta, bread, cookies, crackers, chips)
• Limiting sugar, including fruit

And you’re still feeling the effects of imbalanced blood sugar… parasites might be contributing to your symptoms. HERE’S A FEW WAYS THAT PARASITES AFFECT BLOOD SUGAR.

1. Nutrient Competition: Parasites compete for nutrients, including glucose. This competition can cause changes in blood sugar levels, leading to low blood sugar and making you feel weak and tired.
2. Inflammation: Parasites trigger inflammation, which can mess with insulin sensitivity. Suddenly your body might not use insulin effectively, leading to higher blood sugar levels.
3. Hormonal Disruption: Some parasites produce substances like inflammatory cytokines or waste products that interfere with your hormonal balance. This can include those hormones we know are responsible for blood sugar regulation- insulin and glucagon.
4. Organ Damage: Parasites can damage organs like the liver and pancreas, which are vital for blood sugar regulation. This damage can hinder these organs from doing their jobs properly.

COMMON PARASITES AND THEIR IMPACT ON BLOOD SUGAR

These are just some of the many invaders that can be living in your body. There are over 300,000 types of known parasites and most labs only test for a few of them.

Keep in mind that not all parasites are visible to the naked eye and just because you don’t see them in the toilet bowl doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

In addition to that, not all parasites are JUST in the digestive tract so that’s another reason that stool tests and most parasite testing can show up negative or inconclusive.

Let’s look at some specific parasites and how they might affect your blood sugar:

Blastocystis hominis: A protozoan that can disrupt gut function and contribute to blood sugar imbalances.

Entamoeba histolytica: This amoeba can cause significant gastrointestinal disturbances, leading to issues with blood sugar regulation.

Cryptosporidium: This parasite can cause severe diarrhea and malabsorption, affecting blood sugar levels.

Helminths (worms): Various types of worms, such as roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms, can cause nutritional deficiencies and gastrointestinal disturbances, impacting blood sugar levels.  These are the ones most commonly seen in the photos you see on instagram or in the toilet!

Giardia

Acquired from contaminated water or food, giardiasis can cause nutrient malabsorption, making blood sugar levels fluctuate.

MANAGING BLOOD SUGAR AND PARASITES

So what can you do if you suspect a parasitic infection is affecting your blood sugar? Here are some tips:

• Here’s the kicker: most modern testing can only detect some of the basic or well-known parasites. It’s impossible to test for every parasite. PLUS, parasites can reside in different parts of the body. While you can test the blood or stool, it’s very hard to test the liver or skin. And you’d have to be lucky to collect a sample that contains part of the parasite in the first place. They’re sneaky! They use biofilm to create a protective covering that allows them to attach to the walls of the intestines and other parts of the body, making it hard to collect them from outside the body.
• Sure, your eosinophils may be raised on a basic blood test—these are your white blood cells that increase with allergies and parasites. But if I’m being honest, it’s very hard to test for parasites. I operate under the assumption that we all have them and that routine parasite cleanses are something we should all consider.  See more on this below

DIAL IN YOUR DIET:

• A balanced Paleo diet that consists of different cuts of grassfed, organic meat, a rainbow array of vegetables and limiting processed foods can help counteract the effects of nutrient depletion and malabsorption. Check out our article on how to support blood sugar through diet for a good starting point.

MONITOR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS:

• Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels, especially if you’re at risk for fluctuations. Regular monitoring allows for timely interventions. You can try to get a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) from your doctor or a company like Levels for the most accurate data. Or you can read this article on how to do it at home for only $20. 

MANAGE INFLAMMATION:

• Reduce inflammation through eating a Paleo-style diet, decreasing alcohol, smoking and sugar intake, daily stress management like meditation, journaling, exercise and breathwork, and treatments like acupuncture.

INTERESTED IN A PARASITE CLEANSE? WE GOT YOU. 

We recommend a two-part process for detox and parasite cleansing using Cellcore’s products. 

I love Cellcore because they prioritize a prep period that many other Parasite cleanses don’t include. You start with the Jumpstart Kit to open up your detox pathways and ensure sufficient cellular energy before you start eliminating parasites. Skipping this crucial step can make the cleanse less effective and lead to uncomfortable detox symptoms.

The Jumpstart Kit is taken for 30 days prior to the parasite cleanse to prepare your body for the intense cleanse ahead. If you aren’t pooping regularly, have poor detox function, or aren’t making enough energy in your cells, doing a parasite cleanse will make you feel awful. Imagine your detox pathways are backed up, and you start taking anti-parasitic herbs—it’s like throwing out all the trash onto the street when the garbage trucks are on strike. You need to ensure you’re able to eliminate and get the parasites and their biotoxins (chemical waste products) out of your body!

Additionally, if your cells aren’t making enough ATP or energy and you start a metabolically expensive process like a cleanse, it’s like making expensive charges to your debit card with no money in the bank. You’re going to deplete yourself even more and give the parasites more opportunity to take over. Most parasite protocols don’t include this prep period, which is why people often feel worse during or after their cleanse.

The second step is the Full Moon Parasite Kit, used three days before, during, and after the full moon. This kit can be used monthly or seasonally for ongoing maintenance.

Considerations for staying well while you parasite cleanse:

Parasite cleansing can be an uncomfortable process, even when doing the Jumpstart Kit in preparation. We recommend some ways to support yourself through this process to lessen the potentially negative side effects.

• Working with a practitioner like myself
• Eat a paleo or Whole 30 diet while you’re cleansing. 
  • Avoid processed foods, sugar, grains, and seed oils.
• Decrease your toxic load by using non-toxic beauty supplies, cleaning, and home supplies
• Reduce your dosage if symptoms are overwhelming
• Increase Biotoxin Binder to help mop up die-off chemicals
• Coffee enemas
• Castor oil packs
• Dry brushing
• Saunas

Overall, the relationship between parasites and blood sugar is significant…

Parasites affect blood sugar through several methods. To review, they:

• Compete for nutrients
• Cause inflammation
• Create hormone disruption
• Cause organ damage

Understanding the effects of parasites helps you address them before they become serious. If you have ongoing symptoms without any clear answers, it’s worth trying a parasite cleanse to detox and reset your body. 

Keep in mind you might need to do a few rounds of the Full Moon Para Kit to clear them out and start feeling better. There’s rarely a quick fix when it comes to health and it probably took years for you to get into your current state of health, we need to have some patience while we unravel and heal.  

And remember, it’s easy to get parasites again; I say this not to scare you but instead to shift your perspective on trying to completely eradicate them. It’s nearly impossible to eliminate them completely and forever, instead our goal is to reduce their numbers while restoring our immune system so it can function properly and maintain balance and create an environment where they can’t take over.

With the right protocol and treatment plan, we can manage parasites and get you feeling better quickly.

At Flora Fauna Wellness, we are here to help. We are in this together—symbiotically, of course.

Book a 15 min Supplement Consultation for $30 by clicking here to see which Cellcore products are right for you and your health concerns!

Still not ready to dive in but want to learn more? Click here!

Or check out some of our other parasite blogs!