Archive for the ‘intestinal parasites’ Category
Colon health difficulties are much more widespread in the developed world than you might think. One reason is that we tend to shy away from topics like constipation and health in our everyday conversations. But even if are not willing to talk about it, the healthy functioning of your colon is crucial to your overall health and well-being. If you’re suffering from chronic pain, constipation and lack of energy, these could be symptoms that indicate you need a natural colon cleanse.
You may be wondering why your doctor has never discussed the need for a colon cleanse. The reality is that most doctors receive very little training in nutrition and natural health procedures. This often means that maintaining your overall well-being and good natural health is up to you.
Finding and using a natural colon cleanse that works should be one of your highest priorities. Our intestinal tract and waste elimination systems were designed to work quite well with a natural diet and regular physical activity. But today we are much less active and much more likely to be eating processed and engineered food. Not only are chemicals added to your food, but beneficial nutrients are often removed in the process. These unnatural foods create toxins in your body. Not only is your colon health affected, but it places an extra load on other toxin-removing organs in your body as well.
A natural colon cleanse accomplishes more than simply cleansing unwanted matter and built-up waste from our colon. It also helps to disinfect your colon, kills unwanted bacteria and regulates and balances your intestinal flora. Intestinal flora are natural microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. Although it’s possible to live without them, they play an important role in improving our overall health and protecting us from harmful microorganisms.
Those who’ve experienced a colon cleanse report relief from an incredible array of health conditions, including constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, headaches and allergies. As you might have guessed, a natural colon cleanse is an excellent way to lose weight and many dieters report that weight loss is much easier once their digestive system is operating at peak efficiency. Optimal functioning of our colon also means that we will be assimilating vitamins and minerals from our food much more easily.
Since a colon cleanse reduces waste and toxins in our bodies, you should also expect greater overall vitality, higher alertness and possibly even some relief from depression.
There are several basic ways to accomplish a natural colon cleanse. Most of these solutions can be found at your local health food store or on the Internet. If you choose to purchase from the Internet, do your research well and don’t fall for a product with outlandish claims and an unbeatable price.
An oxygen-based colon cleanse is preferred by many alternative health practitioners because it’s able to effectively remove unwanted bacteria while leaving the good bacteria in place to continue working. An oxygen-based natural colon cleanse cleans and refreshes your entire intestinal tract, not just the lower intestine.
Another way to accomplish a natural colon cleanse is through the use of colonics or colon hydrotherapy. Colon hydrotherapy is often used in connection with an oxygen-based colon cleanse. Also known as colonic irrigation, colon hydrotherapy is quite similar in many ways to an enema, but uses purified water that often infused with beneficial minerals or other natural substances.
You also have the option of performing a natural colon cleanse by using herbal-based products. Herbal-based products normally contain natural fiber, which is designed to loosen and remove built-up materials from your colon, and parasite-fighting herbs, which naturally kill any intestinal worms or other parasites you may be harboring in your colon.
Some purists maintain that the only truly natural colon cleanse involves changing your diet to eliminate processed foods. A diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables, juices and high fiber foods is optimal for good colon health. And you will certainly want to begin adjusting your diet to avoid colon health problems in the future. But it’s a good idea to start the colon cleanse process with high quality herbal products that can help you get off to a good start.
Jim Mcdonald
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/find-a-natural-colon-cleanse-that-works-140657.html
Be alert to the hidden health threat. Most internal parasites, commonly called worms, live in a cats intestines where they feed and reproduce. All kittens should be examined by a veterinarian for internal parasites. Your veterinarian can detect the presence of most worms by examining your kittens feces.
Some parasites, such as hookworms and roundworms, can be transmitted from the mother to her kittens before birth or during nursing. Hookworms are among the most dangerous of all internal parasites, especially in kittens who can be infected from their mother during nursing. Hookworms attach themselves to the intestinal wall and suck blood, causing severe anemia which can be fatal. Kittens with a heavy hookworm infection can die from blood loss within a few weeks. Their presence is less severe in older cats, but may lead to chronic anemia. Regular fecal examinations for the presence of hookworms minimizes the risk of infection.
Roundworms are a common parasite among young kittens. They are infected by way of the placenta during birth. After birth, kittens can become infected by larvae in the mothers milk. In the small intestine, roundworms compete with the kitten for nutrients, resulting in stunted growth and poor health. Roundworms often make a kitten look potbellied. Other signs include diarrhea, poor coat, listlessness and poor growth.
Whipworms are passed in the feces and are difficult to eliminate. Generalized symptoms include weight loss, nervousness, diarrhea with blood and mucus, and dehydration. Treatment with anti-whipworm medication must be repeated at regular intervals until the cat is completely cleared of whipworms.
Tapeworms can be contracted by a kittens or cats swallowing tapeworm-carrying fleas, or by eating an infested rodent or raw fish or meat. The most common symptom is a ravenous appetite with no weight gain and, possibly, weight loss. Tapeworms are treated by medicine prescribed by a veterinarian.
Coccidia is a common parasite of cats, especially kittens. Eggs passed in the feces of infected animals become infective to other animals within one to several days, depending upon the temperature. The most common symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, dehydration, weight and appetite loss. However, coccidia may present no symptoms. Veterinary diagnosis is made by examining the feces. Several effective medications are available, but the general health of the cat and the function of its immune system appear to be very important in preventing and treating coccidia.
Giardia is one of the most common parasites infecting cats. Young cats are more likely to have severe infections. Infections can be acquired by direct contact with fecal matter containing the parasites as well as from contaminated food and water. Symptoms can be intermittent or continuous and include foul-smelling feces which may contain mucus, loss of appetite and weight loss. Your veterinarian must perform fecal examinations by procedures designed to reveal this type of parasite. Once the diagnosis is established, specific treatment is available.
Tristan Andrews
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dealing-with-internal-parasites-93828.html
I know this sounds kinda gross but I really am curious as to how to cure someone of these pesky parasites. Thank you for your help…
There are numerous types of tapeworms, each coming from different sources (poorly cooked pork, fish, fleas from dogs/cats). Depending upon the type of tapeworm you have, the treatment is different. If you are passing a tapeworm when you have a bowel movement, you should attempt to save a portion of the worm and have your physician send it to a lab to be tested and identified. After this is done, you can receive the appropriate treatment.
No matter what type of tapeworm, the treatment is an anti-parasitic drug. The type of drug depends upon the tapeworm. Hope this helps.
Okay, so here is one of the topics of cat care that no one likes to talk about, but still needs to be covered, internal parasites. There are many different types of internal parasites that could potentially cause medical problems in your cat, some of the more common being hookworms, roundworms, coccidiosis, toxoplasmosis, and tape worms.
Even if you have had your cat wormed, she could still get roundworms or hookworms. What is even worse, your cat can pass these parasites on to her kittens. These nasty little bugs can cause diarrhea or other types of symptoms in a kitten, but most of the time they leave no trace that a kitten is infested. If you have children in the home, these little kittens can pass these worms onto them, which is one reason why it is so important to have new kittens seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your vet will likely send you home with a prescription worm medication for the mother cat and the kittens, just in case. Laboratory tests are not one hundred percent accurate in detecting this type of parasite, particularly in young kittens, so it is better to treat them all, just to be on the safe side.
Another silent internal parasite that often preys on tiny kittens is coccidian, which like to party in the kittens intestinal lining, often causing no noticeable symptoms at all, and luckily, no harm to the kitten or anyone else in the family. In some cases, your kitten may have diarrhea, but usually the vet will not prescribe any medication, and will let nature handle the problem.
Just about every woman who has even been pregnant before knows or has heard about cats and toxoplasmosis, as it can be extremely dangerous for anyone who comes into contact with infected litter, particularly a pregnant woman. Your cat can suffer from this deadly parasite at any age, and since it can also be passed to humans, it is extremely important that any pregnant woman avoid changing a litter box or coming in contact with cat litter boxes. These organisms can cause severe birth defects and other problems for an unborn child.
If at all possible, a pregnant woman who owns a house cat should have someone else empty and clean the cat litter box for her. If this is not possible, then extra care must be taken when the litter box must be changed and cleaned. Using disposable gloves to avoid skin contact with contaminated particles along with a dust mask to protect against inhaling airborne contaminants may reduce the risk; however it is well advised that a pregnant woman never change a litter box. Having your cat stay with a family member until after the baby is born is another way to help protect the unborn child.
Cats are exposed to toxoplasmosis when they eat any type of raw meat, whether it is from a rodent they have caught or from raw butcher scraps. These raw scraps could be from any type of meat, so it is best to avoid all table scraps for your kitty.
Your cat should be seen regularly by a veterinarian for health checkups. It should be noted however that you are the first line of defense for your beloved cat, and by reporting any changes in your cat’s behavior, you may catch an infestation before it becomes life threatening for your kitty.
Jean Morgan
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/cats-and-the-dangers-of-intestinal-parasites-132162.html