How to cure amoebic dysentery, giardia and worms with Quassia
People traveling in 3rd
world countries are often afraid of intestinal parasites, but, having
lived for 3 years in poorer areas of Mexico and 2 in Guatemala, I
learned there are easy solutions. I picked up amoebic dysentery several
times while on long bicycle trips, and knowing how to deal with them, I
was able to continue with no problems. This method is for healthy people only!
Here's how I do it: If my gut hurts, I wait two days. If it's just a bacterial infection, you should start to feel better. Coconut milk is very soothing. Definitely avoid alcohol and sweets, which bacteria and other parasites love.
If after 2 days, you feel as bad or worse, you should start treatment with a “full-spectrum antibiotic” -or the herb Quassia,
which is used in much the same way -especially if there is mucus in
your feces and sulphur in the gas you pass. In most of Latin America,
just go to a Pharmacia and ask for Flagyl (or the generic Metronidazole), the
cheap drug available everywhere, or say “tengo amebas” (“I have
amoebas”) and they'll almost certainly give you Flagyl. In the U.S. you
need a prescription, so DON'T WAIT until you return or you'll
have to pay for expensive tests to get treatment -while the amoebas are
eating your lunch, dinner and breakfast and you are getting weaker. If
you have a weak liver from drinking, etc. -or from continuing untreated
parasites- they can get inside, and you need a doctor, quick.
Quassia
won't make you feel as bad as Flagyl, but neither is fun. Both are
killing everything in your gut, so you need to replenish the beneficial
bacteria with probiotics, like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, etc., after the treatment.
Often
people with amoebas will wait longer until they're really sick and go
to a doctor for a stool test. If they don't find the amoebas with a
microscope the first time (not a fun job), and you wait, it will take
weeks or more to recover your strength after you take the treatment.
That's why I assume I have them if I don't feel better in 2 days.
Neither treatment is pleasant, but you'll function fine, which is
nearly impossible with amoebas.
Quassia
is available at herb and health food shops. It will be either shredded
or chopped. Take a large handful on your trip, which should cost a few
bucks.
Procedure:
With either Flagyl or Quassia, take it 3 times a day about an hour before meals for 10 days.
If you're traveling for an extended time in an area with poor
sanitation, where re-infection is likely, consider taking the treatment
for only 2 days -to control rather than eliminate the amoebas. They will
grow back in 20-24 days -and you will know it. Take the treatment
another 2 days and so forth, until you get back home -or to
civilization. Then take the full 10 day treatment to eliminate all the amoebas.
With
Flagyl you just pop a pill. With Quassia you make tea. If the herb is
shredded, just put a small palmful -about ½ ounce- in about a pint of
cold water, and wait 20 minutes. If it's coarsely chopped, you'll have
to boil it a bit -a minute should do it. Either way, it will taste quite
bitter. Drink it down. That will kill most of them, so when you eat
your meal, you will get most of the food, not them. The few that are left will recover somewhat, but after 30 doses, they will all be gone.
Add
more water to the same wad of Quassia and drink it before the next
meal, and so forth, until the tea becomes weak after about 3 days; then
toss that wad and start another. So it will take about 3 wads or 1 ½
ounces for a complete 10-day treatment.
Enough Quassia for 3 days treatment. This grind will make tea in cold water.
Worms & Giardia
Once
when I was taking Quassia on a bike trip in Guatemala, I found a 9”
long white worm in my stool -I believe it was the common Ascaria
worm, which probably infects 25% of the world and 2% of Americans. I was
scared enough to also take Flagyl when I got to town, but nothing
further came out. So the Quassia killed that too.
Flagyl and Quassia will also kill Giardia.
Doctors say to take only 1/3 the dose of Flagyl for Giardia as for
Amoebas, and for only 5 days, so you could reduce the Quassia treatment
accordingly. If you don't take enough, you will know 20-24 days later,
and can try again. I guess it was overkill to treat my only case of
Giardia the same as I did amoebas.
Etc:
Quassia is on the FDA's Generally Regarded as Safe list, but probably should not be used during pregnancy. It is said to also be effective against malaria, pinworms and even lice. It contains the phytochemical quassin, the bitterest substance found in nature. To understand the seriousness of amoebas and their treatment I recommend you read at least this about Flagyl. If you've had amoebas for awhile they may lodge in your liver and treatment is harder.
I am not a doctor and do not know your condition! Please discuss this treatment with your doctor before you go!
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