A Jewish fish story

[tara]

This is a Jewish fish story. Or more accurately a Jewish fishworm story.

My mother, like her mother, was an expert Jewish cook, their specialties famous in our extended family. Their secret: taste as you go. Season slowly until the perfect flavor comes through.

It’s a safe technique with latkes or kreplach but not always with gefilte fish, a ground concoction of freshwater fish, spices, eggs, salt and matzo meal.

My mother never became sick from tasting raw fish, but, by chance, gefilte fish turned out to be a formidable problem for my medical partner’s wife, Rita.

Rita was meticulous in keeping a kosher house and enjoyed making the special Jewish dishes, including gefilte fish. An unusually energetic young woman, she was able to work in the garden, clean the house, cook and support her husband’s surgical practice without effort. But she had not been feeling well for months: abdominal symptoms of cramps, distention and occasional diarrhea, associated with increasing weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy and fatigue.

Bob, her husband, was concerned enough to obtain blood work that revealed a profound anemia: her red blood cells were in short supply. Here was a woman, in her 40’s, who ate a normal diet and took her vitamins. She had no gastrointestinal symptoms until this episode and had no obvious blood loss. What could be the cause of the anemia?

Microscopic examination of Rita’s red blood cells provided a clue. They were enlarged, with unusual structures, described as macrocytic. A common cause of this is pernicious anemia resulting from a shortage of vitamin B12 or folic acid, both necessary for the production of red blood cells. But Rita had no neurologic signs of pernicious anemia or any other systemic disease that would cause a lack of B12 or folate.

Her doctors were stumped.

Enter Dr. Earl Lipman, a close friend of Bob’s and an outstanding internist and diagnostician, who identified the culprit over the phone.

Earl asked, “Does Rita make her own gefilte fish?”

“Yes.”

“Does she ever taste the raw fish before adding salt?” Earl continued.

“Yes.”

“She most likely has a fish tapeworm.”

The fish tapeworm — a beast, stubborn as a dog with a beef bone — is reluctant to move, tightly gripping the wall of the small intestine with its two suction cups. The worm requires a powerful purging medicine to persuade it to leave its cozy cave and exit the gut into the light.

After purging, Rita discharged a tapeworm three feet long. Examination of the worm proved Dr. Lipman correct. Diphyllobothrium latum, the fish tapeworm, was identified by the pathologist. Her anemia slowly went away, and her abdominal symptoms disappeared.

The disease is unusual and the diagnosis can be hard to make. It was good fortune that Dr. Lipman had been a resident at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, where he had done research on vitamin B12.

Rita expressed her gratitude to by presenting Dr. Lipman with a large china fish platter.

The largest parasite of humans, the fish tapeworm — known for its length and the length of its life — is an ideal freeloader: compassionate, cunning, living off its host but not killing its benefactor. Often the worm causes no harm but may, as in Rita’s case, cause symptomatic anemia.

In the intestine, the worm is a fierce competitor for vitamin B12. Absorbing the vitamin for its own needs, the worm deprives the bone marrow of a vital ingredient for making red blood cells.

Tapeworms sometimes reach a length of 30 feet and can live up to 20 years. They have a complex life cycle; in adult form they attach themselves by suction cup to the small intestine of vertebrates.

The fishworm is a compact sex machine containing both male and female sex organs sufficient to produce and release up to a million eggs a day.

To survive, the eggs must reach fresh water, where they become embryos with hooks that are ingested by crustaceans. The crustaceans in turn are swallowed by fish. Freshwater fish like the pike and perch, major ingredients of gefilte fish, are especially fond of these delicacies.

Ingested, the larvae of the worms embed themselves comfortably in the muscle fibers of the fish. When humans or other vertebrates swallow the raw fish, the cycle is completed.

Though symptoms are sometimes described as the Jewish housewives’ disease, the worm is nonsectarian, and the anemia can be found in other cultures that eat raw freshwater fish/

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/08/he...rssnyt&emc=rss

[tara]

Does salting fish like for gravlax or curing it in acid like for ceviche kill the parasites? Maybe. The salt or acid used for curing prevents bacteria from growing. It [SALT] may also weaken or kill parasites. However, it’s not a full-proof method. Opinions in the scientific literature vary as to the degree to which salt/acid harms parasites. Most sources say that salting is more effective than curing in acid. Also, according to Dr. Gardner from Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology at the University of Nebraska, the acids in your stomach and intestines are at least as strong as lemon/lime juice.

http://beyondsalmon.blogspot.com/200...sakis-and.html

[tara]

Compromised health is a direct result of parasitical infestation in our bodies. Parasites live off our body's life-force and the sustenance that we ingest. In addition to a loss of nourishment and cellular damage, the toxicities produced by these creatures play havoc with our immune system and degrade the optimum health of their host. Sickness, disease, and numerous health challenges are the direct resultant of continued exposure and infestation. But parasites can be safely eliminated from the human body.

What exactly is a parasite? A parasite is an organism that lives off the host, the host being you or me. The parasites live a parallel life inside our bodies, feeding off either our own energy, our own cells or the food we eat, and even feeding off the health supplements we use. In recent medical studies, it has been estimated that 85% of the North American adult population has at least one form of parasite living in their bodies. Some authorities feel that this figure may be as high as 95%.

The immediate question that comes to mind when people are informed of this situation is: How can a parasite possibly live in my body and I don't even know it is there? The answer to this is simple. The purpose of a parasite is to not make itself known. A smart parasite lives without being detected because if it is detected, of course, something is going to be done to eradicate it. If you think parasites are stupid, think again. They are highly intelligent organisms. Not intelligent in the same way humans are, but they are intelligent in their ability to survive and reproduce, which is of course, the purpose of any organism on this planet.
We don't know why every generation prior to modern times made de-worming a regular part of their lives, but our generation chooses to ignore this basic practice. It is recognized that people in third world countries have parasites. It is also recognized that most of the animals we eat, and pets who live in our homes have an innumerable number of parasites and worms, but for whatever reason we seem to dismiss the notion that we as a modern society might also have foreign entities living within us as well. For whatever reason the medical profession chooses to try to down-play this fact, but this knowledge is becoming more and more publicly aware in this day.

"Other prominent physicians agree with me; that in human history, the parasite challenge is likely the most unrecognized of all endemic problems. Because they cannot be seen and rarely present immediate symptoms, they remain invisible as a cause or contributing factor to what can be a serious disorder." ?- Dr. Ross Andersen, N.D.

"We have a tremendous parasite problem right here in the U.S. It is just not being addressed."?- Dr. Peter Wina, Chief of the Patho-Biology in the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in 1991.
"In terms of numbers there are more parasitic infections acquired in this country than in Africa."?- Dr. Frank Nova, Chief of the Laboratory for Parasitic Diseases of the National Institute of Health.

Listing of some of the commonly referenced names of many prevalent types of parasites that call the human body home:

Tape worms: Taenias - fish tapeworm, beef tapeworm, and pork tapeworm. Obtained from eating raw or undercooked, infected meat. Adult worms can reach a length of more than 15 feet. Pork tapeworms can enter the brain and cause seizures. Fish tapeworms can produce over one million eggs per day. It can grow up to 33 feet. This worm is normally half an inch long, and is usually white/grey in color.

White worms: They come in all sizes, from tiny pinworms to those that look like spaghetti or angel hair pasta.
Red worms: These look just like earthworms. They exude from the colon wrapped in balls. They can reach up to 6 inches long.
Inch worms: These are thick (pencil size), black and bumpy, and about 2 inches long.
Black worms: These are 10 - 12 inches in length and leave the colon wrapped in 'yellow acid water'. They nest deep in the impacted colon wall.
Pin worms: Tiny parasites that wiggle out of the anus cavity. The have the appearance of white rice and are about 3/4 inch long and are thicker than white worms.
Hook worms: Curved parasites about six inches long, and grayish. Infestation is as high as 50% worldwide. Hookworms grip the intestinal wall and suck blood.
Thread worms: Cream-colored parasites as thin as a thread. They often come out by the hundreds.
Stickpin worms: One inch long and a head like a pea, perfectly round, small ones are white, adults are black.
'Little fish': Fish-type parasites with heads and tails that swim out of the colon in schools. They average about 1/2 inch long.
'Fuzz balls': Round parasites with fur on them. About 1/4 - 3/4 inch diameter, yellow in color.
'Spiders': Has an appearance similar to that of a spider and are colored brown; often 1 inch long.

http://www.parasitecleanse.com/parasites.htm

[lindalu]

Tara,
You seem to know this stuff pretty well. I just had a parasite, etc test done by my GI doc and so far they have found no parasites or e coli, salmonella, etc. I took black walnut, wormwood and yeast cleanser for a couple months. Can I trust his test??????
I checked out the website and was not sure which one is the best. Is there a natural way to do a parasite cleanse? I do have the master cleanse book, but am not sure I could stick with it!
Also, do you know anything about biofilms that Suzzie has been checking out?
Linda

[standswfist]

Lindalu. Not sure why physicians lab tests don't find this. It as if they test in the same way they run water tests. They look for Giardia which I think is a bacteria type. You really should consider finding a certified nutritionalist. They find them and also manage to measure the sizes of them. Here my nutritionalist found 23 different types of parasites in me...have the proof in a jar, still. My physician said I had none. One more reason I don't care much for them...as well as waist $ on them.

That master cleanse book. I personally would stick with it. Cleansing is cleansing, I would think.
Also,...very valuable knowledge...if you don't see results within the first week...than it is most likely not going to do much for you.

[tara]

I do not think that there are enough tests in western medicine to determine if you have parasites, lindalu.

Western medicine tends to ignore parasitic infections. Like they aren't politically correct or something like that! They say that there are over 1K of different kind of parasites. After all syphilis and malaria are parasitic in nature and as lyme is a close relation to syphilis, common sense would dictate that lyme and morgellons are a parasitic disease.

Hulda Clark says that every disease has a parasite behind it – get rid of the parasite and you get rid of the disease.

Maybe look at it in a different way ... determine if you are low in B12 and if you are ASSUME that you have a parasitic infection. I use the vitamin c and salt. If you put salt on a slug you can see that it dies in an abrupt fashion.

I also use a ZAPPER from Hulda Clark and I have a RIFE machine. Be prepared to herx as the parasites like none of this and exit the body in rather an abrupt fashion.

Other option is to look toward Indian or Chinese medicine as they generally have good remdies that deal with parasites well.

[tara]

Possible signs of parasite infestation:

AIDS:
People with AIDS often have treatment-resistant Candida albicans because of the impaired immune factors caused by many parasites. A study done at the University of Virginia reported that an amoeba, Entamoeba histolytica, produces a substance that attacks the very immune defence cells that can inactivate the HIV virus. The New England Journal of Medicine drew a connection between AIDS and epidemic outbreaks of amebiasis two years prior to the San Franscico AIDS outbreak (Aug.7, 1986) As a result of the AIDS epidemic, the incidence of many parasitic diseases has increased -- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, cryptosporidiosis, and strongyloidiasis.

Allergy:
Parasites can irritate and sometimes perforate the intestinal lining. This increases the possibility of large undigested molecules crossing the barrier into the bloodstream. It is these large molecules that irritate the immune system enough to cause such allergy symptoms as increasing the levels of eosinophils which, in turn, inflame tissues, resulting in allergy-type symptoms. Parasites can also trigger an increase in the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE). All this can result in many different types of food allergies or sensitivities.

Anal itching:
When especially at night. This is often a sign of pinworms, but can also be a symptom of any of a number of parasites.

Anemia:
[color=red]Some intestinal parasites attach themselves to the mucosal lining of the intestines, leeching nutrients from the host. If the numbers are large enough, they can create enough blood loss to cause iron deficient or pernicious anemia [/color][B12].

Breasts:
Breasts that become sore and swollen, but not related to menstruation.

Chest pains or heartburn:
When these are not to be confused with impending heart attacks.

Chronic fatigue:
Parasites cause physical, mental, and emotional symptoms which include the following: tiredness, flu-like complaints, apathy, depression, impaired concentration, and faulty memory. Extreme fatigue is often the result of malnutrition brought on by the malabsorption of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and especially Vitamins A and B12, caused by parasites blocking absorption sites in the intestines.

Constipation:
Because of their size and shape, some worms can obstruct the intestine making elimination difficult.

Diarrhea:
Certain parasites (mainly protozoa) produce prostaglandin, which creates a loss of certain electrolytes. Diarrhea is the result of parasitic action and not necessarily the body's attempt to rid itself of the organism.

Digestive complaints:
Parasitic invasion are often mistaken for vague digestive problems, includingthe following: flu-like symptoms, colitis, gas, bloating, indigestion, feeling full all the time, stomach aches or burning sensations, nausea, unexplained vomiting, etc. There can also be a weight loss while still having a vigorous appetite. Other digestive problems can include the following: difficulty in gaining or losing weight, uncontrolled chronic yeast problems, plus numerous and varied food allergies or sensitivities, as well as environmental intolerances. More than 50% of those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome were considered "cured" of their disease when the parasite infestation was treated.

Elimination changes:
Stools that are foul-smelling and greasy, becoming worse in the afternoon and evening, are often symptoms of parasitic infestations, particularly that of Giardia lamblia. Other symptoms include the following: alternating periods of soft or watery stools and constipation, abdominal cramps, abdominal rumblings and gurglings different from periods of hunger and eating. Other changes can include bedwetting, blood in stools, and dysentery (different from simple diarrhea).

Gas and Bloating:
Some parasites live in the upper small intestine, where inflammation can produce these symptoms. They can be magnified when such hard-to-digest foods as beans and raw fruits and vegetables are eaten. Persistent abdominal distention is a frequent sign of parasite invasion. Symptoms can persist intermittently for months or years if the parasites are not eliminated entirely from the body.

Gingivitis:
Without proper care of the mouth, the normal bacterial flora can be altered, allowing for pathogens and parasites to take over. As cysts enter the mouth and travel throughout the body, a weakened area, as the mouth, will easily become a target.

Granulomas:
Tumor-like masses that encase destroyed larva or parasitic eggs are called granulomas. They develop most often in the colon or rectal walls, but can be found in the lungs, liver, peritoneum, and uterus.

Immune dysfunction:
Parasites depress immune system function by decreasing the secretion of IgA. Their presence continuously stimulates the immune system response, and, over time, can exhaust this line of defence, leaving the body open to an influx of other parasites, as well as bacterial and viral infections. Unexplained disorders can include the following simple complaints: itchy skin/ears/nose/anus, joint and muscle aches and pains, low back pain, rashes, etc., to more serious autoimmune disorders including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.

Irritable bowel syndrome:
Parasites can irritate, inflame, and coat the intestinal wall, leading to a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms and malabsorption problems, particularly of fatty foods, leading to bulky stools and steatorrhea (excess fat in the stools).

Joint and muscle aches and pains:
Parasites can migrate to joint fluids. Worms can encyst, that is, become enclosed in a sac, within the muscles. When this happens, the pain is diagnosed as arthritis or rheumatism. Inflammation will be real because their presence will stimulate the body's immune system to respond to their presence, but being microscopic, will not be a suspect.

Mental changes:
When these include the following: depression, impaired thinking, bursts of anger, confusion, restlessness, anxiety, and nervousness are often the result of systemic parasite infestation. Parasitic metabolic wastes and toxic substances can serve as irritants to the central nervous system, causing these symptoms.

Other health complaints:
Parasites are the missing diagnosis of many health problems including the following: chronic fatigue, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, hypoadrenalism, dysgonadism (a protein dysfunction in the genito-gonadal area), chronic upper respiratory ailments, depressive manifestations, depressed libido, and endometriosis.

Respiratory problems:
These include the following: coughing and wheezing, shortness of breath, often with flu-like symptoms, andexcessive nose picking. Parasites are known to migrate to the upper respiratory tract, causing irritation.

Skin conditions:
Intestinal worms can cause the following: hives, rashes, weeping eczema and other skin lesions. Cutaneous ulcers, swellings, sores, papular lesions and itchy dermatitis can all result from protozoan invasion.

Sleep disturbances:
Restlessness with multiple awakenings during the night, particularly between 2 and 3 AM, can be caused by the body's attempt to eliminate toxic wastes via the liver. According to Chinese medicine, these hours are governed by the liver. Sleep disturbances are also caused by nocturnal exits of certain parasites through the anus, creating intense discomfort and itching.

Teeth grinding:
Bruxism is the abnormal grinding, clenching, and gnashing of the teeth, often observed in cases of parasitic infection. This is more noticeable in children, especially at night, and may be a nervous response to an internal foreign irritant. In "conventional" medical material, they still maintain that the cause of this remains unknown and controversial.