Central Coast Home and Lifestyle Spring 2022

THE EXPERT ask The Inside Story on Gut Health

BY GEOFF GARLINGE

I t’s no secret that the human gut influences every aspect of our health. It regulates sleep, energy levels, mental health, the immune system and of course is crucial for digestion. A growing body of evidence further strengthens the widespread belief that a healthy gut is the key to maintaining a strong heart, mental health and even as a protection against certain Cancers. Not surprisingly questions around gut health abound, mostly concerning Prebiotics and Probiotics…time to bring extra clarity to this intriguing important subject. Whilst these amazing Nutraceuticals, fermented foods & supplements are undoubtedly relevant & crucial as part of a sustainable healthy lifestyle, some experts are now weighing in on what really constitutes a healthy gut. There’s often a story behind the story. In this case a side that’s been for the most part kept in the shadows, and certainly not given the prominence it deserves in the community at large…needs to be told. “Think of what you know about gut or digestive health,” challenges author Mark Porter in his new book Gut Health – The Inside Story . “Whether you are a consumer or health professional your immediate thoughts will run along certain well-worn lines of reasoning: diet; saturated fats; probiotics; vegan or paleo recipes.” But there is much more to this story. Porter continues… “There is one subject that is rarely broached, and when raised it is typically treated with disgust and dismissal by professionals and the public alike. It remains the most under recognised health threat of the modern age, particularly in wealthy countries.” So just what is this shadowy subject that we seemingly prefer to ignore rather than confront? “I find parasites in 92% of people.” stated Cancer Specialist Dr. William Kelley. He didn’t hold back about where he found them either… “Everybody – rich and poor – the whole population have parasites.” He’s not alone. Dr. Bernard Barber, a noted Australian doctor who spent his career studying gut health added: “Well over 80% of patients we check have some type of parasite or bacteria and the slight inflammation of the abdomen and unrelated pains and aches which indicate the presence of parasites.” But hang on I hear many saying…aren’t parasites only meant to inhabit poor developing countries with inadequate sanitation? If you accept current mainstream dogma, you will almost surely think so. “There are lots of ways of catching giardiasis, such as … drinking water that’s not been

treated to kill germs (usually while travelling in developing countries).” So claims the UK’s National Health Service website. What this official source fails to admit is that over 50,000 Britons contract this parasite from the United Kingdom’s own domestic water supply every year. “Blastocystis hominis is a common intestinal parasites found in humans living in poor sanitary conditions, living in tropical and subtropical climates, exposed to infected animals, or consuming contaminated food or water.” That’s right folks, we’re safe here! According to this peer reviewed article in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygeine, you contract Blasto, responsible for IBS-type symptoms & more from visiting countries with “poor sanitary conditions” in “dirty countries” and via coming into contact with “contaminated food or water” (or raw sewerage). This isn’t factual, though. According to the Australian Journal of Medical Science, there is a prevalence of anywhere up to 50% worldwide for this organism. That means up to 1 in every 2 people anywhere in the world have Blasto. Authorities also estimate that the worldwide percentage for Helicobacter pylori , another parasite that causes stomach ulcers as well as approx 10% of stomach Cancer, is also in around 50% of all people. Hence these bugs are not so exotic or rare after all and patients who have never travelled outside of Australia present with symptoms which are confirmed via multiple stool tests to in fact be Blasto...so there really shouldn’t be any related conjecture. A regularly asked question is how common are parasites where we live? To understand this issue we need to grasp the definition of the term “parasite” and all that it embraces. According to the Center for Disease Control, “a parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the espense of its host.” This very broad definition can cover almost any form of unhealthy organism. In other words, if it lives on you or in you and doesn’t help you…then it is a parasite. Further complicating things, parasites are often opportunistic as well. Medical author Dr William C. Schiel Jr describes opportunistic organisms as parasites “that can lie dormant in body tissues for many years…but cause no symptoms of illness. When the immune system cannot raise an adequate response [e.g. when compromised by another parasite infection] , these microorganisms are activated, begin to multiply and soon overwhelm the body’s weakened defenses.” Parasites are everywhere –in our water, our food, even on the grass on which we walk. Importantly they are also inside of us, lying dormant waiting for the right conditions to spring to life and make us sick. Far from being

an exotic condition only found in far-flung countries, unseen & unhealthy microscopic organisms silently confront us all every day. And how do we know if parasites are playing a role in our health? Common parasites rob the body of nutrients as they load our systems with their toxins causing side effects like abdominal pain, bad breath, bowel irritation, fluid retention, food sensitivities, joint and muscle pain, allergies, bloating, fatigue, unexplained fevers, chronic vaginal yeast or itching and of course…gas. If any of those symptoms ring true, you may well majorly benefit from a thorough parasite cleanse. “The good news is that effective treatments for unhealthy organisms don’t have to be aggressive or life-disrupting” states Mark Porter. “Safe and gentle treatments have been used in every culture for centuries to effectively clear these invaders. Advances in research and technologies help to unlock these natural treatments for our modern world.” Herbal formulas used for treating parasites are ideally complex enough to address a broad-spectrum infection as these organisms will often cross-infect. The typical offering of just two or three ingredients will however most likely not be enough to do the job. The good news is that twoAustralian formulas have for many years proven to be highly effective i.e. Vitaklenz & Vitaklenz for Kidz . These synergistic treatments allow the entire family to be cleared and need to be continued for periods long enough to actually break parasite lifecycles, typically 1 to 2 months. In extreme cases, especially Blasto remains undiagnosed for years, often causing weight loss requiring Nutraceuticals & supplementation of dense nutrients to rebuild and strengthen the body. Irrespective all those affected by parasites will need and be wise to implement a restoration strategy to come out the other side energised & glowing with a stronger constitiution… along with a functional Natural preventative maintenance program for ongoing optimal health and wellbeing. Whether we like to admit it or not, parasites play a major role in our health, even in Australia. However they simply don’t have to overwhelm us & we can be the winners. The logical strategy is to 1 st come to terms with their presence, then fight back naturally to erradicate the nasty invaders. Start your journey to a parasite-free life today. You’ll soon feel & see the difference…and like so many others will never regret saying goodbye to your “alien hitchikers”. Turns out Grandma was right all along in saying adults get worms too.

© 2022 GEOFF GARLINGE Dip. HC MR A (Medical Reg. Aust) - Geoff Garlinge is a Certified Health Counsellor, Nutritional and Nutraceutical Cancer Support Specialist & consultant to Australian University research facilities and the Natural Health Industry. With 34 years experience in the field, Geoff has lectured with as well as to Doctors, Pharmacists & CM Practitioners concerning Natural Health strategies with a reach into Asia & The Middle East. He is also founder of AUSTRALIA'S OWN Pty Ltd which he has headed since 1994.