More than 10 million people worldwide are infected with helminths annually, according to WHO data.Helminthic infestation is extremely dangerous for the body due to great damage - mechanical and toxic.Helminths destroy intestinal tissues and other organs of the body (even the heart and brain), poison people with phenol, formaldehyde poisons and other dangerous waste products, absorb vital macro- and microelements;prevention of helminthiasis is important for adults and children.
One of the main difficulties in the fight against worms is their removal from the body.Most drugs work only on adults and cause a serious chemical "blow" to health (so they should not be taken often).The cystic forms that remain in the body, the larvae, continue to reproduce and destroy the body, reducing its ability to resist infections, chronic diseases and provoking the emergence of dangerous pathologies.
Therefore, the primary task is comprehensive prevention of worms, aimed at preventing their penetration into the body and creating its own protective barrier - normal, healthy microflora in the intestines, proper functioning of the immune system, etc.To do this, you need to:
- take care of hygiene, especially if you are in a risk group - this includes children attending kindergarten and school, employees of sewage treatment plants, plumbers, summer tenants and gardeners, agricultural and other workers;
- take care of the quality of food and water;
- take additional protective measures, because compliance with the first two rules is not enough - take preventive courses of anthelmintic drugs, use natural drugs, special complexes for treatment and rehabilitation.
Difficulties in the prevention of helminthosis are caused by the fact that they enter the body not only through raw contaminated water and unwashed hands, but also through the air through which eggs and cysts are transmitted, apparently safe food and other sources.As early as two to four weeks after infection, patients develop acute helminthiasis, and then it becomes chronic, with different but always dangerous symptoms.However, prevention must begin with hygiene and lifestyle control.
Hygienic prevention of helminthiasis
Infection with helminths very often occurs through the skin and contact with contaminated objects - constructions in public places, toilets, even banknotes.Therefore, in everyday life it is necessary:
- wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet, going outside, before eating and personal hygiene, trim your nails on time (a long manicure is an additional risk factor);
- regularly carry out wet antiseptic cleaning at home;
- monitor the cleanliness of underwear and used accessories;
- if you have pets, perform regular examinations, scheduled deworming and therapy, prevent pets from coming into contact with stray dogs and cats and walk only in special places;
- fight against mechanical vectors of helminths - flies, cockroaches, etc.
You have to be extra careful when visiting public places.You can get infected by swimming in open water, a pool, contact with birds and animals, playing on the beach, in the sandbox or on the grass in the park.Small children who explore the world around them with a "pick" and try to put everything they see in their mouths are especially sensitive to worms.It is impossible for parents to monitor the quality of sand in the sandbox and protect playgrounds and parks from street animals and rodents.Therefore, the issue of anthelmintic prophylaxis for children is very acute.The most unpleasant thing is that you can get parasites simply from the air, walking and not touching the ground.
Food control
Just as responsibly as hygiene, you must treat the quality of products and their processing.Vegetables, fruits and herbs are usually washed with cold water, but this is not enough to kill parasites.It is necessary to at least cover them with boiling water.Meat, fish and seafood require long-term heat treatment at high temperatures and previous exposure in the freezer for several days.
A few more recommendations:
- exclude from your diet rare steaks and raw fish, even sea fish - worm larvae can stay there for a very long time;
- do not eat dried sausages - due to the production technology, the helminths in them are not completely destroyed;
- Do not picnic near livestock and poultry farms, open water and other danger areas.
However, even cooking meat for a long time and using only vegetables from your own garden does not give a 100% guarantee that you are protected from helminthic infestation.Additional measures should be taken to remove the worms from the body and prevent re-infection.
Preparations and natural medicines for anthelmintic prophylaxis
There are many drugs that doctors prescribe to fight helminthiasis.They are usually taken once or twice because of their high toxicity, but they can destroy the worms' metabolism and remove them from the body.Therefore, people concerned about their health take such drugs even without a diagnosis - as a preventive measure.
Most often, broad-spectrum drugs are used for prevention.Medicines differ in the type of active substance, they help with different forms of helminthiasis and should not be taken without a prior diagnosis and a doctor's prescription.This can cause even more damage due to “medical shock”.
Another preventive therapy is natural remedies.Among the most famous:
- pumpkin seeds (must have a green shell);
- garlic, onion and ginger;
- walnut grain tincture;
- herbal infusions with tansy, wormwood, celandine and other natural bitters.
The effectiveness of natural remedies is not great, the dose needed for prevention is difficult to calculate, and few people conscientiously eat raw garlic and pumpkin seeds regularly.For complete prevention, "folk recipes" are obviously not enough.
In order to provide comprehensive protection against helminthic infestation, create a permanent "active" barrier and help the body to fight against parasites on its own, special complexes are needed.Such products include several drugs that eliminate existing worms, restore the balance of nutrients disturbed by them and gently restore the normal state of the internal environment.
Natural-based preparations contain natural bitters, vital microelements that absorb helminths (zinc, iodine, selenium, magnesium, copper, etc.) and do not cause side effects.Complex:
- eliminates and protects against 150 types of worms in all forms - cysts, eggs, larvae, adults;
- improves intestinal enzyme activity, eliminates dysbiosis, restores the functions of the gastrointestinal tract and liver;
- compensates for the lack of micro- and macroelements, promotes the removal of heavy metals from the body;
- improves the external and internal condition, helps in the fight against a wide range of chronic diseases.
For the prevention of helminthic infection, it is recommended to take a special complex and medicines for three months (with a break of one week between each).The antiparasitic and health program is held once or twice a year, and if you are in a risk group, three to four times a year.