Parasite/Gut Cleansing can be super helpful in one’s healing journey, or simply as part of a maintenance program. Personally I try and do a month long focused gut clearing protocol at least once a year, followed by microbiome rebuilding/gut soothing healing. We won’t go into the protocol specifics in this article, more to come at another point. For today, I want to focus on how to optimize your cleanse with foods. And you want to get the most out of it. So in this article we will go over nutritional recommendations and even some specific recipes to include as you move through this deep cleansing process.
To start, we will go over some of the foods to reduce or eliminate, or be aware of when it comes to parasite cleansing. When it comes to food choices, some are the actual sources of parasites, and others are foods that affect the terrain such that it creates a friendly environment for them to remain. Overall we want to eat a well-balanced, variety rich diet, consisting of whole/real foods, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and as organic and high quality as possible.
Consider Reducing/be Mindful of Parasite Sources
What I will say is that there are a lot of schools of thought here, for even vegans end up with parasite issues, they are ubiquitious in our environment and part of a functioning ecosystem. It just seems that doing a focus reduction/clearing can help with gut, allergy, immune and other imbalances we may have. Personally I more focus on reducing sugar/processed foods than the animal sources, but that is up to you and your needs!
Undercooked/Improperly Prepared Animal Protein: Sushi, Sashimi, Seared Meat.
If you eat wild game, please research properly handling and cooking recommendations to kill off pathogens. It depends on the species what is recommended.
Certain spores survive freezing, so once you defrost meat, immediately cook it rather than letting it sit at room temp or fridge temp for very long.
Thoroughly cooking meat will kill most parasites, make sure it's no longer pink and reaches at least 145 degrees (throughout, so check several places)
Using a pressure cooker, slow cooker, stews and such, this maintains nutritional content and tenderness while killing off most pathogenic bacteria and parasites.
Unwashed Produce, or Produced washed in unfiltered water
Improperly Filtered Water (This is important to check, especially if you seem to have recurring issues)
Processed Foods/Pesticide Laden Foods. Parasites serve a purpose to breakdown old/weird stuff, so if our terrain is healthy, there is often less of a susceptibility to parasite issues.
Constipating Foods
Cold/damp foods, not ideal for cleansing periods, Dairy Products/Cheese, Raw Milks and Yogurts are less so. This really depends on one’s constitution, green juices and such can be super helpful, fresh veggies etc, just be mindful if you have a sluggish sensitive digestion to focus more on cooked warm easy to digest foods.
Meat can be constipating if not balanced with fiber.
Fried Foods/Chips/Desserts.
Inflammatory Foods:
Here we are referring to your unique food sensitivities, what sort of foods you do best with and which ones you have trouble with.
If you are trying to clear yeast as well, limiting simple carbohydrates is helpful, such as white rice, pasta, breads in addition to the added sugars.
Foods To Include
Try and choose at least one from each category each day. We want to infuse ourselves with such high quality nutrition that the terrain does not welcome pathogens and include specific foods known to aid in parasite/pathogen elimination. Note that only include these foods if you enjoy and tolerate them!
Fermented Foods: Sauerkraut, Fermented Beets/Carrots
Healing Broths: Vegetarian Medicinal Broths, Or Bone Broths.
Liquid Greens (Chlorophyll/Minerals/Phytonutrients): Fresh Green Juices or Herbal Super Infusions: Nettles, Raspberry Leaf, Horsetail, Calendula.
Fiber/Detox Support: Beans/Lentils (if you tolerate), Whole Grains (if you tolerate), Psyllium/Acacia Fiber, Fruits (Apples, Pears, Berries), Avocados, Artichokes, Beets, Sweet Potatoes.
Nuts/Seeds: Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds & Pumpkin Seeds are all particularly beneficial. Get Raw, Organic and Whole. Store Nuts and Seeds in a fridge or cellar to reduce spoiling.
Specific Herbs/Spices/Foods To Add:
Garlic (Smash and let sit for 10 minutes before cooking or consuming)
Fresh or Dried Herbs: Oregano, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary
Bay Leaf, Anise, Fennel Seeds
Turmeric, Ginger
Clove, Cinnamon
Papaya Fruit and Seeds
Pomegranate Seeds
Recipes To Try
Roasted Roots: Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Beets
Stews and Soups: Slow cooked local beef, lamb, chicken with veggies like carrots, celery, and lots of healing herbs, adding chard/kale other local greens for more fiber.
Lots of Fresh Fruits: Papaya is amazing for gut cleansing. In the warm summer months its good to get lots of fruit as it is cooling and clearing. Fruit is best eaten separate than meat as it digests much differently.
Liver Support Greens: Baby Arugula, Mustard Greens, Romaine and other baby lettuce are fine raw. In general greens like kale, chard, amaranth and collards should be steamed, sauteed or marinated for a while to make them easier to digest.
Stewed Apples, Pears & Cranberries with Chia and Flax
A warm, comforting breakfast for the cooler months. Cooked apples and pears are nourishing for the large intestine, full of fiber, and help keep bowels moving. The malic acid in apples also supports bile flow. Cranberries add a bright, tart contrast, along with antioxidants and anti-adhesive/microbiome balancing effects.
Stewed Apples, Pears & Cranberries with Chia and Flax
A warm, comforting breakfast for the cooler months. Cooked apples and pears are nourishing for the large intestine, full of fiber, and help keep bowels moving. The malic acid in apples also supports bile flow. Cranberries add a bright, tart contrast, along with antioxidants and a beautiful color.
Ingredients
4 large apples, chopped
4 large ripe pears, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tbsp vanilla extract)
A splash of water
1 tsp each fresh-ground chia and flax per serving
Instructions
Add the apples, pears, cinnamon stick and vanilla to a pot with a splash of water.
Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the cranberries and simmer another 5–10 minutes, until the cranberries burst and the fruit is soft and jammy.
Serve warm with the ground chia and flax sprinkled on top.
Notes: Make a big batch and reheat single servings through the week. Very ripe pears balance the tartness of the cranberries; add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if you like it sweeter. Grind ¼ cup each of chia and flax at a time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Sprinkle it on fresh rather than cooking it in.
4 large apples, chopped
4 large ripe pears, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tbsp vanilla extract)
A splash of water
1 tsp each fresh-ground chia and flax per serving
Instructions
Add the apples, pears, cinnamon stick and vanilla to a pot with a splash of water.
Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the cranberries and simmer another 5–10 minutes, until the cranberries burst and the fruit is soft and jammy.
Serve warm with the ground chia and flax sprinkled on top.
Notes: Make a big batch and reheat single servings through the week. Very ripe pears balance the tartness of the cranberries; add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if you like it sweeter. Grind ¼ cup each of chia and flax at a time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Sprinkle it on fresh rather than cooking it in.
Parasite Cleansing Smoothie:
Choose one or more of the following:
1 tbsp Raw Organic Pumpkin Seeds (especially helpful)
1 tsp Organic Whole Chia Seeds
1 tsp Raw Organic Flaxseed
1 tsp Psyllium or Acacia Fiber
Small Chunk of Fresh Ginger
Handful Organic Baby Greens
½ Banana or ½ Organic Avocado or can leave out entirely.
Sprinkle of Cinnamon
Superfood Adds: 1 tsp Moringa Powder, 1 tsp Acai Powder, or Green Powder blends.
½ cup Frozen or Fresh Fruits (depends on what you have and what you like)
Frozen Berries (Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cherries)
Papaya, Mango, Persimmon
Mashed Pumpkin/Sweet Potato
Choice of Unsweetened Milk/Non Dairy Alternative/Coconut Water
Other Optional Adds: Collagen or Protein Powders
Biofilm Busting Wellness Shots/Salad Dressing
2 cups of Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
5 cloves of Organic Garlic, peeled and finely chopped/smashed
½ Organic Red Onion
1 Tbsp each of fresh or dried oregano/thyme/cilantro
Combine all of these ingredients and blend well.
Add 1 cup of Organic Unsweetened Cranberry Juice (optional)
Take 1 shot 1-2x/day, or use as a dressing for salads.
Herbal Pesto: This is another way to have easily accessible medicinal herbs ready to go.
Get a bunch of fresh herbs: rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, cilantro.
Blend with a clove of garlic, ⅓ cup olive oil and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
Blend well.
Add to recipes, even spread on veggies or crackers. The herbs are amazing antioxidant/ inflammatory and support chelation of heavy metals, and encourage a healthy microbiome.
Kitchari: (This is one of my favorite recipes for gut cleansing. It is a traditional Ayurvedic Dish that is super easy to digest and full of healing and anti-inflammatory herbs and spices)
Ingredients:
2 cups Split Yellow Mung Beans (Dal)
I order online through Banyan Botanicals, it can be hard to find these in grocery stores.
1 cups Whole Organic Buckwheat, Organic Brown or White Basmati Rice or Millet
Traditionally it is with White Basmati Rice, which you can use, I just tend to try and add something with a bit more fiber/nutritional content unless someone has a hard time digesting whole grains.
Organic Coconut Oil or Organic Ghee
I use Coconut Oil due to dairy sensitivity, if you tolerate Cow Dairy, Ghee is an amazing healing food
Dry Spices & Herbs:
1-2 Organic Bay leaves
1 tsp Organic Whole or Ground Coriander
1 tsp Organic Whole or Ground Brown Mustard Seed
1 tsp Organic Whole or Ground Cardamom
1 tsp Organic Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Organic Whole or Ground Cumin
Banyan Botanicals Makes a pre blended Kitchari Spice Mix to make it easy, you can order all the supplies on their website.
1 tsp Himalayan Salt
Depending on your Dosha (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) different spices are more appropriate than others, so I would look into your constitution and perhaps adjust.
Fresh Herbs:
Organic Cilantro (Garnish)
1 inch chunk fresh Organic Ginger, finely chopped
1 inch chunk fresh Organic Turmeric, finely chopped
Veggies: Optional, or can just pick one or two)
Organic Carrots
Organic Sweet Potatoes
Organic Green Beans
DIRECTIONS:
Soak Mung Beans Overnight and Rinse
Chop Veggies and Ginger/Turmeric
In a Large Soup Pot (Ceramic is Ideal) warm tbsp of Coconut Oil with Herb Blends, and fresh Ginger & Turmeric in the bottom of the pan. Warm for 2-3 minutes, make sure to not burn the spices.
Add 8 cups of water, along with mung beans and rice. Add bay leaf and salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cover.
When the mung beans are starting to split (usually around 15-20 minutes) add chopped veggies and sweet potatoes. Cover and continue to simmer until all the beans are very soft. You want it to be porridge-like consistency.
Serve warm, top with sprouts, avocado and fresh cilantro.
A traditional kitchari cleanse means you only eat this dish for 2-3 days. I tend to incorporate it in with other healing foods as a modified cleanse.
