By Dr. Mary Lynn Wieber

I understand the value of nutrition, digestion, and healthy, organic eating.  Being a Flagler Organics member I feel good knowing my groceries are organic, fresh, local, and affordable.  I personally love when the greens in my basket have dirt and bugs nestled inside.  It reminds me of my parents’ farm in Michigan and the gorgeous garden my dad grows.  But it also reminds me of the importance of thoroughly cleaning any food that will be eaten raw (including nuts!).  One of the most common sources of parasites is raw food.

In my acupuncture practice I am able to see inside the body using a darkfield microscope.  Using one finger-prick of blood, my microscope and a tv monitor, I can analysis a live blood cell for fungus, yeast, liver toxicity, bacteria, parasites, and more.

Parasite Prevention

I have found a prescription for parasite prevention – “Healing With While Foods” by Pauk Pitchford.

Easy Steps

• First wash food thoroughly.

• Second, soak all food you eat raw in a sinkful of water with ¼ cup apple cider vinegar added for 15 minutes.

• Then rinse and it’s ready to eat.

If you’re in a rush, an alternative to soaking is wash first, then spray food with food-grade hydrogen peroxide spray and let sit for 3 minutes, then rinse.
On Tuesdays after basket pick up, I usually go home, wash & soak all my food and then store it in the fridge, so it’s ready to use, or I do it as-needed. Also to prevent parasites, use only filtered water, for drinking, and cooking…even boiling eggs.

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms of parasites in the body include:

• general weakness,
• mental foggy,
• abdominal bloating with diarrhea,
• changeable bowel movements,
• very strong appetite,
• withered yellow look,
• pale face color,
• specks in whites of eyes,
• skin rashes,
• white blotches on face,
• anal itching which is worse at night,
• nose picking, fretful sleep,
• teeth grinding at night,
• craving sweets/dried or crunchy food/burned food/charcoal taste.

Other Considerations

Other considerations to prevent parasites:

• Avoid overeating and chew all food thoroughly;
• Incorporate rejuvelac, oat yogurt or other sources of probiotic to encourage good/friendly bacteria in the colon;
• Raw, salt free sauerkraut (one Tablespoon per meal) can help aid digestion;
• Increase hot, spicy, bitter foods which assist in parasite elimination, like fennel, clove, cayenne, garlic, sage, ginger, horseradish, thyme, turmeric.

I love the recipes on the website and the tips for a healthy environment at home & work are very welcome. I really enjoy the baked goods, almonds, eggs, and other add-ons, and I am looking forward to more additions from Flagler Organics in the future!