7 ms·

Parasites are good for you as they feed on dead, damaged cells. They're the quickest method of detoxification. The best thing to do when you have a parasite i

Parasites are good for you as they feed on dead, damaged cells. They're the quickest method of detoxification. The best thing to do when you have a parasite is to let it run its course while eating plenty of raw eggs and fat. Source: Aajonus Vonderplanitz, We Want To Live and The Recipe For Living Without Disease

PakG1 8y ago
Does this go for all parasites, or only certain parasites? Is there data on that? Intuition and quick Google tells me that may have to be careful about which parasites you "ignore".
- robohamburger 8y ago
  https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic-infections/trichinosis https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic-infec... is at least one such parasite I would not want to detox on. I wonder what fun pals live inside those fish though.
- thaumasiotes 8y ago
  The normal case is that parasites cause serious problems and are permanent. Take hookworm, which causes anemia in whites and was responsible for the stereotype of the poor Southern white being pale and lazy. There is no reason to expect a parasitic infection to "run its course". Particular parasites may be largely harmless due to context; I believe a tapeworm won't do much to you other than causing you to stay thin while eating large quantities of food. This was more dangerous when people enjoyed less of a food surplus than we do now. Of course, the tapeworm will also transmit tapeworms to everyone in contact with you.
  - gotocake 8y ago
    All good points, parasites are generally to be avoided and do have consequences. As for tapeworms, it really depends on the type. Some as you say just eat your lunch, but pork tapeworms are dangerous. They carry a risk of having their eggs wend their way into tissues such as muscles, and most dangerously the brain, with predictably disastrous consequences. Neurocysticercosis is no joke, and if you’d like to never sleep again try a google image search for it. The only two (controversial) benefits of human parasites I know of are non-pork tapeworms used for dieting, and... something very interesting indeed. I give you... Helminthic Therapy. Some clever folks noticed that certain parasitic worms (helminths) are very good at modulating the immune system of their host, presumably to protect themselves and their offspring. They reasoned that a controlled infection could help with some autoimmune diseases, and it’s a subject of research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5401880/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5401880/ Even more interesting though is the hypothesis that widespread helminth infection is a contributing factor to lower rates of allergies and autoimmune disease in developing nations. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy
    - lazyjones 8y ago
      This raises the question whether some of our so-called lifestyle diseases are due (or more prevalent or severe due) to eradication of some common parasites we evolved with.
      - thaumasiotes 8y ago
        I think the evidence is decently strong that this is the case. The problem is that the lifestyle diseases, while bad, are clearly much better than the diseases they replace.
        cheesymuffin 8y ago
        What is the evidence for that? Autoimmune conditions can really suck.
        thaumasiotes 8y ago
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis
        cheesymuffin 8y ago
        I meant the evidence that the lifestyle diseases are better than the diseases they replace. Very cheesy how I got downvoted for genuinely asking a question though lmao. I don't know what the answer is -- I feel like it could go either way.
- PhasmaFelis 8y ago
  Based on a quick google for Aajonus Vonderplanitz, I'm confident that it is 100% false.
- scarejunba 8y ago
  The guy he's citing is a quack.
- TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
  Certainly not if you're this ant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis The process leading to mortality takes 4–10 days, and includes a reproductive stage where fruiting bodies grow from the ant's head, rupturing to release the fungus's spores.
- pvaldes 8y ago
  > Does this go for all parasites, or only certain parasites? The previous statement is not based on real science. "Cell detoxification" is a void term used often to justify selling you all kind of miraculous snake oils.
PhasmaFelis 8y ago
I doubt anyone here is going to fall for that, but just in case: "Vonderplanitz claimed that in his 20s he was diagnosed with multiple, terminal cancers resistant to conventional treatments, and that he cured these along with a number of other maladies such as autism, angina, dyslexia, juvenile diabetes, multiple myeloma, psoriasis, bursitis, osteoporosis, tooth decay and 'mania caused by excessive fruit' through raw diets, especially ones including raw meat."
cellularmitosis 8y ago
Hmm, maybe if you have an auto-immune disorder. But in general, I'd say avoid them. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4403024/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4403024/

PakG1 8y ago

Does this go for all parasites, or only certain parasites? Is there data on that? Intuition and quick Google tells me that may have to be careful about which parasites you "ignore".

robohamburger 8y ago
https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic-infections/trichinosis https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic-infec... is at least one such parasite I would not want to detox on. I wonder what fun pals live inside those fish though.
thaumasiotes 8y ago
The normal case is that parasites cause serious problems and are permanent. Take hookworm, which causes anemia in whites and was responsible for the stereotype of the poor Southern white being pale and lazy. There is no reason to expect a parasitic infection to "run its course". Particular parasites may be largely harmless due to context; I believe a tapeworm won't do much to you other than causing you to stay thin while eating large quantities of food. This was more dangerous when people enjoyed less of a food surplus than we do now. Of course, the tapeworm will also transmit tapeworms to everyone in contact with you.
- gotocake 8y ago
  All good points, parasites are generally to be avoided and do have consequences. As for tapeworms, it really depends on the type. Some as you say just eat your lunch, but pork tapeworms are dangerous. They carry a risk of having their eggs wend their way into tissues such as muscles, and most dangerously the brain, with predictably disastrous consequences. Neurocysticercosis is no joke, and if you’d like to never sleep again try a google image search for it. The only two (controversial) benefits of human parasites I know of are non-pork tapeworms used for dieting, and... something very interesting indeed. I give you... Helminthic Therapy. Some clever folks noticed that certain parasitic worms (helminths) are very good at modulating the immune system of their host, presumably to protect themselves and their offspring. They reasoned that a controlled infection could help with some autoimmune diseases, and it’s a subject of research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5401880/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5401880/ Even more interesting though is the hypothesis that widespread helminth infection is a contributing factor to lower rates of allergies and autoimmune disease in developing nations. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy
  - lazyjones 8y ago
    This raises the question whether some of our so-called lifestyle diseases are due (or more prevalent or severe due) to eradication of some common parasites we evolved with.
    - thaumasiotes 8y ago
      I think the evidence is decently strong that this is the case. The problem is that the lifestyle diseases, while bad, are clearly much better than the diseases they replace.
      - cheesymuffin 8y ago
        What is the evidence for that? Autoimmune conditions can really suck.
        thaumasiotes 8y ago
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis
        cheesymuffin 8y ago
        I meant the evidence that the lifestyle diseases are better than the diseases they replace. Very cheesy how I got downvoted for genuinely asking a question though lmao. I don't know what the answer is -- I feel like it could go either way.
PhasmaFelis 8y ago
Based on a quick google for Aajonus Vonderplanitz, I'm confident that it is 100% false.
scarejunba 8y ago
The guy he's citing is a quack.
TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
Certainly not if you're this ant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis The process leading to mortality takes 4–10 days, and includes a reproductive stage where fruiting bodies grow from the ant's head, rupturing to release the fungus's spores.
pvaldes 8y ago
> Does this go for all parasites, or only certain parasites? The previous statement is not based on real science. "Cell detoxification" is a void term used often to justify selling you all kind of miraculous snake oils.

PhasmaFelis 8y ago

I doubt anyone here is going to fall for that, but just in case: "Vonderplanitz claimed that in his 20s he was diagnosed with multiple, terminal cancers resistant to conventional treatments, and that he cured these along with a number of other maladies such as autism, angina, dyslexia, juvenile diabetes, multiple myeloma, psoriasis, bursitis, osteoporosis, tooth decay and 'mania caused by excessive fruit' through raw diets, especially ones including raw meat."

cellularmitosis 8y ago

Hmm, maybe if you have an auto-immune disorder. But in general, I'd say avoid them. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4403024/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4403024/