This means an animal or plant that lives on or in another organism from which it obtains nutrients. Parasites are larger than bacteria and viruses but usually so small that you cannot see them without a microscope. Bacteria can also be parasitic. The parasites are often harmful. Any number of them can infect your gastrointestinal tract.
Most parasites produce similar symptoms.
According to Ann Louise Gittleman, a certified nutritionist who has worked with parasite patients, a parasite infection can be manifested by any number of signs. These include constipation, diarrhea, gas and bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, joint and muscle aches and pains, anemia, allergies, skin conditions, nervousness, sleep disturbances, teeth grinding, and chronic fatigue. Many health practitioners believe that not only do parasites result in symptoms such as those listed above, but that they also may be responsible for a number of other health problems. Gittleman says I have observed that many unexplained health conditions often disappeared when parasites were eliminated from the body. Parasites can damage the host s body in a number of ways.