What to know about parasites: Risks, symptoms & testing

Parasitic infections can be contracted through contaminated food (especially pork, beef, chicken, and bottom-feeding fish like tilapia), water, and habits like fingernail biting; diagnosis can be performed through blood smear testing by examining a single drop of blood under a microscope to detect parasites in the vascular system; treatment involves starving parasites by reducing sugar and grain intake, using natural antimicrobials like cloves and garlic, and potentially hyperbaric oxygen therapy, while antibiotics and chemical drugs can damage the gut lining and facilitate parasite infiltration.