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Identifying and Treating Parasites with Alessandra Edwards

 
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Identifying and Treating Parasites with Alessandra Edwards

In recent times the pathogenicity of parasites has been called into question. Though Blastocystis hominis and Dientamoeba fragilis are being increasingly detected in patients with unresolved gut disorders, the jury is still out on whether intervention is medically necessary.

Due to her speciality in digestive disorders many of these patients find their way into Alessandra Edward's naturopathic practice. What might surprise you is that she is not heavy-handed with antimicrobial therapy.

Listen as Alessandra takes you through her patient-centred approach and shares her clinical expertise in identifying and treating parasite-derived gut disorders.

Covered in this episode:

[00:42] Introducing Alessandra Edwards
[01:50] Today's Topic Parasites
[02:15] How Alessandra came to specialise in parasites
[03:37] How to determine when parasitic treatment is necessary
[05:57] What parasites are most commonly coming up in patients?
[06:31] What are the major presenting symptoms?
[08:01] What leads you to decide to test for parasites vs. some other cause?
[09:25] What are the key sources of blasto infection?
[12:18] Are there "strain-specific parasites"?
[14:19] The term "pathobiont"
[16:09] Alessandra's clinical approach
[20:12] The Naturopathic identity in the biomedical approach
[21:11] Parasitic resistance to key medical treatments
[22:13] Blasto vs. Dientomoeba 
[24:08] Relationship with SIBO and IBS?
[27:18] What about FODMAP diets?
[27:56] Choosing Herbal vs. Pharmaceutical Antimicrobials
[29:00] Choosing probiotics
[31:28] Timeframe patients can expect results?
[33:36] For practitioners: red flags to look for?
[35:10] Foster positive relationships with GPs
[37:46] Where can practitioners find more information?
[40:41] Wrapping up

Additional Resources

Probiotic Advisor | Dr Jason Hawrelak
Health Masters Live
PubMed
Medline

Other Podcasts with Alessandra include:


DISCLAIMER: 

The information provided on FX Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you have read here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.

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