Here is a story that got to me:

My wife loves sushi. Sushi is just raw fish. Raw fish is full of deadly contaminants. Is she doomed? Pull no punches.

— Mike M., Chicago

Cecil replies:

Mike, I have to be honest with you. There is a big potential problem here. It involves something that's small, pink, and crawls.

HINT: You're not likely to chuck it under the chin and go, "Ooh, CUTE Baby Snookums."

You got it, pal. Worms.

Eating raw fish can result in anisakiasis, an infection caused by an infestation of Anisakis worm larvae.

Now, don't panic, it's not that bad. They're not BIG worms. Not like one of those tapeworms, which can be a foot or two in length and take up more room in your abdominal cavity than you do.

No, these are LITTLE worms. They grow up to a mere one inch in length. This is not comforting you, I can tell. Sorry, I'm doing the best I can.

If you're lucky, the worms will wind up in your stomach, where the chief symptom is generally a sudden attack of intolerable pain. It starts within 12 hours after eating the affected fish and continues for two or three days, until the worms expire.

If you're not as fortunate, the larvae head down to your intestines, where they can take up permanent residence.

You could think of them as low-maintenance pets. I mean, you don't have to walk them. To be considerate, every once in a while you could sort of jiggle, so they get some exercise. As for eating--well, I guess they take care of that on their own.

Maybe you don't want to think about it.

Cases of anisakiasis turn up from time to time in Japan and the Netherlands, where raw fish eating is common. Here the disorder is often misdiagnosed as appendicitis, peptic ulcer, or stomach cancer.

The only treatment is to poke a tube down your craw and remove the larvae one by one. Don't let anybody fool you: you cannot freeze fish at home to kill parasites, not even if you freeze it for months. This process simply puts the parasite to sleep until it is thawed. This cryogenic suspension was graphically demonstrated to me personally when some whole frozen bluegill (a freshwater type of fish) were thawed in my sink, and they proceeded to snap back to life and flop around the sink until they were humanely dispatched. These bluegills had been in my freezer for several months before this shocking event occurred. Needless to say, the even lower brain-stemmed parasites they might have had would be equally surprised at their new awakening.

Some of the assassins who run sushi bars will tell you they can check for worms by "candling," holding the fish up to the light and cutting out the larvae before slapping what's left on your platter. The Centers for Disease Control, however, say the efficacy of this method is on a par with rain dancing. Who wants to eat alive or dead worms?

Now understand, I'm not saying you're GUARANTEED to get worms if you eat sushi, or, for that matter, sashimi, ceviche, or some other type of raw fish cuisine. Just the thought of eating alive or dead parasites should be enough for anyone to rethink what goes into your mouth. Here is a surgery on a Japanese guy who ate a lot of sushi.  He lost his motor skills because of roundworms and tapeworms.



Tapeworms and roundworms and their eggs which abounds in all fish (fresh or saltwater) can only sometimes be killed by thorough cooking and/or freezing the fish to between 4 degC - 0 degs C. Whether eating raw or cooked parasites they do not sound appetizing.

How do fish get parasites?

The life cycle of an anisakid nematode begins when seals or sea lions eat infected fish (Figure 1). The larval nematodes grow to maturity, and the marine mammal excretes the nematode eggs into the sea where they hatch. Shrimp-like animals eat the larvae, and fish eat the shrimp-like animals. The larvae then develop into the form we see in fish.

The life cycle for a tapeworm is similar. Mammals or birds eat infected fish. The eggs hatch in freshwater. Crustaceans eat the eggs, freshwater and anadromous fish eat the crustaceans, and we eat the fish. seafood.ucdavis.edu/Pubs/parasite.htm

In the US, because we have grown up with modern sanitation, we assume that parasites are only encountered in other parts of the world. But as one expert has written “…the United States citizen can acquire amoebas, Giardia, pinworms and other parasites, for example, without so much as a passport application.” Original Publication Date: 10/12/2004
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

Words from Dr. Marcelle Pick: " Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or intestinal parasites-IBS is just the beginning of the story, not the conclusion. I think IBS is being used by doctors as a catch-all diagnosis for a complicated host of symptoms that need to be explored in depth before the root cause (such as yeast, intestinal parasites or food sensitivities) Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP now tests for parasites in every woman who comes into the clinic with a diagnosis or symptoms of IBS. You may be surprised to learn that 40% of these women prove to have intestinal parasites — even though many have never left the United States.

When I first began working with women with issues of bloating and gas, I never anticipated seeing the number of women with intestinal parasites that we do. My expectation was that parasites really only occurred in third world countries. We know from a number of studies that in such countries parasites affect up to 99% of the population. The problem in the United States is obviously much less, but it is growing."

Candida or chronic Candidiasis -an overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract of yeast, can be hard to detect, for its symptoms are the same as those of a number of other health problems. Symptoms of chronic candidiasis are fatigue, allergies, immune system malfunction, depression, chemical sensitivities, heartburn, gas, belching, diarrhea, fatigue, headaches, irritability, and digestive disturbances. Several people who have this have an extended belly, but not always. 1,2 Most people do have some type of Candida for it is hard to keep our intestines super clean unless on a raw diet. To what degree you have it can be tested.

Some of the following self-care steps may help get candidiasis under control:

·        Eat foods low in refined carbs and sugars

·        White flour, refined sugars, and fruit juices may help yeast grow in the intestine, so cut them out of your diet

·        Try some beneficial bacteria such as a probiotic supplement to control yeast in the intestine (No dairy yogurt)

·        Check out antifungal supplements

·        To reduce yeast in the intestine, try caprylic acid, supplemental garlic, or oregano oil.

·        Avoid eating foods like bread and cheese, which contain yeast and mold

·        Stay away from as much dairy as possible and no eggs, chicken or meat.

These recommendations are not comprehensive and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor.

1. Truss CO. The role of Candida albicans in human illness. J Orthomol Psychiatry 1981,10:228-38 [review].
2. Crook WG. The Yeast Connection, 2nd ed. Jackson, TN: Professional Books, 1984, 1-2 [review].
3. Kroker GF. Chronic candidiasis and allergy. In: Brostoff J, Challacombe SJ (eds). Food Allergy and Intolerance. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders, 1987, 850-72 [review].
4. Bauman DS, Hagglund HE. Correlation between certain polysystem chronic complaints and an enzyme immunoassay with antigens of Candida albicans. J Advancement Med 1991;4:5-19.