Hi Dr, Ben,
 
I've been a follower of you on facebook for about a year and really like your advice and generous dedication to natural health. I was recently diagnosed with a Giardia infection and will be using traditional anti-parasitic herbals including black walnut hull, pumpkin seed, wormwood, garlic, butternut bark, goldenseal, etc. and will also later switch to ayurvedic herbs such as vidanga, chitrak, clove, neem and turmeric. I would like to combine this herbal regiment with other supplements to restore and maintain good GI health. I've just purchased a bottle of the ProBiota 12 from your website as that seems to be the obvious starting point. What other products and foods or herbs would you also recommend?  Do you have any specific dietary recommendations to follow while taking the herbals?  
 
I appreciate your help and thank you in advance.  Kind regards.
 
PS  It's interesting to note that the Giardia symptoms are most pronounced around the time of the full moon and the new moon as this is when the organisms are most active. I found an herbal company called Sacred Medicine Sanctuary that has a unique 3-part herbal formula program that's meant to be started a day before the full moon, and continue about 5 days after. I haven't used this company's products before and had not heard of them until I did an online search, but they look to be very high quality and I plan to use their formulae as the foundation of my treatment. Perhaps you're already familiar with them (they're located in Poulsbo, Washington) but if not, here's a link to the anti-parasite products on their website.

Good to hear from you.

You’ve had this for some time now. Have you tried treating it yet or just getting to it?

ProBiota 12 is a great place to start. I’d go high dose initially: ½ teaspoon after dinner.

Neem is also powerful – especially when done as a retention enema. You can obtain Neem powder and mix with water and insert directly into your colon. I do not know the ratio of herb to water. There may be some information online.

Here is a disposable enema bag or a reusable stainless steel enema kit if you prefer.

You may also take a Neem supplement orally if you prefer.

Saccharomyces boulardii is effective against Giardia, check out this article.

We happen to have Saccharomyces boulardii on sale currently as well.

I use Herbal Melange when someone has food poisoning, traveler’s diarrhea or stomach flu. I have not used it with anyone having giardia. It could be beneficial. I recommend, should you try it, to take 1 ounce every 2 hours away from all other supplements. The taste is neutral. My kids have even taken this without too much fuss (but they are sons of a naturopathic doctor who routinely gives them bad tasting herbs, liquids and odd foods ;)

The last one I would consider is ParaBiotic Plus. I have recommended this for over 8 years and it has not let me down currently. I have not used it directly for giardia. I have given it to many globetrotters who were in far out places and never had an issue. They used this prophylactically.  Use as directed on the label.

I do know Sacred Medicine Sanctuary and I respect Ingrid. I read her newsletters often. She is a wealth of information. She discusses many things that I am not familiar with – especially energetics and frequencies or outer world things.

I have never tried her herbs or her tinctures. One thing that concerns me is it does not specify potency of the tincture. 1:4, 2:1, 1:8, etc. You may be getting pretty weak herbal tinctures – or very strong. Hard to say as it doesn’t say.

Keep me posted.

Best,
Dr Ben