A series of articles by Omar M. Amin, M. Sc., Ph. D., D. N. M.

Relationships in parasitology and gestalt¹

My personal perspectives about parasitology are not much different to my perspectives on jogging, swimming, painting, playing music and writing. It is always a journey or hobby that brings meditative inner-consciousness together with correct action.

Recognising the temporal and spatial relationships between parasitic infections and physical and psychological trauma is parasitology viewed through a “gestaltic perspective”. Those relationships may, in many cases, be operative at the sub-clinical level since early childhood years. Progressive or sudden overt disease may occur later on in life. The reactivation of infection is usually associated with depressed immune status. Age, hormonal changes and physical or psychological stresses are important contributors to immune system suppression. Compromised immunity in adults renders the body wide open for many opportunistic infections that may become established in the adult stage and not only during earlier years of life.

Inter-relationships of this nature have not been the usual preoccupation of the traditional scientific or academic community. Rare exceptions, however, exist. The impact of major parasitic diseases on the immune system, as well as the subsequent effects of the latter on other parasitic infections, have been recently considered by Kirszenbaum (Parasitic Infections And The Immune System). Short term studies on the direct impact of acute parasitic infections on human or animal health are, however, more frequently reported in the literature. In addition, the inter-relationship between host immune system and concurrent parasitic infections needs to be more seriously considered. For instance, suppressed cell mediated immunity in patients with invasive amebiasis makes it possible for the opportunistic Candida albicans to develop frequently in those patients.

My particular interest in "holistic parasitology” is one facet of my overall philosophy on relationships which has its roots in Zen Buddhism. We have come of late to recognise that it is not the nature of the beast that matters but rather how that beast interacts with other beasts. Observe for instance the working relationships in quantum mechanics.

Einstein recognized the nature of atomic behavior and relationships as did Heisenberg in his initial work on the Principle of Uncertainty, (see Fritj or Capra) for interesting perspectives on these concepts. Capra (The Tao of Physics) also coined this paradigm shift in physics in his eloquent exposition of the relationship between physics and Taoism. Paradigm shifts have also been recently recognised in such fields as psychiatry, diplomacy and health care.

Few in the clinical field recognise that a malfunctioning organ does not exist in a void but also interacts with the total physical, mental, emotional and intuitive entities of the patient. While parasites can adversely impact their host's immunity, a compromised immune system often issues an open invitation for increased parasitic invasion and invasiveness. In my practice in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, those relationships, for example, between chronic fatigue and parasitic infection, were clearly evident. In immune compromised patients, certain intestinal parasites, for example, Blastocystis hominis, were observed to be associated with marked gastro-enteric symptoms. Immune competent patients may not experience such pathologies.

Health is an expression of balance between one's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual entities; see Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miraculous. When that balance is disturbed by pressures, for example in the case of acute or chronic parasitic infections and/or non-physical factors, it needs to be restored. Homeopathic physicians understand these relationships. They also respect parasites. I now realise why I developed such an appreciation for this community of practitioners. To me, it is the 21st century expression of what I always related to intuitively, in other words, the native doctor of the tribal culture in Central Africa that understood and dealt with the body and soul of his patient as one. I have been trained to research and publish in medically credible scientific journals with readerships not extending beyond the specialised professionals. One of the major features of the new paradigm shift in the sciences is the enlargement of the scope of coverage and treatment to address the non-specialised professional and the public. See for example recent popular works by Steven Hawking, for example, A Brief History of Time.

Certain relationships in the parasitological field need to be more fully explored, e.g. those between parasitic infections and host physical-mental-emotional states as well as environmental variables. The latter include direct or indirect animate (human, wildlife, or domestic animals) and inanimate sources. Here, one should stress again the fact that behavior of the same parasite species will not be the same depending on host innate and external variables.

Exclusive seminars from world-leading parasitology professor
Dr Amin will be discussing the world of parasites in more detail at the Understanding Parasites seminar series, hosted exclusively by PCI Europe and Integrative Health Education.

Understanding Parasites
4th – 5th July 2015
Honourable Artillery Company, London
Two day ticket: £125
Single day ticket: £80
www.integrativehealth.co.uk
Email: courses@integrativehealth.co.uk or call 44 (0) 1924 242 851