Flesh eating protozoa killed with a SINGLE herb

Traveling to exotic places can at times leave you with an exotic problem. This was the case when I traveled to Costa Rica. I was living in a small town called Cahuita on the Caribbean coast. I remember long, black sand beaches, palms, giant lizards, sloths, banana and cacao farms throughout. 

I spent half of my time on the beach which eventually led to acquiring an ancient, highly advanced single cell organism that simply loved to eat flesh. It started with a few bites from sandfleas which carry the protozoa. The bites started as little red dots. A week later they turned into little pimples and after that started growing to the size of a pea. Every day they grew a little more: sore, open wounds that were always raw and painful. Ironically, I was bitten by these sand fleas two days before I left for the United States. It was when I got home that the protozoa began to take hold.

It took a month or so until I realized what it was, based on my own research. My partner, who also got bitten, had core samples (chunks of flesh) sent to the CDC labs to be analyzed. The doctors she visited were extremely excited to be able to study her infection. They had never seen it. Her wounds were growing much faster than mine for some reason. The CDC was able to isolate the strain as "leishmaniasis panamensis", a cutaneous infection (only affecting the skin and sometimes mucous membranes). Other strains get into your bone marrow, organs and brain and are often deadly.

At the time, the treatment option in the United States was pentavalent antimony drip for one month. Antimony is a toxic metal with many side effects. We didn't want to go that route so we tried many alternative options including oxygen hyperbaric chamber sessions, various sulfur and silver creams and various herbs. Nothing was happening, the wounds kept growing. At that point, about two months after the bites, I had four open wounds ranging from the size of a quarter to a silver dollar. My partner's were almost twice that size. 

From my own research I learned that the leishmaniasis protozoa gains strength from iron, vitamin D and sugar so we had to avoid anything that contained those things which was very difficult. 

Here is where the miracle herb comes to play.   

And by play I mean murder. 

Things were getting nasty and we were fed up with this single celled organism eating our flesh. 

I was doing some research one night on how various indigenous communities deal with skin infections. At one point I came across a website selling herbs from the Amazon rainforest. They stated that Pau d'arco tree bark was used to treat skin infections so I purchased two pounds of the stuff (about $10) and waited for it to arrive.

Pau d'arco (Tabebuia avellanedae)  is a tree native to South America where it has been used to treat various conditions including arthritis, pain, inflammation of the prostate, fever, dysentery, boils and ulcers, and various cancers. It is also used to kill off candida infections. One of the main active ingredients is an oil called "lapachone". The tree is often used as a source of lumber so the bark is stripped and aged for at least a year to be used for medicine. 

                   

After the herb had arrived, I simmered a small handful in a large pot for a few hours. After letting it cool, I poured the tea over my wounds and let it dry there. After trying so many different treatments, I immediately could tell this would work. The wound started to dry and tighten a small amount. My partner and I continued this treatment, pouring the tea over our wounds 2-4 times per day. Each day the wounds shrunk a little more. After about one month they were completely sealed. We also drank the tea as it is a powerful blood cleanser, hoping to rid our bodies completely of this infection. 

Over the next three months, every time I would get a scrape or pimple, anything that broke the skin, it would start to grow. I knew the protozoa wasn't completely gone. Each time that happened I would drink the Pau d'arco tea and pour it over the new wound which would close it quickly. After those three months it seems to have left completely. Its been four years now and it has not returned... nor will I return to Costa Rica. 

Our friend in Costa Rica who lives in Cahuita tells us that 70% of the local population gets leishmaniasis at least once in their lifetime. He has lived there for over 25 years and never had it. I was there for about 2 months and got it. He tells me the local cure of choice involves applying battery acid to the wound (to remove the protozoa's protective coating) and then applying sulfur cream.

I hope this article helps to ease and expedite treatment for anyone who acquires cutaneous leishmaniasis. Costa Rica is a beautiful place so don't let this single celled organism keep you from visiting. Pura vida!