Listen. The earth speaks to us in many ways, and sometimes her warnings come not as thunder, but as a quiet sickness in our bellies. Today, we gather to speak of a small, unseen invader that has been walking among our people, uninvited.
Our elders always taught us to respect the food we eat, to wash the berries in the stream before offering them to the children. That wisdom is more important now than ever. For we are in the midst of a great sickness, an outbreak of cyclosporiasis spreading across our lands.
The Coming of the Parasite
You see, there is a tiny parasite, so small you cannot see it with your eyes. They call it Cyclospora cayetanensis. It hides on our fresh fruits and vegetables, waiting to enter our bodies. Right now, here in West Virginia, we have seen numbers climb to near 70 cases, far more than the usual handful we might see in a year. And it is not just here; this sickness is touching 31 states. Michigan has felt it hardest, with thousands of our brothers and sisters falling ill.
What It Does to Our Bodies
Now, lean in close, for this is what we must all know.
This spirit of sickness, when it enters you, does not show itself right away. Like a seed that takes time to sprout, it waits. About a week after you eat the bad food, the sickness begins, a watery diarrhea so strong it leaves you feeling empty. Your belly cramps, you feel tired like you have walked a thousand miles, and your food holds no taste.
Our friends in Maricopa County have seen cases linked to travel, but most of ours are acquired right here, on our own soil. The sickness can last a week, two weeks, or more. Some get better, then the sickness returns. It is a patient enemy.
A Story from the People
I remember hearing of a sister in Ohio County. She was a strong woman, but this sickness took hold of her. She thought it was just a stomach bug. For days, she suffered the watery diarrhea, the cramping, the loss of appetite. She lost weight, became weak. It was only when she went to the healer that they found the truth, Cyclospora was living in her gut.
Her story is like many. But there is hope, and we do not have to suffer like she did.
The Healer's Guidance: How We Overcome
Now, we must speak of the ways to fight back. Our experts, the healers and health officials, have spoken, and their words carry the weight of our ancestors' wisdom.
First: Know the Signs.
Do not ignore a sickness that stays. If you have watery diarrhea that lingers, stomach cramps, nausea, or a weight you did not mean to lose, you must seek a healer. They have tests to find this hidden parasite. A doctor in Indiana tells us that while most people recover on their own, if you get a fever, cannot keep water down, or see blood in your stool, you must go to the emergency place right away.
Second: The Medicine.
The healers have a strong medicine, an antibiotic called TMP/SMX. It is what the ancestors would call a powerful root. You take it for seven to ten days, and it sends the parasite away. Do not be afraid to ask for this help.
The Counsel of the Food Keepers
Let us look now to the storehouse of our wisdom. The FDA and CDC tell us that this parasite comes from the soil, from the hands that touch our food. It is passed through the waste of people and contaminates our water and our crops.
But here is a great truth: This sickness does not pass from person to person directly. If your brother is sick, you will not catch it by standing near him. You catch it from the food that holds the parasite.
Our food safety experts, like Bud Vogt, a farmer in Indiana, tell us this: The sickness is mostly in packaged produce, the salads in bags, the pre-washed greens. The fresh, local food, picked and sold right from the field, is safer. "We don't put it in a box," he says, "It's just grown and sold right here."
The Map of Sickness and the Path Forward
Look at the map of our country. You see dots of sickness in West Virginia, many in the Midwest, stretching across the states. The outbreak map shows cases rising from Michigan to North Carolina.
But we are not helpless. We must follow the ways of our grandmothers:
Wash Everything: This is the greatest protection. Wash all your fruits and vegetables every one before you eat them. Even if it says "pre-washed," wash it again. It is a simple act of respect for your body.
Eat Local: Seek out your local farmers. The produce from your neighbor's garden does not travel far, and it does not sit in bags where parasites may hide.
Keep Clean Hands: Wash your hands often, especially before you prepare food. It is a shield that protects your family.
Seek Help Early: If the watery diarrhea does not stop, if you feel weak, do not wait. Visit the clinic. The healers can test and treat you.
A Call to Our Community
Remember, you are not alone in this. This sickness does not care about your clan or your name. It can come to anyone. But with this knowledge, you have power.
Do not stop eating your fruits and vegetables they are the gifts of the earth. Just prepare them with care. Our bodies are strong. With the right medicine and the right precautions, we will push back this sickness.
Let us stand together, warriors of health, and protect our families. The parasite is small, but our wisdom is greater. Walk in beauty, and walk in health.
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