Digestive health • 6 min read
You don't need to travel to the jungle. Sometimes all it takes is a tartare on a terrace, a salad washed in a hurry, or the dog sleeping at your feet.
If you take care of yourself and yet your stomach seems to have a mind of its own, read this carefully. You're probably closing the front door... and leaving the back ones open.
Door 1: raw or undercooked fish
Spain is one of the countries where the most fish is eaten. And that's why we know anisakis well, a parasite that can be found in fish.
AESAN recommends that fish you plan to eat raw, marinated, or undercooked be frozen beforehand: at −15 °C or below for at least 4 days; at home, count 5 days from the time you put it in the freezer. Cooking it at 60 °C for at least one minute in the center also inactivates it.
Homemade vinegar-marinated anchovies, ceviche, homemade sushi: if it wasn't frozen beforehand, the risk is there.
Door 2: undercooked meat
Some parasites can come from raw or undercooked meat. The rule is simple: meat well cooked in the center, especially minced and game meat.
Door 3: fruits and vegetables not washed properly
Soil and irrigation water can carry parasite eggs. Washing the fruit and vegetables you eat raw with plenty of water —especially leafy greens— is a small gesture that makes a lot of sense.
Door 4: living with pets
We love our animals and they sleep with us. That's why it's important to deworm them as instructed by the veterinarian and wash your hands after playing with them or picking up their feces.
Door 5: modern life
Eating quickly, out of the house, lots of ultra-processed food: none of this "puts" parasites in by itself, but it does distance us from the cooking and table habits that our grandmothers had automated.
Does this sound familiar?
One more habit in your routine
Many cultures maintain the custom of taking something bitter now and then. Okinami gathers that tradition in soft capsules:
- 1Black walnut shell, with juglone.
- 2Mugwort, the classic bitter of European phytotherapy.
- 3Cloves, rich in eugenol.
- 4Pumpkin seed, with cucurbitacin.
Together with garlic and oregano. No infusions, no measuring anything.
How it fits into your day
- 1In the morning. Take the soft capsules with a glass of water, as indicated on the label. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.
- 2Every day, at the same time. Linking the intake to a gesture you already do —coffee, brushing your teeth— makes you not forget it.
- 3Write down how you feel. Digestion, energy at the end of the day, sleep. A simple record gives you real data, instead of impressions.
No bitter teas to prepare, no herbs to measure, no traveling anywhere. Each container brings 90 soft capsules.
Close the doors in the kitchen and leave your daily routine settled in ten seconds. Both things add up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to avoid anisakis at home?
According to AESAN, by freezing the fish intended to be eaten raw or undercooked at −15 °C or below for at least 4 days (at home, count 5 days), or cooking it at 60 °C for one minute in the center.
Do I need to freeze the fish if I'm going to cook it well?
No. AESAN indicates that it is not necessary to freeze the fish that is going to be cooked at 60 °C for at least one minute.
Can pets transmit parasites?
Some yes. That's why it's advisable to deworm them as instructed by the veterinarian and wash your hands after playing with them or picking up their feces.
Does Okinami protect against parasites?
No. It is a food supplement and does not prevent infections. Prevention is in the kitchen and hygiene; in case of symptoms, consult a professional.
