Reducing the amount of calories that you take in every day is key to losing weight effectively. This does not necessarily mean reducing the amount of food you eat, but transforming your diet to ensure that meals are healthier. However, there are a few small steps that, when implemented on a daily basis, are bound to make a massive difference.

•    Eat off of a smaller plate – one of the main habits people who are concerned about their weight have is to pile their plates with unhealthy foods and then finish it out of habit. If smaller portions of healthier food are eaten at a slower pace, the eater will feel much fuller at the end of their meal.
•    Don’t go shopping when you are hungry – browsing through the grocery shelves with a grumbling stomach is likely to influence us to buy more, and the type of food we buy will generally be the type that is instantly gratifying because we are not in the “food preparation” frame of mind. Instantly gratifying foods include chips / crisps, biscuits, pies and sweets.
•    Weigh your options – when faced with a full fat and low fat / fat-free options, always opt for the low fat or fat-free version of the same product. The argument that the full fat versions taste better is only true to an extent. This is based on what you have become used to and you will adapt very quickly. The same is true of sugared and sugar-free options. However, there are many reports of the negative effects of some of the sugar replacements and each person will need to do research to ascertain the dangers.
•    Getting greasy – oil is sometimes necessary for food preparation, but it is vital that cooking oil be oils from vegetables (e.g. canola or olive oils). Even when using vegetable oils, be sure to use them sparingly, they are not rich in the nutrients that our body needs. When eating out, you have little control over the types of oil they use in your food preparation. If possible, opt for grilled versions of the same meal, or ask if they can use just a little olive oil to prepare your meal.
•    Eat more often – rather than eating 3 large meals a day, split these meals in half and stretch them over the course of the day. Eating less food more often increases you metabolism as your body is not struggling to digest big lumps of food at one time, but is rather kept active for extended periods as it efficiently digests comfortable portions of food.
•    Move it – exercise does not initially have to mean running marathons. Start slowly by parking further away, taking the stairs and jumping up from the couch more often. As your fitness gradually increases, take the next step, which may be a run around the block or a social game of tennis.
•    What’s on the menu – when eating out, resist the temptation to indulge in all 3 courses. Dessert is obviously the least desirable indulgence, but even a Starter and a Main Course can prove to be far too much food for one sitting. It is advisable that you either order 2 Starter portions or take a doggy bag home so that the rest of the meal can be enjoyed on the following day.

It has become a cliché that even a journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step, but clichés are born from phrases that are too true to ignore. The same is true of a weight loss programme, which usually feels like a mammoth task but, when dealt with in small, manageable steps, is certainly doable.

Forget the miracle creams, balms, injections and scrubs. For the best aging remedies, simply get eating.

Cooked tomatoes are rich in Lycopene. This antioxidant is very powerful and plays a key role in protecting against coronary heart disease and cancer. It is imperative that the tomatoes are cooked, and patients suffering from prostate-, colon-, rectal-, mouth-, stomach- or lung cancer are urged to include cooked tomatoes in their diet in the forms of ketsup / ketchup, pasta sauces, stews and soups.

Vegetables in the ‘cruciferous’ family include the broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, cabbage, Brussel sprout, radish and watercress. These vegetables have a high Vitamin C content, as well as sulphoraphane and genistein, both of which are known to fight or prevent cancer. Interestingly, these veggies also have high levels of carotenoids, which act to improve vision and prevent macular degeneration of the eyes, which is usually one of the many ailments that old age brings with it.

Garlic and ginger are both excellent antioxidants, which also have antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties. They are very effective in lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol, increasing the diameter of blood vessels to allow for easier transport of oxygen and nutrients via the blood, and treating infections of the intestines, lungs and skin. Garlic is also thought to have cancer fighting properties, as well as the ability to prevent heart disease.

Beans, in general, are excellent for your health. However, soybeans contain isoflavones, which are key to preventing hormonal imbalances. The soy protects against breast- and prostate cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. In fact, it has even been shown to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and to maintain healthy levels of oestrogen in women, particularly during menopause.

Phytochemicals are vigorous antioxidants, and berries that are blue or black in colour (including black grapes) are rich in these valuable nutrients. Antioxidants prevent the signs and effects of ageing.

Yoghurt that is “live” (as indicated on the container) contains bacteria that are very beneficial to us and our digestive tract. These assist in the effective absorption of nutrients, improving digestion. Yoghurt also increases immunity, and thus helps to prevent against many of the illnesses that arise during old age.

Honey is an amazing resource for all sorts of health benefits and has been shown to prevent the signs of ageing – memory loss, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer’s, and more. Just one to two teaspoons of honey every day has been shown to have astounding health benefits.

A handful of nuts and seeds every day also promises many health benefits. Nuts and seeds are rich in fatty acids (such as Omega-3), which are essential for our bodies to function effectively. In addition, they contain an abundance of vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and selenium. Apart from the basic health benefits, these also keep the skin looking younger and more refreshed.

As anyone who has struggled with weight loss can testify, food can be the enemy. However, this is as a result of the unhealthy ingestion of the wrong types of food, rather than the properties of food as a whole. As research has shown, the right food not only aids in weight loss and increases the metabolism, but can also assist in keeping us looking younger, and feeling healthier.

There are several contributing factors to being or becoming overweight; it is not always solely due to an unhealthy diet or lack of exercise. While these factors may explain our reasons for weight gain, they do not excuse obesity. Being overweight and, more especially, being obese is dangerous and even deadly, and must be avoided at all costs. However, identifying these possible risk factors aids in the prevention and treatment of weight gain.

Genetics play a large role in weight gain or in being overweight in general. Your genetic makeup determines how your body burns energy (metabolism) and how effectively it receives and handles calories. If one or both of your parents suffer from obesity, it is vital that you keep a close watch on your weight and metabolism.

Men’s bodies are made up of more muscle and less fat than women’s. Their metabolisms are also faster than women’s, which means that they are able to burn energy faster and more efficiently. Therefore, women are more susceptible to obesity and weight gain than men are. Women need to be more diligent in ensuring that they remain relatively fit and healthy to avoid becoming overweight.

As we age, our bodies gradually slacken in their ability to burn energy as effectively. Muscles deteriorate and are replaced by fat and flab (flaccid muscles). As energy decreases, older people are unable to maintain their exercise regime. All of these factors combine to cause weight gain.

Of course, our diet plays a key role in our weight situation. Regularly consuming foods that are high in saturated fats, sugars and preservatives all contribute to our body’s susceptibility to weight gain. It is imperative that your diet be rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, fibre and water to assist the body in maintaining healthy levels of fat within the system.

A lack of exercise is another key ingredient to being overweight. Exercise not only burns calories, it also kick starts the metabolism so that, even when you are not actively exercising, you are still burning calories at a higher rate than an unfit person.

Medication and medical problems are known to cause some cases of obesity. Cortisone is known to lead to water retention and bloating, while hypothyroidism is one of the leading causes for fat retention in women. Hormonal imbalances also negotiate the effectiveness of the body’s ability to burn excess energy and lead to weight gain.

Women expect to gain weight during pregnancy, but it is normal to retain some of that weight long after the birth of their baby. On average, a woman’s weight will increase by 5 pounds (2.2kg) after each pregnancy.

While your particular vulnerability to these factors may not necessarily be in your control, being aware of the dangers they pose is empowering and allows you time to change your lifestyle in whatever ways you can, depending on the reason for your weight gain. Preventing unnecessary weight gain is always far healthier and easier than trying to lose weight once it has settled so comfortably around hips, bums and thighs.

While most young people focus on their weight in response to an aesthetic need, the health dangers presented by being overweight are dangerous and manifold. In fact, many of those who have lost significant amounts of weight will testify to feeling so much healthier and more energised since their weight loss.

Some of the better-known side-effects of being fat or obese include:

1.    Sleep Apnoea: This sleeping disorder causes the overweight person to stop breathing for one or more breaths, despite efforts to breath. Each pause in the breathing is known as an apnoea and lasts for at least 10 seconds. This lack of oxygen causes the oxygen in the blood to decrease as well as severe disruption of deep sleep. The sufferer will usually be tired during the day, even if he / she is not aware that they suffer from the disorder.
2.    Diabetes: When the body is dealing with excess fat levels, it becomes resistant to naturally-formed insulin. This leads to insufficient energy being transported to the cells throughout the body. This is a very dangerous illness and requires carefully monitored treatment.
3.    Stroke: A stroke is defined as a disturbance of the blood vessels transporting nutrient-rich blood to the brain. It is caused by a blockage within the blood vessel. This, in turn, is cause by an air bubble, blood clot, or fat globule forming inside the vessel and being transported with the blood to the brain. When a person is overweight, they are at a considerably increased risk of forming such fat blockages, leading to possible disability and even death.
4.    High Blood Pressure: Excess fat leads to the body’s retention of sodium, which increases the blood volume and pressure. An increased blood pressure forces the heart muscle to work harder as it tries to ensure that the blood in circulated and oxygenated sufficiently. Placing this type of strain on the heart all the time is a recipe for disaster.
5.    Osteoarthritis: Knees, hips, ankles and spines work much harder trying to support an overweight person than someone of a healthy weight. Cartilage is eroded by joints under pressure. This leads to a host of osteoporotic problems as well as an enormous amount of discomfort.
6.    Abnormal Blood Fats (Cholesterol): More saturated fats in the blood increase the level of unhealthy cholesterol (LDL – low-density lipoproteins). These build up on the inside walls of the arteries and lead to blockages.
7.    Cancer: Fat is living tissue that actively produces hormones. These hormones are thought to increase the risk of cancer, particularly in women.
8.    Discomfort: Of course, being overweight also leads to the sufferer being hot, uncomfortable and even in pain as their body tries to support and transport their ample body. The heart works harder trying to get blood to all the tissues of the body (as fat is rich in blood vessels), causing strain and fatigue.

Clearly, then, the dangers posed by being overweight far outweigh any perceived benefits of indulging in fat- and sugar-rich foods.

After years of struggling with weight, many people resort to surgery as the only solution. As medical research advances, more and more surgical solutions are presented. However, while surgery is convenient and may be the only answer for a select few, it is dangerous and costly, and should be considered very seriously before proceeding.

Being informed is vital to making a mature decision. Consult a bariatric surgeon and ask as many questions as you need to ask before you have decided that you know enough to make a choice. Do not feel that asking a certain question will make you appear stupid or ignorant, it is absolutely vital that you know the facts. If you are not entirely comfortable with the doctor, or are wary of his / her reputation, find another one. In fact, it is wise to obtain at least 2 or 3 opinions before proceeding with surgery anyway.

If you are sourcing information from other sources before visiting a surgeon or doctor, be careful about the origin. The Internet is a fabulous tool, but is still a free medium, and information is not always verified before submission. So, be sure to consult reputable sites.

Surgery of any kind is a major procedure for the body to endure. The anaesthesia alone is a delicate task, and one that often presents side effects for long after. Be informed of the possible sensations, pain, and concerns you may experience after surgery.

There are two main types of weight loss surgery – RESTRICTIVE SURGERY and MALABSORPTIVE PROCEDURES.

Restrictive Surgery

This surgery basically works to decrease the amount of food that can be consumed at a time. The nutrients are still able to be absorbed from the food effectively, so that digestion is as efficient as before. This procedure is simply a shrinking of the stomach, so that the eater’s capacity is reduced. From the stomach, food carries on into the intestines and colon and nutrients are absorbed as usual. Recovery from this procedure requires dedicated adherence to strict rules. Patients need to eat less food (usually between half a cup and a cup of food at a time), at a slower pace, and avoid drinking large amounts of liquid. The stomach is able to stretch, so patients must keep to this amount of food to ensure that it stays at the reduced size. Exercise is always recommended to accompany such a procedure to ensure that weight loss is achieved in a balanced, healthy way while the health and fitness of the patient is achieved on multiple levels.

Malabsorptive Surgery

Restrictive surgery is most effective for patients that are unable to control their intake or who are hungry all of the time. As a result, some patients have found that it did not have the anticipated results. Therefore malabsorptive surgery was developed to work in conjunction with restrictive surgery to facilitate weight loss.

Malabsorptive surgery works by restricting the absorption of nutrients and digestion of food, usually by creating a bypass of the small intestine. By reducing the area of intestine to which the food comes into contact, the bariatric surgeon reduces the opportunity for the intestine to absorb nutrients and fats. The longer the bypass, the less can be absorbed. However, the less absorption that takes place, the higher the risk. Your decision needs to be based on extensive discussion with your doctor and/or surgeon.

The prospect of entering a gym or arriving at a track may seem a little more than daunting to those who have neglected their health and bodies for too long. While going to the gym has numerous benefits to your health and weight loss, exercising at home is preferable to no exertion at all. And there are many tools and options that exist right in the house or in your neighbourhood.

The most important first ‘step’ is to start walking! You will be surprised at how many opportunities to increase our daily number of steps we manage to avoid. Some suggestions:

•    Park the car in a bay that is as far away from the shop’s entrance as possible. This will force you to walk (while possibly pushing a laden trolley / cart back).
•    Instead of driving to a friend’s house, school or work, try to walk the distance if it is safe.
•    Relieve the kids of one of their chores and walk the pooches yourself. If you are able, it would be even better to jog with them.
•    Herd a few friends together and form a ‘walking club’ – it’s always more fun when you have support. Walk around the block, explore the neighbourhood, or find a nature trail in the vicinity. Reward yourselves with fruit smoothies or foot rubs.
•    Be the first to jump off the couch to replenish refreshments, even if it’s just for the family in the TV room.
•    ALWAYS take the stairs. Let the elevator become your enemy. If you face too many floors to climb, take the elevator up to a certain floor and then climb the last 5 or 10 stories.

The point is GET MOVING. Of course, bursts of activity are not quite as effective as a regular vigorous 1-hour walk (for example) but, by increasing the amount of physical activity in your daily life, you will eventually reach a point where a jog around the block is not quite as terrifying.

Sports clubs are plentiful, and fulfilling an obligation to a team is a fantastic motivator. Call your local recreation department or ask your friends if they know of any local sports teams that you may enjoy joining. And then do it. Once you have decided on a sport and signed up, purchase all the gear to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible, giving you little excuse to quit.

Play with your children. Kids have considerably more energy than adults do. Running around the garden, swimming, riding bicycles, rollerblading, or playing sports with your children is sure to tire you out long before they peter out. Of course, apart from the health benefits, your children will enjoy their extra time with you.

Dancing is not only fun, it is also excellent for boosting your metabolism and burning calories. Close the curtains, don your best party outfit and pump your favourite station / CD. Best of all, the lack of an audience allows you to let go and jump around as much as you feel inspired to do.

Being outside is another fantastic way to lose weight – even washing your car or watering the garden helps you to burn calories and to attune your body into getting active. Of course, as you get used to an activity, you will need to intensify it. This could mean going from watering the garden to mowing the lawn to digging holes for trees.

There are certain exercises that do not require special equipment, and there are many props within the home and office that can be used. Be innovative. Lift tinned beans in bicep curls, sit on the edge of your desk and lift your legs to strengthen stomach muscles, or run up and down your stairs. If you are a mother, make a game out of lifting your baby or child into the air, or lay them on the floor and do push-ups over them, kissing them on the nose with every dip. Just be creative.

Exercise has, for too long, carried the reputation of being an arduous task, far too difficult for the average overweight person to carry out on a daily basis. For this reason, people have resigned themselves to a fate of inactivity, leading to one of the more tragic vicious circles of our overweight society today. By finding fun, innovative ways to get moving, you are taking the first step to leading a healthier and skinnier life.

Organic foods are those that are grown without dangerous pesticides and fertilisers, have not been contaminated by waste, additives or radiation and have not undergone chemical ripening. Organic meat or animal products comes from animals that are raised without the regular use of antibiotics, without growth hormones and on a generally healthy diet. No genetic modification is permitted. Many organic foods even require biodegradable or recyclable packaging to be considered organic.

Food that is not considered to be organic populates the shelves and fridges of our supermarkets and grocery shops. This is a multi-billion dollar industry, one that benefits from mass consumer support. However, organic farms are becoming increasingly popular as more people become aware of the health risks imposed by chemical- and hormone-laden foods. However, by the last half of 2008, organic food still only constituted just under 2% of the total food being sold globally. This is actually a fairly impressive figure as the supply of organic foods is under strain due to increasing demand, despite the higher cost.

Foods should have a sticker or label on to certify that they are organic. Organic food and the growing thereof are not only beneficial for the human body in terms of the lack of poisons on the food, but the farms themselves are advantageous to the entire environment for various reasons. Firstly, these farms work hard to maintain a healthy ecosystem so that plants and / or animals may thrive without needing the aid of chemicals and growth hormones. Secondly, the farms produce less waste. This waste may usually arise out of pesticide containers, polluted water and soil, packaging for medication and chemicals, and so on. Lastly, organic farms do not use pesticides, which means that the water, soil, land and animals are all free of such harmful chemicals.

Pesticides affect the farm workers, animals (including the birds that live off the grains and seeds) and eventually the consumers. Exposure to pesticides has been shown to cause dizziness, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, headaches, respiratory problems, memory problems, cancer, depression, miscarriages and birth defects. Infants and younger children have very little chance of exposure to pesticides if not through the foods that they eat.

Of course, there are critics, and these argue that these farms require so much extra space that they threaten rainforests and the like. They also assert that the farms produce much less than conventional farms and are, therefore, unable to sustain the world’s population at present.

Organic food contains up tom 40% more antioxidants, making the foods much more beneficial in terms of health, but also much tastier. Conventional foods often taste blander and more watery, while organic foods are richer in flavours and have more texture to them (e.g. organic apples are crunchier and sweeter). This is due to the purer soil.

BY taking small steps to improving the quality of our intake, we raise awareness of the foods that we allow into our body, giving us more control. A healthy body is a fit body, and it is imperative that we make the utmost effort to ensure that our bodies are fit and healthy at all times.

Weight loss and a movement towards sustainable fitness is a continued effort for many of us. It can appear so overwhelming at first that most avoid embarking on this journey until it is absolutely non-negotiable. However, there are 4 aspects to regaining control over your weight and life, and these require a shift in paradigm. Only once these are understood and achieved can we begin to see improvements. These are: 1) The right FOOD, 2) the right TIME, 3) the right AMOUNT and 4) the right EXERCISE.

The Right Food
Get into the habit of knowing what is in your food. Ingredients should be natural, nutritious and not processed. Ensure that your diet contains lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, that your meats are lean (preferably chicken and fish) and that your meals are low in sugar and bad fats. By making sure that you get sufficient proteins, good fats, fibre, minerals and vitamins, your body is able to function at an optimal level (as faster cell renewal is facilitated) and your metabolism is increased. Not only will you feel healthier and more energised, but you will start to shed the kilos that pile on as a result of bad eating habits.

The Right Time
Break the habit of nibbling while you are distracted by the television, work, driving, and so on. Most of us are unlikely to opt for a carrot or stick of celery to munch on, and these snacks are most commonly salty or sweet and of very little nutritional value. Being more aware of a stipulated eating time will reduce the tendency to grab a snack every time you walk past the fridge. An increased awareness is the first step to breaking a bad habit.

Timing also involves frequency of meals. The body is less likely to accumulate fat deposits if smaller meals are eaten more frequently, so replace 3 large meals with 6 small ones. If you do not feel hungry enough to eat this often, just have a protein shake, or even a small fruit or raw carrot. Never negotiate on having breakfast, it is essential to kick-starting your metabolism.

The Right Amount
Many people suffering from being overweight actually do not eat enough and certainly not of the right foods. Depriving the body of food causes a panicked reaction of fat retention by the enzymes, whereas the body is more likely to burn fat if it is confident of being fed on a regular basis. Eating regularly will present slower weigh loss, but it will be steady, consistent and long-lasting. Fasting, on the other hand, will cause rapid weight loss, but all that weight will be gained soon after the fast ends.

Of course, gluttony is on the other end of the scale and is an increasingly critical crisis. Eating huge portions too fast and too often is a major cause of weight gain. If this is the problem you face, eat off a side plate and eat slowly, counting the number of times you chew, if necessary. Consider how hungry you are before you begin dishing up and then eat accordingly. You need to become aware of the signs from your body that you have had enough to eat, and listen to these.

The Right Exercise
Exercise is essential to weight loss and healthy living, there is no getting around it. Both aerobic exercise and weight training are important to lasting weight loss. Aerobic, or cardiac, workouts are especially beneficial at the beginning of a new weight loss initiative. Weight training is then effective for toning, increasing core strength, improving posture and sustaining a high metabolism.

At least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 times per week is required. This is the minimum and should be increased as soon as it is accomplished so that one never becomes accustomed to it – exercise should remain strenuous. This type of exercise includes walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or playing a fast sport such as rugby, soccer, hockey or tennis. A good cardio workout has been shown to increase the body’s resting metabolism for up to 15 hours afterwards, which means that more calories are burnt while you are resting. Aerobic exercise causes the mitochondrial cells of the muscles to increase in number and size, increasing the metabolising enzymes in those cells. Regularity is more important the intensity.

Exercise actually reverses much of the damage that excess weight causes (heart disease, high blood pressure, etc…). For these manifold reasons, it is no doubt essential that we resolve to take these steps to starting a healthier, fitter and lighter life!

Diet pills have, for decades, made claims of achieving beautiful bodies with no effort required. However, there are many adverse side effects which, when combined with the fact that any weight loss caused by diet pills is only temporary, do not warrant such faith in these magic pills.

Most diet pills work by inhibiting the body’s ability to absorb fats. By their very nature, they cause side effects such as oily stools, increased defecation, faecal incontinence, faecal urgency, oily spotting, abdominal cramps, nausea, pain in the rectum and diarrhoea. Along with fats, these tablets inhibit the body’s ability to absorb important vitamins and nutrients, such as Vitamins A, D, E, K and Beta-carotene. This sort of diet pill has even occasionally been known to cause rashes, urticaria, and anaphylaxis.

Diet pills may also work by norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine reuptake inhibition. Tablets with these properties usually increase the blood sugar levels of the patients taking them, often without their knowledge of this danger. This may cause heart failure, coronary artery disease, and even a stroke.  Their other side effects include constipation, nausea, insomnia, anxiety, depression, stomach-and back pain, headaches, acne, and the list continues. These ingredients are also able to induce dependency, meaning that the patient may become addicted to them.

The initial appeal of rapid weight loss with minimal effort may sound appealing to those who struggle with their weight but have little self-discipline. However, not only are the effects very temporary, but the side effects are long lasting, causing prolonged discomfort. When compared to increased exercise and decreased calories for real results, diet pills hardly seem worth the price paid.

At a recent evening lecture at the California Institute of Technology, a neurologist was explaining the ins and outs of new brain-imaging technology to an audience composed of Caltech professors, students, and members of the general public. The audience was rather quiet, lulled by the technical tone of the lecture. But when the neurologist mentioned in passing that the disease afflicting one of his patients was caused by a brain parasite, the whole room sat up and made a collective noise of disgust and alarm. Brain parasites!

But, in fact, parasites infect us all the time. They live in our bodies, even in our cells, and most of the time we do not even know that they are there. The brain can provide a pleasant, nurturing environment for parasites, because it has structures that prevent many of the immune system’s cells from entering, at least in the early stages of infection. Add to that plenty of oxygen and nutrients, and the brain seems like a rather nice place to live.

Despite its seemingly idyllic home, a brain parasite’s life does have its hardships. To begin with, the parasite has to find a way into the brain. Invasion of any organ is difficult, but the brain is an especially tough nut to crack due to a protective barrier between the bloodstream and brain fluid, called the blood-brain barrier. This barrier is made up of cells that make a tight seal along any blood vessels so that most stuff from the bloodstream (including brain parasites) can’t leak into the brain. If the parasite does manage to successfully enter the brain, it then has to deal with the attack of the immune system. The cells of the immune system act together to rid the body of any foreign organisms. In humans, the immune system is highly organized and efficient; parasites’ evasion mechanisms have evolved to be good enough to thwart the immune system, at least for a little while. Unfortunately, the most effective parasites are the ones we really have to worry about.

In fact, millions of people worldwide are infected by these efficacious brain parasites. If you haven’t heard about them before, it is probably because most infected people live in nonindustrialized countries, where living conditions are not very sanitary. Many of these brain parasites cause debilitating conditions and sometimes even death. So, in addition to being interesting biologically, brain parasites are also important in the context of human disease.

Two parasites with disease-causing capabilities are the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, and the amoeba Naegleria fowleri. In addition to their medical importance, these two organisms illustrate the many ways that brain parasites are able to affect their hosts through their methods of invasion and survival. Read more »