Don’t Even Think About Trying This Diet

Like most people, I’ve tried just about every diet imaginable, but I can safely say that this is a diet I never, ever even imagined trying.

Doctors in Iowa have actually had to issue a warning for people not to ingest tapeworms. Um, ew! Apparently a woman actually bought a tapeworm online and swallowed it in an attempt to lose weight.

The woman’s family doctor was actually stumped and had to call the state health department for help because he didn’t know what to do.  They told him that the woman needed special meds to be de-wormed and for the parasite to be killed.

Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, medical director at the Iowa Department of Public Health, emailed public-health workers saying: "Ingesting tapeworms is extremely risky and can cause a wide range of undesirable side effects, including rare deaths. Those desiring to lose weight are advised to stick with proven weight loss methods; consuming fewer calories and increasing physical activity."

We all sang that song about eating worms when we were kids, but this woman took it a little too literally don’t you think?