Worst Diet Ever? However, You Can Eat Whatever You Want!

Overview.   The original, all natural “diet pill” of the late 19th and early 20th century.  A dieter would simply swallow the beef tapeworm and/or tapeworm eggs and there you have it. One poster ad described it as follows; “easy to swallow and guaranteed weight loss.” Another claimed “sanitized tapeworms are guaranteed harmless and have no ill side effects.” 

Once swallowed the worm attaches in the intestinal tract and absorbs nutrients from the food you eat.  Apparently you can expect to lose between half a pound to two pounds a week from a single tapeworm and possibly more as the worm matures.  Newly infected individuals often report cravings for specific foods and in some cases their hunger increases.  The use of multiple tapeworms is said to increase the weight loss dramatically.

What we like about this plan.    The insanity of this idea!  Let’s see…you can eat virtually whatever you wish, tapeworms are free you can eat raw liver or raw meat. (although back in the day you could buy the jar packed variety).  Best thing of all, it’s the stuff urban legends are made of! 

What we dislike about this plan.   Everything!  However these worms might be safer than the “miracle” synthetic pills that manufacturers put out on the market since after these wiggly creatures.

While the beef tapeworm doesn’t try to kill the host, the side effects of the tapeworm diet can cause severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and infection.  Other symptoms include loss of appetite or feeling of fullness, weakness, headache, nausea, constipation and vomiting. It is no wonder it is banned by the FDA. When the worm detaches itself, it goes out of your bowels, not a pleasant sight, as well you can expect the weight to return when the worm is gone.

Other diet gimmicks related to the tapeworm diet have created tapeworm pills.  As expected, there is no scientific evidence to support that these pills work.

How healthy is this plan?  In Laura Hillenbrand’s book Seabiscuit, An American Legend, she notes that swallowing tapeworms was common practice for jockeys to stay healthy and fit.  Most jockeys live extremely unhealthy lifestyle due to the nature of their business.   No matter how desperate you become to fit into that slinky black dress, skip this plan.

The tapeworm diet is banned in America by the FDA, although you can travel to some countries and try this diet.  For fewer than two thousand dollars, some unscrupulous people offer a ritual of killing a cow and ingesting the tapeworms in less then sanitary conditions.  Other operators follow animals around and collect their feces to harvest the worms!

If you swallow the wrong type of worm or parasites, like the pork tapeworm, the side effects can be lethal.

Here’s The Bottom Line.  We do not even permit this condition for our pets, so why should we considered this safe.  This plan is not suitable for humans and is truly unsafe.  Perhaps the worst psychological diet!  Tapeworms can take rob you of all the nutrients you put in your body and rob you of health, not to mention the side effects.  

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