There have been many different ways people have tried to curb their weight. The best way is exercising, or even Prancercising. You can also have a balanced diet and eat healthy foods.

But some will go to extremes and try short cuts. Mostly thought of as an Urban Myth, but it is true some people have tried swallowing tape worms to lose weight.

And you may have heard of dieters swallowing tape worms in a desperate bid to lose weight. Snopes even tried to debunk the notion as an urban legend a few years ago, only to find evidence that “tape worm diet pills” may have been marketed in the United States as far back as the 1920s.

..

Then, there’s this bit of news: Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, medical director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, recently revealed what happened to one such curious dieter who ordered a tape worm off the internet in hopes of shedding a few pesky pounds.

The outcome was, perhaps predictably, not good:

“Her physician was so stumped by the news and with little clue what to do next he called the Iowa Department of Public Health for help.

Iowa’s Public Health Department medical director Dr Patricia Quinlisk told the GP to prescribe an anti-worm medication and then issued a warning to health workers about the dangerous practice.

She said: “Ingesting tapeworms is extremely risky and can cause a wide range of undesirable side effects, including rare deaths,” she wrote.

“Those desiring to lose weight are advised to stick with proven weight loss methods; consuming fewer calories and increasing physical activity.” [News.com.au]“

The tape worms can also live inside of you for 20 years and can grow up to 50 feet in length also.

We all could probably go with losing some extra pounds here and there, but using parasites to do it is not the best way to achieve that goal. Proper exercise and a healthy diet are the best ways to lose weight.