Dangerous weight loss methods may seem like something new, but they’ve been around for over a hundred years. After all, losing excess body fat can be hard. It can drive people to take certain extreme measures to try to get the upper hand.
That said, there’s a difference between doing something that doesn’t work and actual dangerous weight loss techniques. Who hasn’t tried at least one fad diet? What dieter hasn’t attempted something ridiculous to lose weight fast? Who hasn’t tried a weekend cleansing fast? Or eaten only cabbage soup for five days? Or eaten half a grapefruit for breakfast every day.
Those likely aren’t the healthiest dieting techniques. They’re certainly not the most effective. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re dangerous weight loss strategies. That’s a category unto itself.
The following dangerous weight loss techniques have been so popular in their time that the odds are you know someone who as tried some version of them.
Please note that we do not recommend any of these dangerous weight loss methods These are not effective. They are not a part of a healthy lifestyle and won’t cause you to lose weight fast. Contact your doctor before making any drastic changes to your eating, exercising, alternatives to Phentermine or other efforts to lose weight.
Dangerous Weight Loss Method 1: Tapeworm Diet Pills
This parasite-based disaster is a dangerous weight loss technique dreamed up by the Victorians well over a century ago. It involved taking a tablet containing tapeworm eggs. The idea was to have the eggs hatch in your digestive tract, so the parasite would eat the food you consumed. That way, it would counteract the calories of those foods.
After a while, the dieter would take an antiparasitic medication in order to rid him or herself of the infection. That said, the medications at that time were sometimes as bad as the infection itself. Some were ineffective while others could poison the person, not just the parasite.
You might think this would be enough to cause that dangerous weight loss method to die off. If so, you would be wrong. In recent years, the Tapeworm Diet Pill has come back once again. While the treatments may be safer nowadays, the strategy is just as dangerous. After all, you’re infecting yourself with a parasite!
When the larvae hatch, they don’t just stay in your digestive tract. They can get into your blood vessels, which can transport them all over your body. This includes your spinal cord, eyes and even your brain. This dangerous weight loss technique is nightmare material and, if it is not promptly treated, could cause seizures, paralysis, blindness, or could even be fatal.
Dangerous Weight Loss Method 2: The Vinegar Diet
The Vinegar Diet was first popular in the 1820s. It took off as a way to shrink the appetite and help cause weight loss. It was meant to be quick, easy and affordable. Furthermore, it was convenient because it involved only an ingredient that was readily available.
This dangerous weight loss method became popular with all social classes. That said, it was the upper classes who could afford to eat excessively. Many among them wanted to slim down in order to keep up with the fashion of the day. Lord Byron – the poet and politician – tried the Vinegar Diet without success.
The concept is quite easy. The practice is not as simple. Anyone who wanted to practice this dangerous weight loss method would drink lots of vinegar along with a raw egg and a cup of tea. This combination, unsurprisingly, would induce vomiting and would eliminate the individual’s appetite for several hours, if not the rest of the day. This would be repeated until the desired weight was lost.
Today, this dangerous weight loss method has returned, though many practitioners use apple cider vinegar instead. That said, either option is completely unhealthy and can produce a surprising range of consequences. Drinking too much vinegar could lead to irritation of the stomach lining, a potassium imbalance and permanent tooth enamel erosion. This can result in temporary or even lifelong health issues.
Dangerous Weight Loss Method 3: Cotton Ball Diet
At some point over the last decade or so, someone thought it would be bright to swallow cotton balls. The idea was to fill up his or her stomach with something non-digestible. That way, the stomach would be full, killing hunger pangs but without any calories.
The idea, presented that way, sounds as though there may be something to it on some level. However, it is a very dangerous weight loss strategy. This fad had thousands of desperate dieters dunking cotton balls into juice or smoothies and swallowing them. This exposed them to a spectrum of chemicals as well as highly problematic digestive issues.
This is a dangerous weight loss technique for several reasons. To start, cotton balls contain an array of chemicals, such as bleach, that are not safe for consumption. Secondly, cotton balls won’t necessarily stay in tact. Instead, they can pull apart, tuck into crevices and clump together. This is a recipe for an obstruction or blockage in the digestive system.
If you’re very fortunate, you’ll only experience very painful abdominal pains and constipation before the cotton balls finally pass. However, there have been many cases of individuals requiring medical procedures or even surgery to remove the blockage.
Dangerous Weight Loss Method 4: The Sleeping Beauty Diet
Wouldn’t it be great if you could just go to sleep and wake up slimmer? That’s somewhat the idea behind this dangerous weight loss technique. The concept is to continually knock yourself out, so you won’t be able to eat. Furthermore, since you burn more calories while sleeping than you do when you’re sedentary, you get a bit of a metabolism boost, too.
This extreme approach to dieting requires you to take sedatives on a regular basis. This way, you can sleep for as long as your lifestyle will allow. The more you sleep, the less you eat, and the more fat you’ll burn.
People who have tried this dangerous weight loss technique have placed their health – if not their lives – in danger. Aside from the fact that this type of dieting risks depriving your body of essential nutrients it needs to function, the risks are much greater. This type of use of sedatives can have a spectrum of adverse effects on your body.
Among the most problematic can be addiction to the sleeping pills. Moreover, your body can build a dependency on the pills so that you may not be able to sleep without them. The insomnia that ensues can cause all sorts of health problems, among which weight gain can easily be one.
Don’t Take the Risk
If you feel that you’ve tried everything to lose the pounds, but you still can’t, it’s important to stay calm. Always seek a professional’s assistance – preferably your doctor – before doing anything drastic.
You may feel that you’ve reached your last resort, but there are weight loss options far better than dangerous weight loss methods. Your physician can guide you to lose weight using far more practical and safe strategies.