When looking for information online, it’s best to treat whatever you find with a healthy dose of skepticism. That’s what one young woman in Taiwan has learned after following a dangerous bit of diet advice she picked up on the internet.
The so-called “cotton ball diet” is the dangerous practice of eating cotton with the belief that it will help with weight loss. As a 16-year-old in Taiwan found out to hard way, eating cotton can have serious consequences.
This young woman slowly ate a cotton blanket over the course of a year until she began to vomit and feel pain in her stomach. Doctors found that she had given herself an intestinal obstruction.
She was lucky that she didn’t suffer worse: doctors say that cotton products aren’t usually made just from pure cotton. They also tend to include synthetic fibers and plastics, and doctors say there is a chance that if eaten, these materials can punch a hole in the intestines.
The safe way to lose weight is hardly news: diet and exercise are key. Doctors suggest working out for half an hour three times a week, making sure that your heart rate exceeds 130. They say to watch out for sugary drinks, avoid processed foods, count calories, and keep track of your metabolism. And of course, it goes without saying, don’t eat cotton.
When looking for information online, it’s best to treat whatever you find with a healthy dose of skepticism. That’s what one young woman in Taiwan has learned after following a dangerous bit of diet advice she picked up on the internet.
The so-called “cotton ball diet” is the dangerous practice of eating cotton with the belief that it will help with weight loss. As a 16-year-old in Taiwan found out to hard way, eating cotton can have serious consequences.
This young woman slowly ate a cotton blanket over the course of a year until she began to vomit and feel pain in her stomach. Doctors found that she had given herself an intestinal obstruction.
She was lucky that she didn’t suffer worse: doctors say that cotton products aren’t usually made just from pure cotton. They also tend to include synthetic fibers and plastics, and doctors say there is a chance that if eaten, these materials can punch a hole in the intestines.
The safe way to lose weight is hardly news: diet and exercise are key. Doctors suggest working out for half an hour three times a week, making sure that your heart rate exceeds 130. They say to watch out for sugary drinks, avoid processed foods, count calories, and keep track of your metabolism. And of course, it goes without saying, don’t eat cotton.