Ben Williams
From viral food hacks to downright baffling eating habits, we've seen it all — or so we thought.
Reality TV, in particular, has a knack for pushing those boundaries even further, and TLC’s My Strange Addiction rarely disappoints in that department.
One recent episode has left viewers equal parts shocked and fascinated after introducing a woman who consumes her meals in a way most of us wouldn’t dare imagine.
With blended breakfasts and liquid dinners, this unusual approach has raised a few eyebrows — along with health concerns that sound more dangerous when you hear the logic behind them.
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According to Kathryn, who appeared in the season seven premiere of the show, her relationship with food was ‘very normal’ up until the point that she enrolled at community college.
“It started honestly with a dare to try snorting a flavoured fruit drink… I got a head rush, but it was actually fruitier than if I were to have that through my mouth — and it was phenomenal," she said.
"Since then, I have been having my entire diet nasally for about five years.”
Kathryn explained that she doesn't have an 'aversion to chewing', but struggles with the 'weird textures that come with food', adding: "I think it's awful, and I think it's primitive."
She also believes her approach has 'a lot of benefits', saying: "No risk of choking, I don't overeat, I consume less calories."
Kathryn also said she is convinced nasally inhaling her food has helped her lose weight - 30lbs, to be precise - which was an unexpected and unintentional side effect.
However, there are also some serious drawbacks.
"I have had bloody noses about once or twice," she admitted, going on to say nobody 'accepts' her habit.
"Nobody accepts me for who I am."
Following a disastrous date on the reality show, the Virginia native headed to see a medical practitioner who warned her of the dangers of snorting all her food through a straw.
He alleged that liquid could easily seep into her lungs and that infections could spread into her central nervous system and kill her.
According to information provided by Mayo Clinic, pulmonary edema — a critical buildup of fluid in your lungs — can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty breathing altogether.
Other health concerns that Kathryn could face if she continued included aspiration: the accidental entry of food, drinks, saliva, or vomit into the airway and lungs instead of the oesophagus — along with inflammation of the heart muscle (known as myocarditis) and potentially fatal asphyxiation. Luckily, the TV star’s doctor gave her the all clear, making her seriously rethink her practice.
She claimed: “[I’m] going to try my best to stop snorting my food… I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to go about it... but I’m going to try to begin taking baby steps, even today.”
In her interview with The New York Post, the 30-year-old said that she’d cutback on her straw-based activities since filming for the TLC episode. Kathryn added: “I am doing my best to stop entirely, but it’s taking time as I handle some inner work.”