While it may seem gross to some, eating worms is not an entirely new idea nor is it a necessarily bad one. Studies have shown that there are certain worms which may be beneficial to the human body. There are also studies that suggest the act of eating worms and eating dirt or other foreign objects is also good for people.

Many children eat worms, dirt and other materials they find on the ground or outside that may not be the most appealing snack for adults. Yet, the act of eating these things trains the immune system, teaching the system what it should pay attention to and what to ignore.

This training is critical to survival. Not every foreign object that enters the body needs to set off a full-blown attack by the immune system. If this did happen, it would be difficult for anyone to get anything done as our bodies would be in a constant state of battle which would leave little energy to get anything else done.

Worms are also being used in studies to test their ability to help manage certain diseases. According to the BBS News, ulcerative colitis is an intestinal disease that causes a great deal of discomfort including severe cramps and sudden attacks of diarrhea. It is not curable, but doctors are trying to find ways to manage the disease and give patients relief from its symptoms.

One mother from Iowa (Anna Glanz) visits her doctor every three weeks to drink worm eggs. The worms then grow inside her gut and then pass out of her system after a few weeks. The result of this treatment has been a complete remission from the disease. She no longer has any of the symptoms she previously suffered from.

Other researchers continue to investigate the advantages of worms in the human body. Some believe that our immune systems have become out of balance since worms have been eradicated from our bodies. Gut worms in particular were part of the human system until about 50 years ago. A unique coincidence of this fact was that until about 50 years ago, allergies were virtually non-existent.

One UK scientist developed a case of hookworms when on a field trip. He studies himself as well as the worms living inside him because he has had nearly a complete remission of his hay fever symptoms since the hookworms entered his body.

These ideas are not entirely new. Many underdeveloped countries still contend with worms in their bodies. And, there are countries that eat worms as part of their daily diet. Worms can be nutritious, good for your health and they do have a lot of protein.

Source
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3287733.stm