Kathryn from Virginia has spent five years snorting her entire diet through her nose—blended omelettes, steak, coffee, even guacamole—using a straw. What started as a college dare became a daily routine she featured on TLC’s “My Strange Addiction,” claiming the practice enhances flavors and helps her avoid food textures. But medical experts warn this behavior could kill her.
Dr. Matthew Haden, the primary care physician who examined Kathryn on the show, delivered a stark reality check. Food particles entering the lungs can block airways and cause choking. Acidic or spicy foods traveling through nasal passages cause severe burning, inflammation, and bleeding of delicate tissues.
Most concerning, he notes, is the risk of lung infections that could spread to the central nervous system and prove fatal. During Kathryn’s examination, he found no immediate signs of fluid in her lungs, prompting her to say she felt she had “dodged a bullet” so far.
Why Your Nose Wasn’t Built for Dinner
Medical literature reveals serious consequences when food bypasses normal digestive pathways.
The human respiratory system evolved to process air, not pureed steak. When substances repeatedly enter nasal passages, several dangerous complications arise:
- Aspiration pneumonia: Food particles reaching the lungs can cause bacterial infections and chronic lung damage
- Nasal tissue destruction: Repeated exposure to food particles causes inflammation, scarring, and potential structural damage
- Airway obstruction: Particulate buildup can block breathing passages
- Rare infestations: Trapped food debris has been documented to foster worm or maggot growth in nasal cavities
Schools have issued similar warnings about children snorting candy powders, with emergency physicians noting that inhaled sugars can trigger severe allergic reactions and asthma attacks. The nose simply lacks the protective mechanisms that make oral consumption safe.
Despite claiming her habit has “no drawbacks,” Kathryn’s social life tells a different story. A featured date reacted with visible disgust when she snorted iced coffee and grits at a restaurant, later ending their romantic prospects.
She now says she’s trying to stop and working on “inner work” to address underlying issues. Anyone experiencing unusual eating behaviors, especially those involving respiratory symptoms or nasal pain, should seek medical evaluation. Proper treatment for texture aversion or swallowing difficulties involves speech pathology and nutrition counseling—not bypassing the digestive system entirely.
