A woman’s extreme raw meat diet seemed fine until a medical test uncovered something terrifying

Wendy Marshall has spent the past two decades consuming large quantities of uncooked meat every day, a habit that recently led to a disturbing medical discovery. During a routine checkup, a nurse practitioner found that Marshall was living with a chronic E. coli infection in her colon.

As reported by UNILAD, the condition was so long-standing that it no longer caused her noticeable illness, highlighting how extensively her body had adapted to the bacteria. While she appeared outwardly healthy, the finding raised serious concerns about the long-term consequences of her extreme diet.

Marshall, a 28-year-old tattoo shop owner from Florida, previously appeared on the television series My Strange Addiction, where she openly discussed her daily consumption of roughly two pounds of raw red meat. Her eating habits, while normalized in her own life, often provoke shock and discomfort in others.

The risks of long-term raw meat consumption caught up with her

The issue escalated after Marshall ate with her husband’s family, where her meal prompted visible disgust and concern from those around her. The reaction ultimately pushed her to seek medical advice, leading to further testing.

Nurse Practitioner Vanessa Cabrera ordered a stool sample and diagnosed Marshall with a chronic E. coli infection. Raw meat is known to carry dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, and E. coli, as well as parasites, which is why proper cooking is widely recommended. Similar concerns about food handling and safety have sparked viral reactions online, including a recent incident where a LongHorn Steakhouse customer ordered a meal and found it covered in what appeared to be a disturbing substance.

What made Marshall’s case unusual was the absence of typical symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Cabrera explained that the lack of symptoms suggested the infection had been present for so long that Marshall’s body had adapted. This adaptation, however, came with a severe risk, as the prolonged exposure may have caused resistance to many antibiotics.

Cabrera warned that if Marshall were to contract another illness, treatment could be extremely difficult due to reduced antibiotic effectiveness. Medical costs associated with serious or prolonged illness have become a growing concern nationwide, echoing other healthcare-related struggles, such as soaring veterinary costs, that are forcing pet owners to make heartbreaking decisions.

Marshall traced her raw meat diet back to childhood, saying it was something she shared with her grandmother as a bonding ritual. She spoke fondly of those memories, noting that her grandmother passed away from bladder cancer five years ago.

Despite the warning, Marshall has no plans to abandon raw meat entirely. She told Cabrera she intends to make adjustments by choosing grass-fed meat from trusted sources and avoiding ground meat altogether. While she acknowledges the risks, she has opted for limited changes rather than giving up the diet completely.