I eat shell and all. I found a few infos that said the shells help to pass the parasites. Also if you will take the flax seed this is a diuretic to flush the parasites. I personally have no access to an enema kit. I do not cook them either. They are right the seeds paralyze them but if you will use some fennel seeds this also helps flush the system and gets rid of parasites. I love, love the seeds and they are my favorite snack but they will get to your kidneys so go slow at first.