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Vegan raw food influencer Zhanna Samsonova, 39, popularly known as Zhanna D'Art has died, allegedly due to starvation.
Samsonova, originally from Russia, had been following the vegan raw plant-based diet for about a decade. Her diet consisted of fruits, seeds, smoothies and juices. She even stopped drinking water last six years and only drank fruit juices for hydration.
Her mother told the Russian newspaper Vechernyaya Kazan that Zhanna had a cholera-like infection which exacerbated due to her extremely restrictive diet.
Zhanna D'Art dies in Malaysia
Samsonova died on July 21 in Malaysia and spent the last 17 years travelling across Asia. The official cause of death has not yet been determined, as her body needs to be brought back to Russia for a proper examination.
It's also being reported that Zhanna D'Art was supposed to fly home on the day of her death. Her mother didn't approve of her eating habits and often tried to convince her. Samsonova initially followed a regular vegan diet but further transitioned to a raw vegan diet.
Ms. Samsonova wrote in a post:
"Despite the fact that I cook fancy raw dishes, I eat very simply myself. My food is simple, no oil, no salt, no dehydrated food, and no protein.
"Today for lunch I have delicious avocado kefir, sweet cherry tomatoes, and ripe avocado. Bon appetit."
Zhanna D'Art vegan influencer: What did her friends say?
One friend, who she met in Thailand, told the Russian news agency 116.ru:
"It was scary to look at her, to be honest, her hands were like those of my 12-year-old sister, thin."
Another who met Zhanna D'Art in Sri Lanka and was concerned by her health condition, said:
"They sent her home to seek treatment. However, she ran away again. When I saw her in Phuket, I was horrified."
Another concerned friend said:
"Ms. Samsonova's idle starvation was causing her to melt before our eyes, but she believed everything was fine. Only her eyes, merry eyes and gorgeous hair compensated for the dreadful sight of a body tortured by idiocy. Forgive me if it sounds harsh."
A raw vegan diet can harm the body in many ways. It can deprive you of essential nutrients, as they are not absorbed well from uncooked vegetables. It was reported that Zhanna D'Art followed dry fasting often, which can cause dehydration and many other severe conditions.
A balanced diet is essential for overall well-being, and cooking the food items is important for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. Cooking also kills any harmful pathogens present in the food.
Zhanna D'Art was not aware of the consequences of following such an extreme diet and hence caused harm to her health, which ultimately might have led to her untimely death.
Indranil Biswas is a nutritionist and personal trainer with a diploma in dietetics and personal training with a specialization in sports nutrition and strength training.
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