Raw food influencer Zhanna Samsonova, known as Zhanna D'Art to her more than 25,000 Instagram followers, has died following a decade of reportedly only eating exotic fruit.
Originally from Russia, the 39-year-old died in Malaysia and was said to have starved to death. No official cause of death has been declared yet.
Speaking to Russian media, Samsonova’s mother said she died from a “cholera-like infection” that was made worse by her restrictive diet.
The vegan influencer was well known for promoting a raw food diet on social media. According to the New York Post, she gained millions of views on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
Samsonova reportedly sought medical treatment while touring Southeast Asia.
“Since many raw food dieters exhibited underweight and amenorrhoea (the absence of menstruation), a very strict raw food diet cannot be recommended on a long-term basis,” the study found.
IOL
The effects of a long-term raw food diet can have lasting consequences.
According to a study cited by the National Library of Medicine (NIH), the consumption of a raw food diet is associated with a high loss of body weight.
“Since many raw food dieters exhibited underweight and amenorrhoea (the absence of menstruation), a very strict raw food diet cannot be recommended on a long-term basis,” the study found.
IOL
