Vegan Influencer Reportedly Dies Of Starvation In Malaysia After Following A Raw Food Diet
She was said to have exclusively consumed jackfruit and durian for the past seven years.
Vegan influencer Zhanna Samsonova has reportedly died of starvation in Malaysia after following a raw vegan diet for years
According to New York Post, citing a Russian-language report, Samsonova had been subsisting exclusively off a diet of exotic fruit in Malaysia.
Known to her fans as Zhanna D'Art, the Russian national was 39 years old. She reportedly passed away on 21 July.
"A few months ago, in Sri Lanka, she already looked exhausted, with swollen legs oozing lymph," an unidentified friend of Samsonova told Newsflash, adding, "They sent her home to seek treatment. However, she ran away again. When I saw her in Phuket, I was horrified."
They said they used to live above Samsonova in a building and were always afraid that they would find her lifeless body one day.
Image via Newsflash via New York Post
When asked about Samsonova's go-to foods, a friend revealed that she had been exclusively consuming giant, sweet jackfruit, and pungent durian for the past seven years
Both fruits are native to the Southeast Asian region, and are part of Malaysia's export products.
The Economic Times reported that Samsonova's mother mentioned a "cholera-like infection" as a suspected cause of death, but the official reason is yet to be disclosed.
With that said, her mother believes the extreme vegan diet took a toll on her daughter's body and mental well-being.
Image via Newsflash via New York Post
As a content creator on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, Samsonova had been advocating for her raw diet doctrine, passionately sharing her transformational experiences
She would write long captions on her Instagram posts to share updates about her life, recipes, and benefits of her diet.
She described her strict eating regimen as empowering, chronicling the alleged positive effects her practice had on her body and mind, reported The Economic Times.
It is understood that her body has yet to be sent back from Malaysia. Samsonova's family is currently waiting for a medical report and a death certificate to determine her official cause of death.
Image via Newsflash via news.com.au
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please call these Malaysian hotlines:
1. BEFRIENDERS KL
24-hour
Contact: +603-76272929
Email: sam@befrienders.org.my
Website | Facebook | Twitter
2. TALIAN KASIH
24-hour
Contact: 15999
WhatsApp: +6019-2615999
Email: taliannur@kpwkm.gov.my
Website | Facebook
3. BUDDY BEAR CHILDLINE
Daily (12pm - 12am)
Contact: 1800-18-2327
Email: buddybear@humankind.my
Facebook | Instagram
For a more thorough directory of resources, head over to the websites of Malaysian Mental Health Association or MINDAKAMI.
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