(ConservativeSense.com) – A social media influencer who attempted to survive on only exotic fruits has died from starvation. Zhanna Samsonova, from Russia, promoted a vegan lifestyle across platforms, including Instagram and TikTok. She endorsed a diet of only fruits, sunflower seeds, and juice and regularly posted photographs of her fragile frame.
“I eat simple food, although I have a lot of experience as a raw food chef. I love creating my own recipes and inspiring people to eat healthier,” she wrote.
Following the 39-year-old’s death, a friend said she sought medical treatment in South Asia, where she was traveling. Doctors in Sri Lanka told her to return home and seek treatment, but she appears to have ignored their advice. The unnamed friend said, “When I saw her in Phuket, I was horrified. I lived one floor above her, and every day, I feared finding her lifeless body in the morning.”
Another friend described Zhanna’s diet and said she had subsisted on jackfruit and durian, two uncommon fruits, for the past seven years.
No official cause of death has been declared, yet Samsonova’s mother says her daughter died from a cholera-like infection.
While the Russians diet was particularly extreme, the number of vegans is growing worldwide. Vegans do not consume or utilize anything derived from animals, including meat, dairy, or leather.
In 2023, 6% of Americans said they were vegan, a 500% increase from 2014. In 2021, more than half a million people in the US participated in what is known as “Veganuary.” This describes the practice of maintaining a vegan diet for the month of January. The number taking part increased by 25% over the previous year.
Even among people who do not describe themselves as vegans, more and more Americans are altering their diets to incorporate more plant-based produce, and the market for meat alternatives has grown enormously. People are attracted to veganism for various reasons, most commonly animal welfare, environmental concerns, and personal health.
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