Vegan influencer Zhanna Samsonova's chilling final post days before she 'starved to death' after 'extreme' fruit diet
2 August 2023, 06:24 | Updated: 2 August 2023, 12:01
Vegan influencer Zhanna Samsonova shared a chilling final post online just days before her death.
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Zhanna Samsonova, 39, died on July 21 while in intensive care at a hospital in Malaysia.
Her official cause of death has not been declared, but her mother is reported to have said she succumbed to a ‘cholera-like infection’ made worse by her restrictive diet.
Ms Samsonova had shared a selfie to her Instagram stories just days earlier, with a haunting message saying: "Life is meaningless but worth living provided you recognise it's meaningless."
Her extreme diet consisted predominantly of raw fruit and vegetable juices, which left her struggling to perform simple tasks such as climbing a set of stairs.
Friends claimed that she hadn’t drunk water for more than six years before her death, as she replaced it with fruit and vegetable juices.
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One friend said: "A few months ago, in Sri Lanka, she already looked exhausted. I lived one floor above her and every day I feared finding her lifeless body in the morning.
"I convinced her to seek treatment, but she didn't make it."
In her last Instagram post seven weeks ago, Ms Samsonova she was excited about the start of durian season in Thailand.
She wrote: "It’s that fabulous time of year again – Durian Season in Thailand! Wake Up And Smell the Durian! For all you durian lovers out there, isn’t it just the best?
"And for those who haven’t yet experienced the joy of durian, you’re in for a wild ride!"
Ms Samsonova actively promoted raw veganism, which dictates that foods should be eaten completely raw or cooked at very low temperatures.
She previously said: "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.
"For the last four years, my diet has been only fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies and juices.
"I only got to this level after five years on a completely raw vegan diet.
"I see my body and mind transform every day. I love my new me, and never move on to the habits that I used to use."
