The scariest part about the recent death of 39-year-old vegan raw-food influencer Zhanna Samsonova, isn’t just that she died of starvation and exhaustion brought on by her diet. It’s that years of eating only fruits, seeds, smoothies and juices (she often didn’t drink water for days) had made her steadily drop weight, lose muscle tone and look skeletal. She actually believed that she was doing the right thing for her body until the end.
Watch out for the demons. Any diet plan that cuts out an entire food group (sugar, dairy, flour) when there are no allergies or intolerances will cause problems. It will eventually lead to nutrient deficiencies, and worsen gut health. “Follow a nutrient-rich diet that includes a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and essential nutrients, unless a specific intolerance or allergy exists,” says Shah.
Keep score. If a diet is not working out, there will be obvious signs. It will seem like a drag, for one. You’ll keep looking for ways to cheat. Over time, if your weight keeps yo-yoing, if there are mood swings, fatigue or irritability, it’s probably because the diet isn’t doing its job. Remember that no celebrity, however glowing their endorsement, will personally rescue you from a diet gone wrong.
