The mother of a vegan influencer who passed away at the young age of 39 claimed that the influencer’s early demise may have been due to her diet.

By posting recipes and ‘raw plant-based meals on Instagram, Zhanna Samsonova, a native of Russia, amassed more than 10,000 followers.

Samsonova herself had lived only on a raw vegan diet for ten years, during which time she apparently gave up drinking water in favor of fruit juices and fueled herself with fruits, seeds, and smoothies.

In one post, she exclaimed, “No salt, less fat, no oil, and no dehydrated food!” Simply a single meal! That’s it. And I’ve been a raw vegan for ten years, so here I am.

Samsonova died on July 21 in Malaysia after years of travel around Asia.

Her mother, Vera Samsonova, voiced the opinion that Samsonova’s diet may have contributed to her dying in an interview with the Russian daily Vechernyaya Kazan. Her family has since been trying to have Samsonova’s remains returned to Russia so that her official cause of death may be determined.

The mother stated that while early reports on Samsonova’s death suggested that it had been brought on by a cholera-like infection, she posited that Samsonova could have battled even more as a result of the tiredness brought on by her restrictive diet.

Despite Vera’s best efforts, her daughter, who hadn’t voiced any complaints about her health, refused to change her vegan diet.

In interviews with the Russian news source 116.ru, a few of Samsonova’s pals also voiced worries about the influencer’s nutrition.

One acquaintance said, “It was scary to look at her, to be honest; her hands were like those of my 12-year-old sister, thin,” while another claimed to have seen Samsonova ‘looking weary’ a few months prior in Sri Lanka.

She was brought home to receive care. But she took off again. I was frightened when I saw her in Phuket,” they said.

Samsonova informed her fans in a post just before she passed away that she felt her “body and mind transform every day.”

“I never revert to my old behaviors because I adore the new version of myself,” she continued.

Due to its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, Healthline adds that the raw vegan diet has certain advantages, including reducing blood cholesterol levels and improving heart health.

The diet does, however, have some negatives since the food may not include vital vitamins, such as Vitamin B12, leaving the body’s muscles and bones weaker.