Australian Blogger Criticized For Diet: 26-Week-Pregnant Loni Jane Anthony Eats Up To 20 Bananas A Day On 80:10:10 Diet [PHOTOS]
An Australian blogger has generated some buzz online for her extreme fruit-dieting ways while pregnant. Loni Jane Anthony, 25, claims the 80:10:10 diet saved her life after years of a party-hard, fast-food lifestyle that was internally killing her. Now, Anthony eats as many as 20 bananas a day and the occasional salad while eating for two.
"It wasn't for weight loss or for a quick fix. I was internally really sick; I was killing myself slowly. If I'd kept living that lifestyle I would have ended up with a disease like cancer or early aging. So giving up that food was really quite simple for me," she told news.com.au.
Anthony began to experience a series of medical conditions about three years ago. She started to get skin infections, acne, and began putting on weight, which she claims is unusual because she has always had a slim physique. The 25-year-old reported she would want to sleep all the time and even ended up with a whole range of health problems such as candida overgrowth, hormone imbalance, irregular periods, and hair loss.
Candida MD says candida overgrowth is a yeast/fungal infection that can range from an oral thrush to vaginitis, to even a systematic and potentially life-threatening disease. The presence of this condition can be found in humans particularly on the skin, but its growth is usually limited by the human immune system. Candida thrives on moisture for growth, which may be limited if the host site has relatively dry skin.
The troubles of the Australian designer andphotographer of an action sports brand escalated when she went on a trip to Thailand and picked up parasites and dengue fever. Her health scares were what motivated her to adopt a different lifestyle in order to live longer.
Now, three years later, Anthony can be found waking up every morning between 4:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. to drink two liters of warm water with lemon. A typical breakfast includes either having half a watermelon, a banana smoothie, or whole oranges. This is followed by five or six mangos for lunch, and a large salad for dinner. Occasionally Anthony has an alcoholic drink — once every five months.
The raw, plant-based diet — known as the 80:10:10 diet — developed by Dr. Douglas Graham, is a raw food version of a low fat plant based diet that is similar to that developed by Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. John McDougall. The 80:10:10 diet made up of 80 percent carbs, 10 percent fat, and 10 percent protein mainly consists of fruit and water.
Although Anthony’s diet “saved her life,” the blogger has received backlash from online commentators who are concerned about the health of her child.
"I feel uncomfortable with Loni’s 'transformation' because it doesn’t sound safe for her baby," wrote blogger Ami Angelowicz of The Frisky. "I’m not a doctor, of course, but common sense and the little knowledge I have about nutrition tells me that you have to consume more than bananas and mangoes each day when you’re eating for two.”
Angelowicz’s concerns are echoed by an anonymous commentator who wrote: “The human body cannot survive on fruit alone, it is incredibly dangerous for your health not to have variety in your diet. I applaud anyone who makes a positive change in their lifestyle but fad diets like this one will only work for so long.”
The Mayo Clinic says the diet of a pregnant woman should consist of nutrients like folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, protein, and iron, which can be obtained through the consumption of foods such as spinach, beans, milk, yogurt, salmon, eggs, lentils, and poultry. It is suggested that pregnant women have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Nutritionist Fiona Hunter has examined Anthony’s diet and believes it is unhealthy. “In my opinion, Loni is deluded if she thinks this diet is healthy. It could not only jeopardize her own health but also that of her unborn baby,” Hunter told the Daily Mail. The nutritionist acknowledges the diet is short in protein for growth and repair of tissues and several essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, and zinc. Anthony’s diet also lacks adequate calcium which can lead to the baby taking calcium from her bones and leaving the dieter susceptible for osteoporosis later in life.
Regardless of the waves of online criticism she has received, Anthony has not modified her diet since becoming pregnant. “My eating habits are still the same as when i wasn’t pregnant. I have eaten more cooked food for dinners during the pregnancy but other than that, I'm still on a high raw plant-based lifestyle [all sic]!"
Currently, Anthony has almost 100,000 followers on Instagram that feature “selfies” and other photos revealing her fruit-based meal plan dietary lifestyle.
"I used to be quite closed off, a little bit angry, and was a very 'I don't give a f--k' kind of person,” claimed Anthony before the diet.
To learn more about the Australian blogger and her dieting, visit her blog: www.aleven11.com.