James Blunt Got Scurvy After Eating Meat For Two Months to Annoy Vegans
Did James Blunt punk himself? The English singer-songwriter known for his popular hit song, You're Beautiful, just revealed he was once diagnosed with scurvy after he decided to become a strict carnivore to upset vegetarians and vegans.
Blunt was surrounded by plant-based students when he studied at the University of Bristol. He wanted "to assert his masculinity as some of his degree classes were dominated by women," reported The Times. To prove his point, he ate only chicken and mince for two months straight and that's when he was diagnosed with scurvy, which results from vitamin C deficiency. This may be a situation where we find it appropriate to say, "you reap what you sow."
Scurvy Was a Common Disease Amongst Sailors and Pirates
During the American Civil War, scurvy was commonly found in sailors and pirates due to a lack of vitamin C on the sea since they were not consuming fruits and vegetables. It's been a while since scurvy has made headlines since most people's diets satisfy the suggested daily amount of vitamin C.
Eating plant-based is an easy way to incorporate vitamin C into your diet. Foods with the highest source of vitamin C include these vegetables and fruits:
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Green and red peppers
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Turnip greens
- Sweet and white potatoes
- Tomatoes and tomato juice
- Winter squash
James Blunt Decided to Drink Orange Juice to Load Up on Vitamin C And Felt Worse
Early symptoms of scurvy include weakness, reduced appetite, irritability, feeling tired, and sore arms and legs. Blunt said: "And it took me about six to eight weeks to get very unhealthy and see a doctor, who then said, 'I think you've got the symptoms of scurvy'. He said, 'You are really lacking in vitamin C,' so I took it upon myself to drink orange juice every night - then I nearly developed acid reflux," a burning feeling in the heart and chest.
Luckily, Blunt is healthy again and learned from his mistake. Life is about balance and taking care of yourself by eating nutritious food for better health.