One thing James Blunt learned in college? Changing your diet out of spite can have real consequences.
While chatting on the "Table Manners" podcast, the English singer recalled developing scurvy —yes, scurvy! — after going on an all-meat diet while attending the University of Bristol in the '90s.
"On the sociology side of things, there were 170 girls and only three boys, of which all the girls were vegetarian or vegans," James said. "So out of principle, I decided I'd become a carnivore and just lived on mince [ground meat], some chicken, maybe with some mayonnaise."
Because James, then an aerospace manufacturing engineering and sociology student, was giving his body so little Vitamin C, he got the disease commonly associated with pirates.
"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,' " the "You're Beautiful" crooner said. "[The doctor] said, 'You are really lacking in vitamin C.'"
Trying to reverse his condition, James then proceeded to overdo it with fresh juice.
"I took it upon myself to drink orange juice every night — then I nearly developed acid reflux," he said.
Scurvy was quite common among sailors in previous centuries, as they had little access to fresh foods while they were at sea.
According to Healthline.com, signs of scurvy begin to develop after a month of severe Vitamin C deficiency. Earlier warning signs include weakness, unexplained exhaustion, reduced appetite, irritability, aching legs and low-grade fever. If left untreated, symptoms get more drastic, as they include tooth decay, gingivitis, anemia, blurred vision, skin hemorrhages, heavy bruising, internal bleeding and more.