For Rip Esselstyn, founder of Engine 2 and author of The Engine 2 Diet (2009) and Plant-Strong: Discover the World’s Healthiest Diet (2015), the connection between a plant-based diet and good health is irrefutable. On our upcoming Caribbean cruise—February 15–25, 2018—Rip will make his Holistic Holiday at Sea debut. In fact, this will be Rip’s first cruise ever! “I can’t wait to meet all of these excited and passionate, plant-based eaters,” he told us.

A three-time All-American swimmer in college, one of the world’s premier triathletes for a decade, and a former firefighter for the Austin Fire Department, Rip has always been a man on the go. His active lifestyle and athleticism are testaments to the benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet.

When asked what encouraged him to adopt this diet in 1987, he says, “My father’s research, and learning that Dave Scott, the #1 triathlete on the planet at the time, was vegetarian.” His father Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who has been a featured presenter for several years on our cruise, is a ground-breaking pioneer in preventative and restorative cardiovascular medicine and a world-class athlete.

Rip Shares how to Transform Your Health

While working at Firehouse 2 in Austin, Texas, Rip was concerned about the dangerously high cholesterol of one of his fellow firemen, which was like his second family. He started a wellness revolution when he challenged them to eat “plant-strong” for 28 days. Together, they made health a habit at the station and saw lifesaving results. Since leaving the station in October 2009, Rip has developed and implemented plant-based programs to help people across the world.

Rip will give two lectures onboard. His keynote presentation, “The Genesis of the Engine 2 Diet,” will discuss the tenets of his New York Times bestseller The Engine 2 Diet and the story of how he convinced a group of Austin firefighters to embrace a “plant-strong” lifestyle. It covers Rip’s evolution of the Engine 2 diet: how it emerged, the impact it has made, and how you can thrive through plant-strong living.

Since The Engine 2 Diet was released in 2009, new research has emerged. Rip has found that rather than the initial 28 days thought necessary to see results from a plant-strong diet, people could transform their health in just one week. In his second presentation, “The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet,” Rip will walk through the seven pillars of this diet and how to get real results.

Since The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet was released, the feedback has been tremendous. Rip says, “We have a private Facebook group set up for people following our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge, and we’ve found thousands of people who have lost weight, gone off their medications and gotten amazing lifestyle changes following this plan.

“We’ve also had many people join the Seven-Day Rescue Challenge who think they’re already eating a healthy vegan diet or even a whole foods, plant-based diet. Then they realize after doing this for seven days that their eating style could use a lot of help and a lot of refinement.”

Questions from You!

We asked our Facebook followers which questions they’d like to ask Rip. Here are his responses:

Q: Why do most men think that not eating meat is considered unmanly? And what can we say to males that will get them thinking about leaving animal products off their plates?

A: First, 75 years and billions of dollars of marketing has perpetuated the myth that meat is manly. As for convincing men? Start with bedroom performance. The Standard American Diet is closely tied to erectile dysfunction, and many men find after going plant-strong that they are strong in every way!

Q: Which recipe that you created is your favorite?

A: Definitely our Raise the Roof Sweet Potato Lasagna!

Q: What is a good source of iron for vegans?

Start with your beans and greens for sure.

Q: Being plant based for a year, how do I encourage my husband to take care of himself physically? His job is rough sometimes, but he doesn’t work out, ride a bike, go walking, or even stretch most of the time. He doesn’t do sports either. Trust me, I’ve tried.

A: It has to be something he enjoys – even something as simple as walking. Start somewhere, then from there, maybe he’ll be inspired to do more!

Book Your Spot Today!

Got questions of your own? Bring them with you to the Caribbean! Rip Esselstyn will be joined by dozens of other leading authorities in plant-based living. As we travel in the southeastern Caribbean, our schedule combines education, socials, fitness activities, and ports of call excursions. Book today for the best rates and availability. We hope to see you soon!