Rip Esselstyn

Rip Esselstyn (born 1963), a former firefighter and triathlete, is an American health activist and food writer. He is the author of ''The Engine 2 Diet'' (2009), ''Plant-Strong'' (2016) previously published as ''My Beef With Meat'' (2013), and ''The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet'' (2017).

Esselstyn is known as an advocate of a whole food, plant-based diet, one that omits meat, fish, eggs, dairy and processed foods.Deborah Blumenthal
"Firefighters Gone Vegan? Even Austin Is Impressed"
''The New York Times'', March 26, 2006: "The five firefighters of Team C at Firehouse 2 — Rip Esselstyn, James Rae, Matt Moore, Derick Zwerneman and Scott Walters — now eat vegan".
"Vegan firefighter on his 'Beef With Meat'"
CBS ''This Morning'': "Rip Esselstyn, a firefighter in Austin, Texas, convinced his firehouse to switch to a vegan diet."
*Roseann Marulli Rodriguez
Interview with Rip Esselstyn
''Super Vegan'', August 16, 2010. He calls it a "plant strong" diet, a term he has trademarked. He appeared in the 2011 documentary about plant-based nutrition, ''Forks Over Knives'', as well as the 2018 documentary ''The Game Changers''.

Background and early career

Esselstyn was born in Upstate New York, named after Rip Van Winkle, and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio.Rip Esselstyn biography
, engine2diet.com.Howard Lyman

''The Mad Cowboy'', undated. He is the great-grandson of George Washington Crile and the grandson of George Crile, Jr. His father, surgeon Caldwell Esselstyn, is one of the early promoters of a whole foods, plant-based diet in the prevention and reversal of heart disease.Spector, Kaye.
Great-grandson of Cleveland Clinic founder offers his own advice for healthy living
''The Plain Dealer'', May 5, 2009.

Esselstyn attended the University of Texas at Austin on a swimming scholarship from 1982 to 1986.INTERVIEW: "The Engine 2 Diet" author and "Forks Over Knives" star Rip Esselstyn
, ''Philadelphia City Paper'', May 19, 2011 During that time he was an All-American swimmer. After college, he became a triathlete and competed for approximately ten years. In 1997, he retired as a triathlete and turned his attention towards becoming a firefighter and emergency medical technician, joining Engine 2 of the Austin Fire Department. Esselstyn eventually retired from firefighting to focus on becoming an advocate for plant-based nutrition.

Writing

While he grew up eating the standard American diet, Esselstyn switched to a whole-foods plant-based diet in 1987, cutting out meat, fish, eggs and dairy. He was also inspired by Dave Scott, who was a vegetarian. Esselstyn describes his approach as "plant-strong" and has trademarked the term. He says he avoids the word "vegan" in case it discourages people, and believes that "plant strong" sounds healthier and more inclusive.Howard Lyman
Mad Cowboy Interview 07: Rip Esselstyn (Part 1)
''The Mad Cowboy'', undated.
* Kerry Lengel

''Arizona Living'', May 12, 2011: "'I like "plant-strong" as opposed to vegan or vegetarian,' he says. 'I think it's much more inclusive and embracing and friendly, and a more accurate description of what it is we're trying to do here, because it's about a whole-food, nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.'"

''The Engine 2 Diet'' (2009)

In 2003, when a co-worker at the Engine 2 fire department discovered that his cholesterol was very high, Esselstyn encouraged the Engine 2 team to switch to a whole foods, plant-based diet to help their colleague. This experience eventually led him to write ''The Engine 2 Diet'', which begins with a foreword by T. Colin Campbell, author of '' The China Study'' (2005).Former fireman preaches 'plant-strong' gospel in doc
''Winnipeg Free Press'', June 2, 2011. ''The Engine 2 Diet'' appeared on ''The New York Times Best Seller List'' and was endorsed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who made a public appearance with Esselstyn in January 2013. In 2010, Whole Foods Market included ''The Engine 2 Diet'' as a "Healthy Eating Partner".

''My Beef With Meat'' (2013)

In 2013, Esselstyn released another book, ''My Beef With Meat.'' It was a ''New York Times'' best seller ("Advice, How-To, & Miscellaneous List") that reached the #1 spot for the week of June 2, 2013.

''Forks Over Knives'' (2011)

Esselstyn appeared, along with his father and T. Colin Campbell, in the 2011 American documentary on whole foods, plant-based eating, ''Forks Over Knives.'' He later developed and starred in the follow-up documentary, ''Forks Over Knives Presents: The Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue with Rip Esselstyn.''Forks Over Knives Cast
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Awards

*2001 World Police and Fire Games: First Place
* Capital of Texas triathlon: Eight-time winner
*Escape from Alcatraz (triathlon): Six-time winnerEsselstyn, Rip. ''The Engine 2 Diet.'' New York: Wellness Central/Hachette Book Group USA, 2009 :10.
* U.S. Masters Swimming 200 Meter Backstroke record for men 55-59, set 7/20/2019''Lifetime Records for Rip Esselstyn'' https://www.usms.org/comp/poolrecords.php?ri=i&SwimmerID=02R25

Works

;Books
*
* Foreword by T. Colin Campbell.
*Esselstyn, Rip (2016-12). The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet. Hachette Book Group USA. . With recipes by Jane Esselstyn.

;DVD
*''Forks Over Knives Presents The Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue with Rip Esselstyn'' (2011)

See also

*Veganism
*Vegan nutrition

References

External links

Official website of the Plantstrong diet

{{DEFAULTSORT:Esselstyn, Rip
1963 births
Living people
American health activists
American male triathletes
American food writers
American health and wellness writers
American veganism activists
Sportspeople from Texas
University of Texas at Austin alumni
Vegan cookbook writers
People from New York (state)
Plant-based diet advocates