I first discovered BluePrint at Natural Products Expo in spring 2012 and really enjoyed what they are making - fresh, organic, raw juices and nut mylks available as a delivery and in natural markets. These drinks make it easy for anyone to start a cleanse or having a refreshing, nourishing snack on the go - it's perfect for busy people or those who don't own a juicer. After I posted my video interview with them (see below) BluePrint decided to offer one luckier viewer a 3 Day Cleanse worth $195 - congrats to Corrina!

When Rachel popped up on my social media feed I immediately noticed her radiance - everything about her emits happiness and thus I always look forward to seeing her posts. Especially on Instagram - all of her photos are very inspiring and passionate. Rachel makes healthy living look easy, breezy and beautiful; call that cheesey, but it's true! I love the story of how she and her husband discovered holistic health, the plant-based diet and found a way to support themselves through teaching others about the power and benefits of non-toxic products.

Here's more about Rachel in her own words:

I'm a happily-married 25 year old with a mission to spread the word about holistic health to the world! I'm a professional massage therapist who has left my hands-on daily work to achieve dreams bigger than I could have ever imagined just a few years ago. My husband and best friend, Joe, was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in 2010. We had no health insurance and were a prime example of a couple who lived off of the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.)! Our newleywed life had dramatically changed overnight and we were in desperate need of a solution and began doing our own research daily. We started learning just how toxic conventional food, health-care products, beatuty products, home-cleaning products, and the enviornment really are! We decided at that time to leave Las Vegas and move to beautiful Northern California. When we moved we got rid of most everything we owned to live a truly clean and minimalistic lifestyle and to start over with only safe, non-toxic products. Shortly after our move we were introduced to a plant-based diet and dōTERRA Essential Oils. The combination has completely changed our lives for the better! Joe has been symptom free for over 8 months now and has regained the weight that he had lost during the first year of struggling with Crohn's. I have thankfully lost the unwanted weight that I had carried my entire life and am now feeling better than ever both physically and emotionally. With this newfound health and purpose, Joe and I decided we want to reach out and help others around the world by inspiring them to learn more about holistic health and how powerful our bodies really are. We are grateful to have the opportunity to earn our income while traveling together by sharing the Certified Pure Therapuetic Grade essential oils that we love and use daily. We are excited to see where this beautiful path leads us and who's lives we will make an impact on!

I just happened to start following Eco-Vegan Gal right when I needed her inspiration and plant-based lifestyle information the most at the very beginning of 2012! My husband and I never planned on sticking to this way of eating we were just trying something new and absolutely fell in love with how our bodies felt eating this way. I continue to follow her daily because of how personable she is and because she always covers the topics that matter to me the most! My very favorite EvG video is: "How Life Meaning and Goals Relate to Living Healthy and Green". This video has inspired me and my dreams immensely! "Call it optimistic or naiive but I feel that life is just limitless"

I'm really honored to hear that Rachel started following EvG at the very beginning of her journey - it's really wonderful to be along from the whole ride and I love seeing how she and Joe progress.

Click here to read about past Featured Viewers - a fantastic group of people, each with their own inspiring stories.

It might seem strange to do an article on gaining weight when most people are concerned with losing it, but I've received several questions from women and men who are struggling to keep weight on the plant-based diet. I don't have any experience with this personally (aside from writing this article for veg men), so I turned to my friend Junghwa Chung Detlefsen (whose name you may recognize from some videos) for advice because she has dealt with and overcome this challenge. She wrote up a great piece entitled, "Gaining My Health Back to Life The Vegan Way":

I meet thousands of people through this website and via social media, so it's easy to lose track of who's who if I don't chat with individuals on a regular basis. One person who has done a fantastic job at being in touch and supporting EvG is Vahe Gulyan, a 23 year old man who moved to the U.S. from Armenia about 2 years ago. We first met during a brief exchange at an Apple Store where I gave him a business card, and he's kept in touch through email and Twitter ever since. He isn't vegan nor would he call himself much of an environmentalist, but he's kept his eyes on EvG out of curiosity and ended up getting inspired to make some changes.

Here's a little more about Vahe and his thoughts on vegetarianism and going green:

"I didn't even knew the word "vegan" before meeting Whitney...I think I was watching EvG just because it was fun and entertaining, which also, especially for me, is [the] only way to make [me] interested and learn something :) and there [are a] lot of things [to learn]...2 years later I started completely not using plastic bags. Instead of [using the] car most of the time I ride an electric bicycle. I don't eat, use or drink anything that is not organic, has GMO, chemicals, HFCS in it, etc. Most of the time I order vegetarian version of things and they are delicious :) I didn't have good memories about using juicers but she inspired me to get a good one and we always use it at home now :) Interestingly this is not very far from how I was before - where I am from we mostly eat fruits, vegetables, soups, grains, etc.. all local and organic (since we are not that "advanced" as Monstanto.. hmm). [I also have] my manager [to] thank, to whom I learnt lot of things [from in my profession - [he] was vegetarian and was trying to explain that to me too. I am kinda like "hacker" in a good way , and this is what I like about veg. My manager taught a lot of things [and] said [he] hopes I will keep sharing my knowledge, which I do. It's kinda like about being more "human" in everything"

I love that last line - I think that's a huge reason why people go vegetarian, because they feel more alive or human (and humane) when they do. It's also thrilling to hear about all the eco-friendly changes he's made in his life. Thanks Vahe for finding value in EvG even though you're not a vegan ; ) - the truth is, you don't have to be because my aim with the site is to inspire people to be healthier and happier, and it sounds like it's done a little of that for him. : )

Click here to read about past Featured Viewers - a fantastic group of people, each with their own inspiring stories.