By Erika Preece
There’s no doubt about it- Vancouver is a hub for the wellness movement. Is it the mountain air and ocean breeze that somehow mixes together and then intoxicates people into running kilometre after kilometre? Or is it the constant rain-induced melancholy that forces us to find happiness in the form of deliciously healthy food and meditation? Either way, we’ve assembled some of the best local Instagram accounts that you should be following to inspire mind + body wellness. Here are our Top 10 (+1) Instagram Accounts to follow for Health and Wellness inspiration!
If you’re passionate about eating vegan, or want to learn more about this lifestyle choice, you should be following Erin Ireland. Ever since her TED talk on the shortcomings of the conventional food industry, Erin has been a powerful trailblazer for the vegan movement here in Vancouver. She documents step-by-step recipes on her Instagram stories, and often features her adorable baby and dog in her foodie adventures (win, win).
Girlvana yoga is a program that aims to “raise the consciousness in teen girls through yoga, meditation and raw conversation”. While the project itself is focused towards young women, their aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed would be inspiring to anyone- their photos and messages promote self-esteem, vulnerability, and honesty with oneself. Let’s face it, we could all use some more of that!
Shira is the co-founder of the B.C. company Grain, which connects consumers with local grain farmers. Her page is chock-full with beautiful meals with surprisingly simple ingredients that you can definitely pull off in your own kitchen (with the help of some fresh produce, herbs, and high quality Canadian grain). Definitely refer to this account for dinner inspiration when the takeout menus are starting to look a little worn-out.
Chloe Elgar (@chloescountertop)
Chloe’s Countertop is a wonderful resource if you need a dose of soulful, self-love storytelling. The title of her book, “Living In Light”, says it all… Chloe reflects on body image, our dark sides, comparisons, and more aspects of life we don’t always advertise. She also has a great podcast called “Conscious Conversations” that expands on those ideas and more. I would be a terrible employee if I didn’t mention that our own Juice Truck boys have been interviewed for the show, twice! Check ‘em out!
Dharma Temple (@thedharmatemple)
The Dharma Temple is a yoga and meditation boutique on Main St. that host classes and workshops in addition to “conscious events” such as New Moon gatherings. They’ve done a great job cultivating their mission and overall vibe into their Instagram page, which is perfect for anyone looking to expand their mind and question traditional ways of thinking. Their beautiful posts include groovy pictures and inspiring mantras that will guide you through your day in a more conscious way.
The Pure Life’s feed can be described as beautiful, bright, and fun. Sisley is a recently graduated holistic nutritionist, so she always dishes out useful and interesting health advice to go along with stunning photos of her recipes and daily life. As a talented photographer, she also shares some killer travel pics and tips that leave us not at all jealous (ahem).
Emily Von Euw (@thisrawsomeveganlife)
Emily is an award-winning food blogger and cookbook author, and has been a leader of the vegan movement on a global scale for years. Emily’s feed is a breath of fresh air since she keeps it super-real in her reflective and brutally honest posts, in addition to creating and photographing simply magnificent raw desserts and meals. Emily also hosts vegan potlucks in Vancouver and when travelling, so definitely follow along!
Moment Meditation (@momentmeditation)
Meditation can get a bad rap, despite the significant health benefits. Impossible, boring, aggravating, time-consuming: these are some of the descriptors that many have used after attempting or assessing the ages-old practice of sitting still. However, Moment Meditation owns up to the challenge, and offers “cognitive training for the modern mind” through classes and workshops. The thoughtfully curated content on their page is simple and calming, and will often contain effective cues for remembering to “press pause” once in a while.
The mantra you’ll see when opening Steph’s page is “A Beautiful Mess”. This sentiment works on a couple of levels: her crazy colourful food pictures, in addition to the discussions about mental health that Steph continues to openly share. Steph’s photos are beautiful and heart-warming, and her captions always tell a story. Her storytelling skills have recently developed into her own podcast, so stay tuned and also check out one of her “Soul Service” events at the Juice Truck store!
Feisty Feast is a continuous, open door gathering that “unites and empowers women in the feminine spirit”. Their feed contains stunning photos and messages that touch on femininity, food, and often the relationship between the two. They often shout out local entrepreneurs as well, contributing to the awesome community vibe that the Vancouver wellness industry has going on.
Alive Health Magazine (@alivehealth)
Alive Health is a local magazine that creates content encompassing health, wellness, and natural living. Their posts touch on a broad spectrum of topics: from making homemade healthy sports drinks, to some of the best hikes in Whistler, to listing immune-boosting herbs and supplements. The Alive Health feed is the perfect account to follow if you need some fresh inspiration for continuing a healthy lifestyle, since they really switch it up with fresh ideas.
Erika Preece is a Vancouver newbie hailing from Waterloo, Ontario. Besides mastering her smoothie skills, you can catch her wearing a nerdy helmet biking the sea wall, feeding her friends, learning how to garden, or reading Tom Robbins.