Registration Now Open!
COME JOIN US ON
THE MOUNTAIN
November 9th-14th, 2025
Black Mountain, North Carolina
A fabulous experience that exceeded my expectations. Even though I have been following this lifestyle for several years and soaking up as much information as I can, I learned SO much on this retreat. Thank you!
- 2022 Retreat Attendee
I came for the food. I left with 100 new friends. Best. Retreat. Ever.
- 2023 Retreat Attendee
A life-enhancing vacation.
This special venue is uniquely positioned on the side of a mountain, just outside Asheville, North Carolina. The historic campus is woven with hiking trails, rushing streams, and retreat amenities. Clean and modern sleeping rooms are provided and wholesome, plant-based buffet meals will inspire guests to try new things while fueling up for group activities.
An Immersive Experience
Our retreats are an immersive experience designed to give participants a powerful and in-depth understanding of both the medical and nutritional components to PLANTSTRONG living. Steeped in evidence-based education, success stories, and practical application, this experience will provide the inspiration and know-how to strengthen your journey while setting a solid foundation for ongoing success.
Continuing Education Credits
Contact Hours
MAHEC designates this continuing education activity as meeting the criteria for 16 contact hours.
CEUs
MAHEC designates this continuing education activity as meeting the criteria for 1.6 CEUs as established by the National Task Force on the Continuing Education Unit.
Continuing Medical Education
Accreditation
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Southern States CME Collaborative (SSCC) through the joint providership of Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) and PLANTSTRONG. MAHEC is accredited by the SSCC to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation: MAHEC designates this live activity for a maximum of 16 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Disclosure Statement
MAHEC adheres to the ACCME Standards regarding industry support to continuing medical education. Disclosure of faculty and commercial support relationships, if any, will be made known at the time of the activity.
Physician Assistants: AAPA accepts a certificate of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician Assistants may receive a maximum of 16 hours of Category 1 credit for completing this program.
Nurse Practitioners: This activity is designated for 16 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
A Memorable Experience
I especially appreciated the knowledge of the speakers and their ability to discuss complex issues in a way that made it comprehensible to me. Also, the opportunity to meet so many people who are on the same journey to find direction for their healthcare was inspiring. The sharing and the laughter was wonderful and I will long remember this week. I came home encouraged that I had learned what I can do to improve my health and determined to do it.
- 2022 Retreat Attendee
You Deserve This Experience!
Join The Family
Spend a week learning with the Esselstyns!
Get Inspired
Enjoy cooking demos and learn how to make meals quickly and easily at home!
Fill Your Plate
Plant-based living is about abundance, not deprivation. Each meal is an all-you-can-eat buffet!
In this 6-day retreat, you’ll discover:
The Seven Pillars of Optimal PLANTSTRONG Living
Learn the fastest and easiest way to optimize your results in adopting a whole food, plant-based lifestyle. Our program will lower your cholesterol, improve your blood pressure, and increase your insulin sensitivity (that’s a good thing!).
Recipes—Recipes—Recipes!
Every presenter will share new and inspiring meals that you can make and enjoy at home. All attendees will receive a download of the recipes!
The Surefire Path to Sustaining the Lifestyle
Tired of starting and stopping? We’ll discuss the small daily habits that yield big results in keeping you on track.
How You Can Prevent—and Reverse—Heart Disease
Learn how following a whole foods, plant-based lifestyle is your best defense against cardiovascular disease—and if you already have heart disease, how to fight back with your fork.
You guys do such an amazing job. Every staff member is so kind and approachable on top of being so knowledgeable. This was my second immersion and I loved it.
- 2022 Retreat Attendee
MEET YOUR HOST
RIP ESSELSTYN
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR
FOUNDER OF PLANTSTRONG
Rip Esselstyn spent a decade as one of the premier triathletes in the world. He then joined the Austin Fire Department where he introduced his passion for a whole-food, plant-based diet to Austin’s Engine 2 Firehouse in order to rescue a firefighting brother’s health. To document his success he wrote the national bestselling book, The Engine 2 Diet, which shows the irrefutable connection between a plant-based diet and good health. He is featured prominently in the documentary Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers.
As the founder of PLANTSTRONG, Rip develops and implements a range of programs and events geared toward education, inspiring and nurturing PLANTSTRONG living for individuals, families, and organizations across the globe.
RIP ESSELSTYN
FOUNDER OF PLANTSTRONG
Rip Esselstyn is the #1 NYT best-selling author of four books, and founder and CEO of PLANTSTRONG Foods. When Rip discovered that several of his firefighter colleagues were medical time bombs, he changed their food and rescued their health. Through his lectures and his best-selling books, Rip spreads the word about eating strong food. If Rip can save an entire Texas fire brigade, imagine what he can do for you and your family!
JANE ESSELSTYN, RN
AUTHOR
Jane Esselstyn is an avid and inventive designer of plant-based recipes and the co-author of The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook and the NYT best-selling Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior with her next-door neighbor and mom, Ann. And she created the recipe section of #1 New York Times Best Seller, Plant-Strong by her brother, Rip.
Jane brings remarkable clarity, compassion, and humor to the table and presents a no-nonsense approach to raising plantstrong kids.
DR. DOUG LISLE
AUTHOR
Doug Lisle is an evolutionary psychologist and co-author of The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health and Happiness. He and his colleagues have developed a revolutionary method for approaching life challenges and improving self-confidence and self-esteem. They describe their approach as Esteem Dynamics.
DR. BRIAN ASBILL
CARDIOLOGIST
Dr. Asbill is board certified in Cardiovascular Diseases, Clinical Lipidology, and Lifestyle Medicine and served as a cardiologist at Asheville Cardiology Associates (Asheville NC), where he was also the Director of the Lipid Clinic. He was the Medical Director of Preventative Cardiology for Mission Health Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), an intensive therapeutic lifestyle change program offered through Lifestyle Medicine Institute for the prevention, management, and reversal of vascular disease.
DR. ELIZABETH WININGS
NURSE PRACTITIONER
Dr. Winings specializes in the relationship between diet, lifestyle, and mental health. Elizabeth Winings, DNP, APRN is ANCC Board Certified as a Family Mental Health-Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She also has advanced training in Plant-Based nutrition, completing her doctoral internship in nutrition and lifestyle medicine at the True North Health Center in Santa Rosa, CA. She is a Diplomat of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Jacksonville University.
BRIAN HART
EDUCATOR
Brian is a highly experienced educator with over twenty-five years in the field as a teacher, administrator, consultant, and advocate for school change in both the public and private sectors. Brian specializes in working with organizations to help them create immersive, hands-on, experiential programs designed to transform thinking and build problem-solving skills. He is a former Outward Bound instructor, wilderness EMT, plant-based chef, middle school principal, and carpenter.
KRISTEN TURNER
FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TRIATHLETE & COUNSELOR
Kristen has been coaching athletes for over 30 years. She has a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Texas and spent years at the university as an Academic Advisor in the Dean’sOffice of the College of Education, and working with Men’s and Women’s athletics as an academic mentor. She currently practices as a licensed professional counselor at the Austin Stone Counseling Center.
DARLENE STAHELI
CULINARY DIRECTOR
Darlene is a Health and Wellness Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She's also trained in Macrobiotic, Ayurvedic, Vegan, Vegetarian, Raw and Living foods through the Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts, is a certified Food For Life instructor for PCRM, and recently became a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach. In addition, she is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Darlene leads the culinary teams at our retreats to make sure all meals adhere to our very specific nutritional guidelines (and still taste amazing!).
JOHN FITZGERALD
CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH
John manages the PLANTSTRONG Coaching program and the supply chain for PLANTSTRONG Foods.
He earned his Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University and is certified in plant-based cooking from Forks Over Knives (Roxube).
ADAM SUD
SPEAKER
Adam Sud is a behavioral wellness & nutrition expert, international speaker, and the founder and CEO of Plant Based for Positive Change, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing research and understanding of how nutrition impacts mental health and addiction.
Hosting our program on Black Mountain makes for a majestic experience. Many guests return annually to attend another PLANTSTRONG retreat. Our team is ready to guide you through an exploration of your values and a playful discovery of your best self. Afternoon free time includes many optional activities that will allow you to experience the great outdoors.
*Your event ticket is fully refundable up to September 9, 2025, when the event will be guaranteed. Please wait until after this date to purchase your airline tickets or be sure your travel arrangements are refundable.
Thank you PLANTSTRONG Team! Great retreat. Got so much out of it. Far exceeded expectations. So appreciate everyone’s passion, commitment, energy & hard work. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
- 2022 Retreat Attendee
THIS EPIC WEEK IS FOR YOU IF...
(and yes, spotting a bear on your way to breakfast totally counts)
You’re ready for a fresh start. A real one. One that’s grounded in connection, supported by experts, and fueled by real food that actually tastes good. Whether you’re plant-curious or fully PLANTSTRONG, this retreat is your chance to reset, recharge, and rediscover what’s possible.
This week is your jam if...
YOU’VE DIPPED YOUR TOES INTO PLANT-BASED LIVING, BUT…
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Cooking for your family feels like a full-contact sport.
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You’re tired of eating the same three meals on repeat.
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You want to stick with it—but real life keeps getting in the way.
YOU’RE WORKING ON YOUR HEALTH, BUT…
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Your blood pressure and cholesterol are still high.
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Your doctor’s writing prescriptions, but you’re searching for a different path.
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You want to try lifestyle as medicine—but need the right support.
YOU’VE BEEN CHASING WEIGHT LOSS FOR YEARS, AND…
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The scale just won’t move (and you’re exhausted from the cycle).
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You know what to do—you just need motivation and a reset.
You’ve avoided carbs for decades and still aren’t sure if potatoes are your friend.
AND ALSO...
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You’re down for walking a mountain trail that makes your heart pound—in a good way.
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You think conversations hit differently around a campfire.
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You’d love to learn, laugh, and share a meal with people who get it.
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You wouldn’t mind seeing a bear (from a safe distance) on the way to breakfast.
BLACK MOUNTAIN RETREAT SCHEDULE
Here is what a typical day will look like during the retreat!
2025 Black Mountain Retreat
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE
EXPERIENCED THIS LIFE-
CHANGING EVENT. DON'T MISS IT!
Questions? Call us at (512) 815-3322 or email at: events@plantstrong.com
I thought it was a magical week, and seemed like the happiest place on earth, (better than Disneyland.) The staff put heart and soul into the week and worked hard, just amazing.
- 2022 Retreat Attendee