BLACK MOUNTAINRETREAT 2027
Lower Your Cholesterol. Drop Your Blood Pressure. Change Your Life. In 6 Days.
What to expect in just 6 Days
Based on the average results from 1000+ past retreat attendees...
Results measured in 5–6 days. Data independently analyzed. Individual results vary.
Putting the future of your health in your hands
Understand Why Your Numbers Are High — And What to Do About It
Board-certified cardiologists and lifestyle medicine physicians explain exactly what's driving your cholesterol, blood pressure, or blood sugar — and give you a practical roadmap to bring those numbers down with food.
See Your Numbers Move — In 6 Days
Our participants drop an average of 12 LDL points and nearly 10 blood pressure points in a single week. You'll measure your own progress and leave with proof that what you eat changes everything.
Leave With a Plan Your Doctor Will Notice
You won't just learn what to eat. You'll practice it, cook it, and understand the science behind it — so the changes you make here stick when you go home.
Not Just a Getaway —
A Reset
This special venue on the side of a mountain becomes the backdrop for a powerful shift in how you think about food, health, and possibility.
Real stories from past retreat participants
"I especially appreciated the knowledge of the speakers and their ability to discuss complex issues in a way that made it comprehensible to me. I came home determined to do something about my health — and I did."
— 2022 Retreat Attendee
"My doctor prescribed the Esselstyn plan and I found PLANTSTRONG through that. I came because I had coronary artery blockage and wanted to understand what I could actually do about it. What I learned here changed how I think about every meal."
— Catherine, 2023 Retreat Attendee
"I came in worried about my cholesterol and blood pressure. I left with tools I actually use every day. My doctor was genuinely surprised at my next appointment."
— 2025 Retreat Attendee
Six days that change
the rest of your life
You came here because something in your health isn't where you want it. Cholesterol. Blood pressure. Medications you'd rather not be on. A body that isn't performing the way it used to. Black Mountain is where that changes — with food, science, community, and five days of immersion that most people call the best thing they ever did for themselves.
Everything included.
Nothing held back.
One price. Five days. Every meal, every session, every test, every expert. No upsells, no extras. Just the most concentrated health transformation we know how to deliver.
- Board-certified physicians on-site — Dr. Brian Asbill (cardiologist), Dr. Doug Lisle (psychologist), Jane Esselstyn (chef)
- Three buffet meals daily — every plate designed to actively improve your biometrics
- Cooking demonstrations you can replicate at home — with recipes you'll actually use
- Daily movement — guided hikes, yoga, pickleball, and optional fitness sessions
- Evening programming — community dinners, Q&A sessions, and time to connect
- A personalized plan to take home — not a pamphlet. A strategy your doctor can work with.
This is what your six days
actually look like
Blue Ridge Assembly · Black Mountain, NC
Tucked into the Appalachians — far enough from home to actually focus.
Unlimited buffet. Zero guilt.
Three whole-food meals daily — the food that moves your numbers.
Active every day
Pickleball, hikes, yoga, and more.
Community & connection
The relationships that keep you accountable long after you leave.
Blue Ridge Assembly
Black Mountain, NC
Tucked into the Appalachians — far enough from home to actually focus.
Unlimited buffet. Zero guilt.
Three whole-food meals daily — the food that moves your numbers.
Active every day
Pickleball, hikes, yoga, and more.
Community & connection
The relationships that keep you accountable long after you leave.
Hear From Our Attendees
Real stories from past retreat participants
An Immersive Experience
Stunning Location
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains just outside Asheville, our campus offers fresh air, scenic trails, and space to step away from daily noise and reconnect with what matters.
Science-Driven Transformation
Learn directly from leading physicians, researchers, and behavior experts who translate the science of chronic disease into practical, actionable steps you can apply immediately.
Abundant Plant-Based Cuisine
Enjoy vibrant, whole-food meals designed to nourish, satisfy, and demonstrate how delicious food can actively support your health.
This retreat blends evidence-based education with hands-on application, daily movement, and meaningful connection. You'll leave not just informed, but equipped — with clear strategies, practical tools, and renewed confidence in your ability to shape your health.
See What Black Mountain Is All About
Watch and experience the magic of our retreat
Spend the Week With
Board-certified cardiologists, lifestyle medicine physicians, clinical researchers, behavioral psychologists, and culinary leaders — all in one place.
RIP ESSELSTYN
FOUNDER OF PLANTSTRONG
New York Times Best Selling Author
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 documentaries Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers.
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.
Jane brings remarkable clarity, compassion, and humor to the table and presents a no-nonsense approach to raising plantstrong kids.
DR. DOUG LISLE
EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGIST & 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.
DR. BRIAN ASBILL
CARDIOLOGIST
"The first cardiologist in the world to fully transition from traditional cardiology to lifestyle medicine. He gave up a career managing heart disease because he found something that reverses it."
Dr. Asbill is board certified in Cardiovascular Diseases, Clinical Lipidology, and Lifestyle Medicine and served as a cardiologist for decades before transitioning to lifestyle medicine.
He became the first cardiologist in the world to fully transition from traditional cardiology to lifestyle medicine, focusing on preventing and reversing heart disease through plant-based nutrition.
DR. ELIZABETH WININGS
DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Dr. Winings serves as Medical Director of PLANTSTRONG retreats and specializes in the relationship between diet, lifestyle, and mental health.
She is a member of the PLANTSTRONG Clinical Research Team and facilitates emotional breakthroughs and community connections at the retreats, helping participants understand how nutrition rewires the brain for better mental health.
ADAM SUD
CERTIFIED INSULIN RESISTANCE & FOOD ADDICTION COACH
Adam Sud is a nutrition and addiction behavior researcher, international speaker, and the founder of Plant-Based for Positive Change.
As a certified insulin resistance and food addiction coach, Adam has walked his own path from crisis to healing and now helps others understand how plant-based nutrition can transform their relationship with food and improve metabolic health.
More speakers to be announced soon!
This Retreat Is For You If...
You're dealing with a health diagnosis — or worried about one coming. You've been told your cholesterol is high, your blood pressure needs attention, or you're pre-diabetic. Maybe you had a cardiac event. Maybe your doctor said "make lifestyle changes" and left you with no roadmap. This retreat is that roadmap.
You're ready for a fresh start. A real one. One that's backed by science, inspired by connection, and surrounded by nature (and yes, spotting a bear on your way to breakfast totally counts).
You're tired of diets that feel like deprivation. You want to eat abundantly, feel satisfied, and still see results. Because health shouldn't feel like punishment.
You're curious about plant-based living but don't know where to start—or how to make it stick.
You want community. Real people. Real conversations. The kind that make you laugh, cry, and feel less alone in this whole wellness journey thing.
You're a healthcare provider looking to bring lifestyle medicine into your practice—and earn CME credits while you're at it.
The Rhythm of Each Day
Movement. Meals. Learning. Connection
Morning Workout
Hike, all-levels yoga, or functional fitness
PLANTSTRONG Buffet Breakfast
Lectures & Group Activities
Cooking Demo
Master meals you'll actually make at home.
PLANTSTRONG Lunch Buffet
Lecture
Free Time
Pickleball, hiking, yoga, small group discussions
PLANTSTRONG Dinner Buffet
Evening Activities
Live music, Lectures, Talent Show
Your Investment in What Comes Next
"The average American spends over $5,000 per year managing chronic disease. This is five days that may change what you spend for years to come."
Standard Package
Shared accommodations
- All-inclusive
- 15+ expert-led sessions
- Interactive workshops
- Daily Cooking Demos
- 15 Meals
- Lifetime Community
Premium Package
Private accommodations
- All-inclusive
- 15+ expert-led sessions
- Interactive workshops
- Daily Cooking Demos
- 15 Meals
- Lifetime Community
- Private Room
Refund Policy: Contact the organizer to request a refund. LIVEPLANTSTRONG fee is nonrefundable.
Why Blue Ridge Assembly?
This historic campus has hosted transformational gatherings for over a century. Surrounded by streams, trails, and mountain air, it creates space to step away from noise and reconnect to what matters.
Black Mountain Retreat FAQs
Everything you need to know before joining us in the mountains.
This Is Your Year.
April 25–30, 2027
Blue Ridge Mountains
Our participants drop an average of 12 LDL points and nearly 10 blood pressure points — in 5 days. With food. Come find out what your numbers look like on the other side.
Questions? Email us at events@plantstrong.com