🫐 Let Food Feel Joyful Again—Not Like a Battle
Picture yourself at a long open-air table, surrounded by vibrant colors, incredible flavors, and people laughing as you pass dishes around. You’re full, satisfied, and not thinking about “should” or “shouldn’t.” Something has shifted. Instead of fighting cravings, you’re discovering what it feels like when your body is actually nourished—and healthy eating starts to feel natural, even easy.

🫐 Walk Into Any Social Situation Feeling Relaxed, Not On Guard
Imagine heading to a dinner out or a family gathering without that quiet anxiety about what you’ll eat or how to explain yourself. You know how to navigate it. You feel flexible, confident, and present. The focus is back where it belongs—on connection, conversation, and enjoyment.

🫐 Become the Person Who Inspires Others Without Trying To
You don’t need to convince anyone. When you feel this good—grounded, energized, clear—people notice. Your choices start to spark curiosity in the people you love. You’re modeling what’s possible simply by living it, and that feels far more powerful (and peaceful) than persuasion.

🥭 Finally Experience Change That Feels Like It Fits Your Life
No rigid rules. No all-or-nothing thinking. Over these days, you begin to see what actually works for you—habits that feel supportive instead of stressful, mindset shifts that create momentum instead of guilt. This is where sustainable change begins: not forced, but aligned.

🥭 Find Yourself Surrounded by People Who Just… Get It
There’s a moment when you realize you’re not explaining yourself anymore. Around you are people asking the same questions, sharing similar experiences, laughing at the same struggles. The sense of community is real, warm, and energizing—and you leave knowing you’re no longer doing this alone.

🥭 Start to Imagine a Future Where You Feel Better Than You Do Now
As the days unfold, you notice small but meaningful shifts—steady energy, better sleep, clearer thinking, a body that feels supported instead of pushed. You begin to see what might be possible for your long-term health, and how to move toward it thoughtfully, in partnership with your own care team.

Your Experience Includes

➡️ Private Retreat Campus
Exclusively reserved for our group at the Imiloa Institute.

➡️ 5 Nights / 6 Days of Immersive Accommodations
Enjoy five restful nights at Imiloa Institute, surrounded by lush rainforest, expansive ocean views, and beautifully designed spaces that invite relaxation, reflection, and connection with nature.

➡️ Private Charter Flights
Round-trip charter flight between San Jose (SJO) and Quepos with private round-trip SUV transport to Imiloa are included at designated times, with arrivals on October 24th and departures on October 29th, making travel to and from Imiloa seamless.

➡️ 15 Nourishing, Gourmet Plant-Based Meals
All meals are thoughtfully prepared by Imiloa’s renowned culinary team and are 100% whole-food, plant-based and oil-free and locally sourced.

• 5 breakfasts

• 5 lunches (includes lunch on arrival day)

• 5 dinners (includes dinner on arrival day)

• Departure day includes breakfast

Fresh fruit, coffee, tea, and light refreshments are available throughout your stay.

➡️ Hands-On Plant-Based Cooking Experience
Enjoy an interactive cooking class where you’ll learn practical skills and recipes to bring this way of eating into your everyday life.

➡️ Guided Nature Excursions
Connect with Costa Rica’s extraordinary landscape through a visit to a local beach to experience the region’s blue clay and a guided hike to a stunning jungle waterfall.

➡️ Time to Relax and Restore
Ample unstructured time is intentionally built in so you can enjoy the infinity pool, explore the property, schedule a massage (at an additional cost), journal, or simply rest in the rhythm of the rainforest.

➡️ Physician-Led Education & Lifestyle Integration
Engaging sessions throughout the retreat provide science-based guidance on plant-based nutrition, sustainable habit change, and long-term health—designed to help you carry this experience home with confidence.

➡️ Connection, Community, and a Few Special Surprises
Shared meals, meaningful conversations, and unforgettable moments create a supportive environment that makes this retreat as enriching as it is enjoyable.

Not Included

Costs associated with passports (required), round-trip airfare between your home city and San Jose (SJO), flight changes, airline baggage fees for any and all baggage, medical and travel insurance, vaccinations, gratuities and taxes for personal services, spa services, and personal expenses (such as souvenirs, phone calls, laundry, taxis).

My journey into this work began at the age of fourteen.

I was overweight, uncomfortable in my own skin, and desperate to feel healthy — then one winter morning, my dad collapsed with a massive heart attack while shoveling our driveway. I was the only one home with him. He survived, but that moment planted a question I couldn't shake: Is sickness inevitable? Is this just... my future?

The answer, I came to understand, is that our healthcare system excels at managing symptoms while rarely asking why they appeared in the first place — leaving people frustrated, disconnected from their bodies, and quietly convinced that real change isn't possible for them.

When I discovered whole-food, plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine, everything shifted. I experienced firsthand what it feels like when the body finally gets what it needs — not to be fixed, but to heal.

But life had more to teach me. Navigating divorce forced me to lean into something equally powerful: connection. Honest conversations, shared meals, laughter, the feeling of being truly seen. What carried me through surprised me — and it's backed by decades of research. Social connection is the single greatest predictor of happiness and longevity. More than almost anything else we study. Connection isn't a complement to wellness. It is wellness.

True nourishment is never just what's on your plate. It's how you move, how you cope, and how you care for one another.

This retreat is a chance to step away from the noise, return to what actually matters, and experience vibrant health rather than just read about it — surrounded by people walking the same path.

I would be deeply honored to walk it alongside you. 💚

Cancellation Policy

If cancellation notice is received more than 90 days prior to the start of the retreat, 100% of any payments made will be refunded, less credit card transaction fees (typically 3-4% of purchase amount). If notice is received between 90 days and 61 days prior to the start of the retreat, 50% of any payments will be refunded, less credit card transaction fees. If cancellation notice is received 60 days or less prior to the start of the retreat, there shall be no refund. There are no exceptions with our cancellation policy due to the contractual commitments we have with our vendors who do not offer refunds or transfer of funds. Trip cancellation insurance is always recommended whenever making travel plans. You can use our suggested Travel Guard Insurance online and choose from several policy options.