February 8 – 13, 2026

Sebastian, Florida

$1,000 Deposit Required To Reserve Your Spot

THE RETREAT

Set in a lush, subtropical environment across from the 22,000-acre St. Sebastian River Preserve, ChoZen Eco-Retreat & Sanctuary is home to​ approximately ​10,000​ ​species​ ​of flora and fauna and ​25 endangered​ animals, including the Florida Panther. ChoZen is located in the heart of one of North America’s most biodiverse lagoon systems–– the nursing ground for​ ​our oceanic friends, including lagoon fish and shellfish. Regular sightings of dolphins, manatees, wild​ ​turkeys,​ turtles​,​ ​bobcats,​ ​hawks, and more are a natural part of daily life. We invite you to experience this unique environment in a 5-day retreat focused on personal strength building.  This adventure includes meals, lectures, cooking classes, hikes, and workouts, as well as accommodations (5 days and 5 nights).

Lectures and cooking classes will focus on Enhanced Immune Function, Finding Deeper Sleep, and Increased Mental Clarity through digestive health. More than half of Americans over 40 describe their digestive health as an area of concern due to regular symptoms or an underlying condition. This is one of the main reasons we felt so strongly about offering an intensive, immersion program devoted to helping participants find true digestive wellness and gut health over 5 days. 

Our program is unique in the way the meals served, recipes taught, and scientific lectures presented provide a level of synergy not found elsewhere. This immersion experience is a one-of-a-kind course that offers tremendous insights into what is essential for restoring or building optimal digestion and gut health.

75% of the body’s immune system lies within 2 cm of the digestive tract lining. When things are not going well in that environment, the effects spill over into every facet of our health. There’s an increasing awareness around inflammation and its role in chronic disease. What most people fail to recognize is how much of that inflammation results from issues in the digestive tract or imbalances within the microbiome. In most cases, that ecosystem has a far more significant influence on our health and aging trajectory than our genetics ever will. A permeable gut lining, an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, or the inability of our immune system to accurately identify a specific protein in our diet can dramatically change the quality of our life.

Experience a true revelation in understanding what you can eat to feel your best.

You will learn to identify foods that disrupt your microbiome and navigate the myriad of misinformation about plant-based diets.

More importantly, you will discover how to eat for your health and not someone else’s.

There will be workouts, hikes, and nourishment that specifically target digestive health. Meals and cooking classes will include high-quality proteins and fiber, focusing on nourishing the gut biome.

AND IF COLD PLUNGING IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE  CONSIDERED, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY….

You can take a cold plunge as part of your daily experience in this tropical paradise. And if cold plunging is not your thing, there is a sauna and a heated swimming pool!

Our programs and retreats always incorporate well-sourced, high-quality foods, supplements, and products. All meals use ingredients from the best producers available;  we look for 100% organic food, grass-fed meats, wild, regenerative growing practices, and biodynamic and glyphosate-free labeling. 

With Jan providing cooking classes prior to lunch or dinner, you will learn how to prepare delicious meals that are nutrient-dense while understanding labels and food sourcing.  A recipe book and sources are available for each participant.

Nutritional lectures will cover understanding the science behind the studies. John interprets studies that reinforce the importance of nutrients in health and how they affect specific aspects of disease as well as athletic abilities. We will include the most up-to-date studies on health and wellness, and we will have fun!

We source and find the best of the best. 

Both of these programs will include all the meals and recipes, activities, lectures, and cooking classes.

There will be meditation, journaling, and a time to share your challenges and achievements. Consider a diet and lifestyle that will teach you as you boost your well-being and build strength.

We promote the importance of …

• buying food grown close to home

  getting loads of exercise

  eating a variety of plants (a minimum of 40 a week!)

  eliminating stress

  limiting exposure to toxins and chemicals

  prescribing to functional medicine  

 … and finding gratitude in one’s daily life.

Key to Digestive Health

Your digestive system transports food on a journey through your body: digestion involves collaboration among various organs. These organs extract the necessary nutrients from the food and drinks you consume. Supporting a healthy digestive system is essential for your overall well-being.

We focus on Building a Stronger Gut Microbiome

maintaining a healthy gut microbiome,

support the gut lining,

maintain a healthy gut environment,

For those who prefer a preventative approach to cardiology and adhere to a functional medicine philosophy, which positions nutrition and lifestyle as the foundation of good health, functional medicine may not be suitable for everyone. Our teachings promote a patient-centered method for addressing inflammation and chronic diseases. This approach focuses on uncovering the root causes of illness and restoring health by tackling those underlying issues. It is grounded in systems biology, which examines the interconnectedness of physiological factors, individual genes, the environment, nutrition, and lifestyle, all of which are taken into account in an individual's profile. It represents an evolution in understanding our unique wellness.

*Before signing up, please read our Cancellation Policy in full

Private Rooms-…..beginning at $3300. private room

with shared bath

Luxury Villa Located on the river with an attached spa and swimming pool.

A lovely bike ride from the Lodge (abundant of bikes available throughout the property)

Private Room - King Bed and Private Bath: $4100

Private Room - Queen Room Shared Bath: $3900

NEST Centrally located

Featuring three cozy studios, each offering a serene and sustainable escape. Guests can relax in comfort with in-suite bathrooms while immersing themselves in the natural beauty and tranquility of their surroundings. Steps away from the Lodge

Private Room and Private Bath $3800

Estuary Lodge

The Lodge offers communal accommodations with 10 bedrooms, including three shared bathrooms and one private bedroom with 1 private bathroom. This shared living space encourages a sense of community among guests, fostering connections and shared experiences with nature at its doorstep. Our lectures and cooking classes take place in this cozy setting.

Private Room Shared Bath $3300

Bring along a friend and share a room (2nd person pays $2400)

One large room with three beds - $2600. each

ABOUT JOHN AND JAN

John Bagnulo and Jan Buhrman. John and Jan have been offering health and wellness retreats since 2009.

John Bagnulo has an MPH from the University of North Carolina and a Doctorate of Human Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Maine. He has worked as a researcher, a university associate professor, and a clinical consultant for the past 24 years. He currently serves as the Director of Nutrition for Nutritional Medicinals and a faculty member for the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, Washington DC. He has a clinical practice in Middlebury, VT. Much of his clinical practice is with athletes and those involved in physically demanding sports.
Jan Buhrman, M.S. Ed., was the founder and previous owner of the full-service farm-to-table catering company, The Kitchen Porch, on Martha's Vineyard. Jan has become a food advocate and authority on local sourcing and sustainable agriculture with her years of sourcing foods for her catering business from local fishermen and farmers. Jan has taught thousands of classes on technique and the importance of knowing where your food comes from.  She has raised pigs and chickens and gardens, feeding her family while nourishing the land. In addition to cooking, preserving, and techniques, she teaches about the connections between food and health and about composting and soil regeneration.

John discusses the nutrition and science behind our philosophies, while Jan teaches the practical “how-to” of incorporating healthy recipes and lifestyles into one's life. John explores the science behind these approaches to healthy living and presents the latest research in a fun, approachable way. Jan then ties it all together by teaching how to incorporate it into one's daily life.

In our classes, you will learn about the plant-based diet and how the nutrients and fibers are vital to our gut. We explain how to incorporate animal protein into our diet by eating animals that are grown in the wild or on pasture.

It is all related; our heart, brain, and gut health are directly related to our diet and lifestyle, and if it is healthy for the soil or the animals, it’s a good bet it’s healthy for us and the planet too…. Food is medicine, lifestyle is medicine, you get to choose everyday!