Meet Shawna. After living with diabetes for more than three decades, Shawna knew a lot about managing the condition. She had taken medications for years, eventually added insulin, and had already spent considerable time learning about the Mastering Diabetes Method.
But knowing the program and experiencing it in a fully immersive environment were two different things.
At this stage of her life, Shawna decided it was time to prioritize herself.
She came to the Mastering Diabetes Retreat hoping that spending time with the coaches in person would reinforce what she had already learned and help her pick up the smaller details she might have missed online.
That's exactly what happened.
Throughout the retreat, Shawna watched her blood sugar improve day after day. Her morning fasting glucose reached 103 mg/dL, and three daily walks gave her opportunities to ask coaches questions and immediately apply what she was learning.
For Shawna, the retreat didn't replace everything she had learned through Mastering Diabetes. It brought those lessons to life.
More Than 30 Years of Living with Diabetes
Shawna's diabetes story began about 33 years ago, when she was in her twenties.
The diagnosis came in an unexpected way. After experiencing recurring infections, her OB-GYN suggested that diabetes might be the cause and recommended testing.
Shawna had not experienced gestational diabetes during her first pregnancy, although she did during her second.
Over the years, medication became an increasingly important part of her diabetes management.
She started with Metformin and has continued taking it for much of her life. Long-acting insulin came much later, approximately three or four years before the retreat, followed eventually by short-acting insulin.
But Shawna wasn't content simply to watch her medications increase.
After discovering Mastering Diabetes, she began learning more about insulin resistance and making changes to her lifestyle. She also became more comfortable advocating for herself and discussing her goals with her healthcare providers.
Eventually, she told her doctor that she wanted a medication reduction plan because she could see that the changes she was making were working.
Seeing Progress Before She Even Arrived
Shawna had already begun seeing improvements before the retreat.
After moving to a different state, she started working with a new doctor and later an endocrinologist. As she continued applying what she was learning through Mastering Diabetes, her A1c began trending downward.
She couldn't recall the exact A1c values during her retreat interview, so she didn't want to overstate the numbers. What she did remember was seeing improvements of roughly four-tenths of a percentage point at a time.
Her endocrinologist noticed too.
After seeing the progress, the doctor asked whether this was the same approach Shawna had previously shared with her through the Mastering Diabetes book. Shawna's answer was simple: yes.
That progress gave her confidence that she was moving in the right direction, but Shawna also knew she hadn't been following the method as consistently at home as she could.
The retreat offered an opportunity to find out what could happen when she immersed herself in the lifestyle.
Shawna's Retreat Results
The results would exceed her expectations.
Before | After |
|---|---|
Higher fasting glucose | Fasting glucose reached 103 mg/dL |
Strong dawn phenomenon | Learned strategies to manage it |
Questions came up between online sessions | Real-time access to coaches |
Familiar with the Mastering Diabetes Method online | Experienced it fully in person |
Shawna's glucose readings continued coming down throughout the retreat, culminating in a morning fasting glucose of 103 mg/dL.
But the number itself wasn't the only result that mattered.
The retreat helped her connect the dots between her food, walking, exercise, insulin, and glucose patterns. Instead of simply observing a number she didn't understand, she could ask why it was happening and immediately get an answer.
Three Walks a Day Became Three Opportunities to Learn
One of Shawna's favorite parts of the retreat was remarkably simple: Walking.
She went for walks three times a day, often alongside a coach. Those walks gave her an opportunity to ask all the little questions that can easily be forgotten during an online appointment or group session.
She could bring up something she had noticed with her glucose and receive an explanation while she was actively living the lifestyle.
The walking itself also produced an effect she could see. Shawna noticed that walking brought her blood sugar down.
More vigorous exercise, however, sometimes did the opposite and caused her glucose to rise.
Before the retreat, she didn't understand why.
At the retreat, the coaches helped her understand the phenomenon and what she could do about it. She also learned more about strategies for addressing the dawn phenomenon, which remained a significant challenge for her.
For Shawna, those lessons were powerful because they were immediately relevant to what she was seeing in her own body.
Turning Online Education Into an In-Person Experience
Shawna wasn't a passive member of Mastering Diabetes before attending the retreat.
She was very active online and regularly participated in educational opportunities. She already knew the coaches through Zoom and had followed the program long enough to understand its basic principles.
That made meeting everyone in person particularly meaningful.
“All of the coaches are lovely online in the first place, and it's even better in person.”
Instead of waiting for the next scheduled session, Shawna could talk with coaches throughout the day.
She could ask a question during a walk. She could watch a demonstration and immediately clarify something. She could discuss what was happening with her glucose while it was actually happening.
That access helped turn knowledge she already possessed into something more concrete and actionable.
Enjoying the Food Without Having to Worry About It
The food was another highlight.
For Shawna, being able to travel without worrying about what she was going to eat was a welcome change. The meals were prepared for her, allowing her to concentrate on learning, participating, and enjoying the retreat.
She especially loved the tropical fruit.
Although she had eaten tropical fruits before, she was surprised by the quality of the locally sourced fruit at the retreat and how flavorful it was.
The cooking demonstration was equally memorable.
Shawna already watched the cooking show from home, so seeing it happen in person added another layer to something familiar. She could watch the food being prepared while also talking directly with the people she had previously known only through a screen.
That experience helped make the Mastering Diabetes lifestyle feel even more tangible.
Why Community Made the Retreat Different
When asked what she would tell someone unsure about attending a Mastering Diabetes Retreat, Shawna first pointed to the education.
The retreat, she explained, helps “cement” what you've already learned.
For visual learners especially, seeing the food, routines, exercise, and principles put into practice can make information easier to understand and remember.
But then Shawna identified something even more important: Community.
She described the experience as a sense of kinship.
Everyone had come with a common purpose, and the environment gave participants the opportunity to learn from one another while forming relationships that simply aren't the same through a screen.
The community, combined with constant access to the coaches, created an environment where Shawna could fully concentrate on herself and her health.
That was exactly what she had been looking for when she decided to attend.
Making Herself a Priority
Shawna's reason for coming to the retreat was deeply personal.
“It's my time in life to do what I want to do, and it's time to take care of me.”
After more than three decades with diabetes, she wasn't looking for another quick fix.
She wanted to understand the details. She wanted to become more consistent. She wanted to continue improving her blood sugar and work with her healthcare team as her needs changed.
And she wanted to experience the Mastering Diabetes Method without the distractions of everyday life. The retreat gave her that opportunity.
She walked three times a day, learned why different types of exercise affected her glucose differently, explored strategies for managing her dawn phenomenon, enjoyed whole plant foods without worrying about meal preparation, spent time with coaches she had previously known online, and watched her fasting glucose come down to 103 mg/dL.
By the end, Shawna had only one major complaint. She wished the retreat had lasted longer. In fact, she was already thinking about coming back.
Her goal for next time? Give her back time to heal, keep working on her health, and return even more athletic than before.
Ready to Experience the Mastering Diabetes Retreat?
If you already understand that lifestyle can play a powerful role in diabetes management but want help turning that knowledge into consistent daily habits, the Mastering Diabetes Retreat gives you the opportunity to experience the Method firsthand.
Join us at the next Mastering Diabetes Retreat and experience hands-on coaching, world-class education, delicious whole-food, plant-based meals, daily movement, and a supportive community that will help you build momentum long after you return home.
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