Meet Aliese. The day before Thanksgiving changed everything for her.
After weeks of excessive thirst and other unexplained symptoms, her doctor called with urgent lab results and asked whether she was conscious.
The next day, instead of helping prepare Thanksgiving dinner with her family, she was admitted to the hospital with an A1c of 14.9% and a blood sugar of 548 mg/dL.
At just 19 years old, she had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
Over the next two and a half years, she learned how to manage the condition the way most people do. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there had to be a better way.
Looking Beyond Conventional Advice
Immediately after her diagnosis, Aliese was encouraged to keep eating the way she always had. Looking back, she understands why.
Her medical team wanted to help her feel that life wasn't over. At that stage, that advice gave her comfort.
But as time passed, she wanted more than reassurance. She wanted to understand how food affected her insulin needs and whether she could improve her insulin sensitivity.
Her parents discovered the Mastering Diabetes book just a few months after her diagnosis.
At first, she wasn't interested. Over time, however, she began noticing that moving toward more whole plant foods made her feel better. Eventually, her family decided to join the Mastering Diabetes Coaching Program together.
Within just three weeks, the results were impossible to ignore.
Her basal insulin dropped from 62 units to 24 units, and eventually all the way down to 10 units. Her insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio improved from 1:8 to as high as 1:26, meaning she needed far less insulin to cover the same amount of food. She also noticed a dramatic improvement in her energy, no longer struggling to stay awake during college classes.
Why She Decided to Attend the Retreat
Even after seeing those improvements, Aliese wasn't convinced she wanted to attend the Mastering Diabetes Retreat.
In fact, her first response was, "No." Her parents encouraged her to come with an open mind and simply gather information.
As a family with deep healthcare backgrounds, they valued evidence and education. That was enough to convince her.
She figured she'd attend, learn what she could, and see if anything new could help. She had no idea how much the experience would exceed her expectations.
Finding a Community She Didn't Know She Needed
When Aliese arrived at the retreat, she worried she'd be the youngest person there. As a college student, type 1 diabetes had become surprisingly isolating.
Her high school friends had scattered to different places, and she hadn't met anyone else her age living with type 1 diabetes.
For the first time since her diagnosis, she found herself surrounded by people who truly understood what daily life with diabetes looked like.
Conversations that would normally require long explanations suddenly felt effortless.
She also formed meaningful relationships with participants who had decades more life experience than she did.
Rather than feeling out of place, she left feeling deeply connected. That sense of community became one of the most valuable parts of the retreat.
Immediate Improvements During the Retreat
One of the biggest surprises was how quickly her body responded.
Header | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
Time in Range | 51% | 58% |
Basal Insulin | 12 units | 10 units |
Overnight Blood Sugar (mg/dL) | Frequently elevated | Stable around 90–100 |
Throughout the retreat, Aliese worked closely with her coach to fine-tune her insulin dosing and meal timing.
For the first time, she comfortably ate meals containing more than 140 grams of carbohydrate without experiencing the blood sugar spikes she had always feared.
Foods she had spent years avoiding, including bananas and mangoes, suddenly became foods she could enjoy with confidence.
Perhaps even more remarkable, her overnight blood sugars stayed remarkably flat.
Simply changing the timing of her long-acting insulin and making adjustments throughout the retreat gave her something she had rarely experienced before: predictable overnight blood sugar.
More Than Better Blood Sugar
The physical improvements were exciting. But they weren't what surprised Aliese most.
For months before the retreat, she had struggled with stomach pain and frequent cravings. During the retreat, both disappeared.
Eating larger, carbohydrate-rich meals built around fruits, leafy greens, legumes, and whole plant foods left her feeling satisfied without constantly thinking about food.
She also found herself wanting to move more. Instead of feeling sluggish during lectures, she was excited for the next workout.
The combination of movement, food, coaching, and community gave her an entirely new perspective on living with type 1 diabetes.
Learning From Coaches and Other Participants
Aliese especially appreciated the balance between practical coaching and scientific education.
Her coach helped her navigate the day-to-day realities of living with type 1 diabetes, from treating lows to adjusting insulin for meals, complemented with detailed scientific explanations that resonated with both Aliese and her family.
She also realized that every participant had something valuable to teach.
In her words, whether someone was 19 or 99, everyone brought experiences and lessons that helped her grow. That openness to learning became one of her biggest takeaways from the retreat.
What Aliese Wants Others to Know
If someone is unsure about attending the Mastering Diabetes Retreat, Aliese has simple advice: Come.
Whether you're struggling with cravings, feeling stuck, frustrated with your blood sugar, or simply tired of managing diabetes alone, the retreat offers far more than education.
It offers connection. It offers confidence. And it reminds you that there are people who truly understand what you're going through.
For Aliese, those five days changed not only her insulin sensitivity but also the way she thinks about living with type 1 diabetes.
She no longer feels like she has to figure everything out on her own.
Ready to Experience the Mastering Diabetes Retreat?
Whether you've recently been diagnosed or you've been living with diabetes for decades, Aliese's story shows how transformative a few days of immersive coaching, personalized guidance, delicious whole-food, plant-based meals, and supportive community can be.
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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