On the weekend of June 8–10, 2018, a diverse group of people, from all over the country, landed in beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho for the 2nd Annual Fun in the SUN Type 1 Diabetes Retreat, hosted by me, Dr. Jody Stanislaw.

This intimate experience and strong group support is something that I genuinely feel every type 1 should experience. It is life changing to know and see how many people are willing to share their very personal experiences and help to guide others — of all ages — through their type 1 journey.

Kickoff and Introductions

We kicked off the retreat with an evening session to introduce ourselves, mix and mingle, enjoy a delicious flax-crust pizza dinner and outlined the weekend events. I like to start the introduction icebreaker by having everyone introduce themselves and share how long they’ve had type 1 diabetes. Participating in the retreat were newly diagnosed attendees as well long-time T1Ds (such as myself) resulting in many enlightening conversations and bonding moments right off the bat. Type 1 diabetes can feel like a very lonely diagnosis, but even when we think we are alone, we find others who are willing to listen and help guide others to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The camaraderie was inspiring and felt by all.

Group Hike and Scenic Walks

We mixed up the T1D Retreat with time outside to connect with nature, one another and ourselves. We continued our conversations about how to exercise without going low, how to balance a low-carb diet with cardio, and health discussions to cultivate a lifestyle that is authentically healthy for the mind, body and soul.

Our Saturday morning hike — originally set to visit Titus Lake, a 3 mile trail through the Sawtooth wilderness area — was abruptly put to a halt due to the significant amount of snow remaining on the path. We took an alternate route through the Galena trails which was a phenomenal experience — the scenery was breathtaking.

Our Sunday morning hike was an intermediate, shorter hike to the top of Dollar Mountain. This hillside was full of wild flowers and breathtaking views of downtown Ketchum, Sun Valley Resort Village, Baldy Mountain, the Boulder Mountain range and beyond.

We checked in with each other regarding blood sugar levels, offered snacks and emergency sugar sources and celebrated the achievement that everyone made it to the top. The support and encouragement for one another, friends and family was heartwarming.

Group Discussions and Inspirational Speaker

Over the course of the weekend, we covered a wide variety of topics that helped each other understand how to manage type 1 diabetes through a low-carb diet, identified where we fall short to our weaknesses and how to balance blood sugars while traveling (since attendees were from all over the country).

We then took a deeper look at exercise and fitness with type 1 diabetes through our guest speaker, Mark H. He spoke about his transformative Crossfit routine and how type 1 hasn’t stopped him from achieving his life-long goals. His key message was, “We as type 1’s can achieve anything. All it takes is a daily commitment to keep moving forward, no matter how big or small, in the direction of our goals.”

Cooking Class and Recipes

During the weekend, we enjoyed delicious, homemade, low-carb meals that everyone loved. The recipes can be found here:

• Veggie Flax-Crust Pizza
• Eggplant ‘Not-Chos’
• Zucchini Pad Thai
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Ice Cream
• Nutrient-Rich Chia Seed Pudding

The outcome of this Type 1 Diabetes Retreat was overwhelmingly positive. I witnessed a noticeable change in each person, from the time they first sat down at the kickoff, to the time we said our goodbyes. After hosting this second annual event, it has become so clear to me the hunger amongst so many with T1D to have connection with other type 1’s to be able to learn from and inspire each other. I’m so honored to host such an amazing group of people who are shinning examples of flourishing with type 1 diabetes.

Learn more about type 1 diabetes and healthy blood sugars during exercise. Click here: Join The T1D Crew.

Want support on how to get an A1c below 6.5%? Dr. Jody offers private calls, online courses, and a monthly education program called The T1D CREW. Learn more here: www.DrJodyND.com.