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Being told you have pre-diabetes is a daunting experience. What do you do next? Some women are prescribed medications and told to change their lifestyles. Others may receive referrals to other practitioners such as nutritionists and dietitians. Some are told simply to get more exercise and watch their diet, whatever that means.

 

Either way, it is bewildering to wonder about not having diabetes, just yet. Rather than waiting to show up on the medical radar this is the best time to act. There is much you can learn about diabetes and take healthy, informed action. The problem is that it’s a bit too scary to think about. The sort of lifestyle changes you may need to make are not always adequately explained in on-line and print health sources.

 

When we began our Wellness and Self-Care Retreats for women over eight years ago, we readily made room for those diagnosed with pre-diabetes. We rapidly discovered women with pre-diabetes weren’t very interested in hanging out with people with full fledged diabetes. “You represent my worst fears” and what ”I am working hard to prevent,” according to one woman who turned down our invitation to join a retreat. Another woman said, “I don’t want to see blood sugar monitoring, injections, and hear about all the restrictions, neuropathy and heart disease!”

 

We decided to begin planning a different sort of retreat for women with pre-diabetes. As we say in meditation training circles, “what you resist, persists!” Allow yourself to become better informed in a supportive, humorous, and empowering setting. The DARE (Discover, Awareness, Respect, Empowerment) approach to diabetes education and life-style action planning is the best way to achieve your health maintenance goals. Its what you “don’t know” that can derail your wellness intentions.

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We have you covered, no matter what kind of diabetes you have

or are trying to prevent.