Type 2 diabetes is now so common that the standard medical system is overloaded. A farm-stay retreat model can help
by teaching people practical routines for food, movement, and stress reduction that support long-term remission.
The retreat does not “fix diabetes in two weeks”. Instead, it provides the right environment, skilled support, and
measurement tools so guests can learn what works for their own bodies and keep improving at home. This model can
also strengthen local farming, reduce inequality, and build healthier communities.
Purpose of this operating plan
This document sets out a suggested operating procedure for a village-based farm stay program designed to help people with type 2 diabetes. The core idea is simple: provide a supportive place where guests can learn and practise the daily habits that move them toward long-term remission.
The model can also assist people with other chronic diseases that often share similar root drivers, including overweight linked to excess insulin and insulin resistance. These include (but are not limited to) heart attacks, strokes, gout, and dementia. The program focuses on practical habit change and an improved food system rather than relying on pills as the main strategy.
Objectives
The key objectives are:
- Help large numbers of people with type 2 diabetes by providing a farm stay system based on diet, physical activity,
and emotional tranquillity. - Provide a model that can be widely adopted in China and also adapted for other countries.
- Demonstrate an improved farming and food system that focuses on community health rather than profit for a few.
- Improve rural living standards, reduce social inequality, and reduce the drift of population from rural to urban areas.
- Ensure the project is fair: people will contribute time and effort because the health crisis matters, but the scale is so huge that goodwill alone is not enough. Everyone involved should receive meaningful rewards for their work (past and current).
Why diabetes is so hard to solve with “normal care”
The scale of diabetes defeats the standard model of short consultations and symptom control. When the numbers are extremely high, health professionals naturally prioritise urgent problems like dangerously high blood sugar because high glucose is linked to blindness and amputations. That short-term focus is understandable, but it does not reverse diabetes. It largely manages symptoms.
In contrast, the farm-stay model is built around time, support, education, and measurement. It gives guests a chance to learn what changes reduce insulin resistance, improve recovery after meals, and lower baseline glucose levels overtime.
Main contributors to the diabetes epidemic
Diabetes does not come from one single cause. The key contributors include:
- Disruption of the controlling hormone system (largely located in the gut), which influences digestion, appetite, and activity levels. When this control system is disrupted, excess fat is stored throughout the body and especially in vital organs like the liver and pancreas.
- Insulin resistance caused by excess fat blocking normal transfer of glucose into the muscles and liver.
- Psychological stress leading to excess cortisol, which can drive higher blood glucose levels.
- Genes and epigenetics matter, but they do not “cause” diabetes by themselves. They mainly affect how susceptible a person is when exposed to the modern risk environment.
Can diabetes be reversed?
Diabetes is not an infectious disease, so “cure” is not the best word. However, many people can reach remission: blood sugar returns to a non-diabetic range and medication may no longer be needed. There is a range of vulnerability. A few people seem highly resistant, most people become diabetic with long exposure to poor diet and low activity, and a minority are very susceptible and may find reversal difficult.
A short farm stay of two weeks does not reverse diabetes by itself. The retreat is designed to deliver education and a workable routine so guests can continue long-term changes after they leave. The vast majority of people can improve substantially, but ongoing management of diet, exercise, and stress is needed to reduce the chance of relapse.
Understanding the two-stage process
Diabetes often develops in two stages. In the early stage, muscle and organs become clogged with fat, which shows up as insulin resistance. The pancreas can compensate by producing more insulin, so blood glucose may look “not too bad” and symptoms may be mild or absent.
Over time, insulin’s job is to move glucose into cells and organs where it can be stored (often as fat). If that fat is not burned off, insulin resistance increases. Eventually fat clogs the pancreas itself, so it can no longer produce enough insulin. That later stage is where severe problems accelerate.
If food intake is restricted, the body should burn fat and insulin resistance should reduce. The hard part is that the body is designed to survive food shortage, so it may fight back by reducing activity and increasing hunger signals. Helping people through that phase is one of the most important jobs of the retreat.
How the retreat works: food is the primary tool
Step 1 — Restore gut biology
The first priority is to restore gut biology that may be compromised by toxic chemicals and poor food patterns. Healthy gut biology supports the production and balance of many hormones that control appetite, digestion, and energy use. This is not “one pill fixes it”. It is a process of rebuilding a healthier internal ecosystem.
A key part of the model is growing plants that are free of toxic chemicals and rich in biological activity. Companion planting and diversity-based growing methods can help reduce reliance on chemicals while maintaining production. Local expertise matters, and it is expected that local farmers have valuable knowledge of beneficial plants, both wild and cultivated, that can support better metabolic health. The goal is to refine growing techniques and align them to produce consistent, high-quality food for guests.
The Gbiota growing approach centres on subsurface irrigation through which a compost tea rich in biological activity flows. The original system was developed for dry Australian conditions, so wetter climates may require fine tuning, but the underlying principles remain the same.
Step 2 — Food counselling and burning off blocking fat
Diabetes is driven by bad diet and low activity, so good diet and exercise are the path to reversal. But fear-based messaging (“you will go blind”) often fails. People tune out. The message has to be positive, realistic, and achievable. That requires support, not just information.
A trained, empathetic carer can make a major difference by helping guests through the first week, when dietary change can feel hardest. A partner or “buddy” system is strongly encouraged for practical and emotional support. Being part of a small group going through the same process also helps motivation and compliance.
The early diet focus is to severely reduce fast-acting carbohydrates (high glycaemic foods), sugars, and processed carbohydrates. Sugar can be addictive, but with the right support it often improves in a relatively short time. Rather than forcing a single rigid diet, a practical approach is to build a plan that the guest can sustain.
Different guests will tolerate different strategies. Total fasting can be effective but is extreme. Intermittent fasting, especially a daily eating-window approach, can be highly effective and more practical. Keto is popular but some people find it too extreme. A more practical middle path for many guests is a diet based mainly on low glycaemic vegetables, with optional inclusion of foods like eggs and fish and some meat if needed for sustainability and adherence.
Continuous blood sugar monitoring: the key feedback tool
Continuous blood sugar monitoring (CGM) is a powerful tool for personal learning. It shows, in near real time, which foods cause spikes. The pattern of spike height and recovery rate helps indicate insulin resistance. Base levels across the day also provide useful information.
Carers can be trained to apply sensors and interpret patterns, but a strong approach is to help guests discover their own patterns. Learning from your own data builds understanding and commitment.
A buffet-style service supports this learning. Guests can choose what they want to eat, then see the effect on their CGM trace. To reduce “sneaky picking” and improve accuracy, guests can be asked to photograph all food with a time stamp. The carer then reviews the trace and supports the guest to refine their choices.
Exercise and activity
Exercise has a profound effect on blood sugar and insulin resistance, even if the direct calorie burn seems modest. It also helps mood, sleep, and stress. The retreat model combines movement with a practical daily rhythm so guests can tolerate the natural hunger that comes with fat loss.
A starting schedule can look like this (and can be adjusted to suit the person):
- Wake up and go for a walk soon after rising.
- Group activity around 8 am (for example, coordinated dancing with music) to shift attention away from hunger.
- Breakfast around 9 am.
- Farm work and learning sessions for practical activity and skills.
- Main meal around 12 pm, followed by free time (including rest).
- Light snack around 4 pm if needed, then more walking or group activity.
This can align with an 8:16 eating-window approach, where the evening is easier (less hunger) and the morning is
occupied with movement and structure.
Stress control: the overlooked driver
Stress can push glucose up sharply through cortisol, and CGM makes that visible. Relaxation options can include yoga, meditation, and similar practices. For many people, group movement and synchronised activities can also reduce stress and improve mood. The key is to offer multiple options so guests can find what actually works for them.
Safety and medical linkage
If guests are on medication, the retreat needs clear safety procedures and an emergency link to medical help, especially to manage the risk of hypoglycaemia as diet and activity change. The buddy system also helps by watching for warning signs when glucose drops too low.
Business structure and roles
A clear operating structure is needed. One overall manager should welcome new guests and be immediately available if issues arise. Under that leadership, the main functional areas typically need their own leads:
- Farming and food growing (chemical-free, biology-rich production, consistent supply).
- Food preparation and cooking (food must taste good or people won’t stick to it).
- Carers (support, education, review of CGM patterns, habit coaching).
- Activity organisers (walking, group movement, relaxation options, daily rhythm).
Conclusion
This farm-stay operating model is designed to meet a hard reality: diabetes is now so widespread that short clinical appointments cannot deliver the time, measurement, and support needed for long-term change. A retreat can act as a practical bridge between what is known (diet, activity, stress) and what is doable (routine, support, education, feedback). It also demonstrates a healthier local food system built around biology-rich growing, good cooking, and community wellbeing.
Download “Yangtou Village Diabetes Farm Stay – Operating Plan” (full PDF)
