Give it up for mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete, Anna Hyvarinen (@annahyvarinen on Instagram and Anna J Hyvarinen on Facebook). Anna joins the podcast this week to share her story as a combat athlete with T1D. 

Born in Helsinki and diagnosed in 1999 at age 11, Anna and I talk about it all, from her past fear of needles to how she manages her diabetes under extreme circumstances (intense exercise, cortisol spikes, cutting weight, high and low blood sugars) before we move on to talk about the mental aspects of her sport.

Anna focuses on having a clear mind and limiting outside interruptions, not only before a fight, but during her daily life; this allows her to create the perfect environment to perform her best and she’ll inspire you to do it too. If you’re interested in finding out how a MMA fighter conquers T1D in the ring, take a listen.

This is part 1 of a 2 part series on Diabetes and MMA. Stay tuned for the next episode featuring Kevin Kellerman.