{"id":47672,"date":"2017-10-04T10:01:57","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T14:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=47672"},"modified":"2017-10-04T10:01:57","modified_gmt":"2017-10-04T14:01:57","slug":"type-1-diabetes-is-no-match-for-mma-fighter-anna-hyvarinen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=47672","title":{"rendered":"Type 1 Diabetes is No Match for MMA Fighter Anna Hyv\u00e4rinen"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s really been only one time that Finnish-born\u00a0mixed martial arts<\/a> competitor Anna Hyv\u00e4rinen <\/a>can recall something slamming her down for the count. That something was diabetes.<\/p>\n

But, consider this: that one time diabetes knocked her down, instead of walking away, she stood up, brushed herself off and faced her opponent head on, never again letting it beat her.<\/p>\n

Anna was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1999. Too young to truly understand it all and terribly afraid of needles, she struggled with it, fighting what she had to do \u2013 for a good four years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kind of did not take care of myself,\u201d she said. \u201cMy mother did her best to run after me and try to make me do things, but that\u2019s not easy.\u201d At 14, diabetes won, sending Anna to the hospital in DKA. From the moment she looked out and around the world from her ICU bed, Anna felt herself changed. \u201cThe doctors thought it was my parents\u2019 fault; that they had not taken proper care of me,\u201d she said, \u201cBut it was all me. All me.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

That realization lead her to another one: that she alone was in control of this, and that with smart living and positive fighting instead of negative, she could win out over diabetes and live a good life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI became somewhat of a health nut after that,\u201d she said. Involved at a high level in the European competitive equestrian world, she worked hard at fitness as well as finding a good balance with diabetes. She never \u2013 to this day \u2013 has let diabetes beat her again.<\/p>\n

That fitness focus led to what has now become Anna’s life, career and dream: competing in MMA and working toward a coveted spot in The Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC)<\/a>, the highest level MMA competition in the world.<\/p>\n

\"Fighter<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to pass by a martial arts school on my way out each day, and I would think \u2018that seems so me,\u2019\u201d she said. One day, she stopped in, and there she discovered her world and dream. She left behind horses to take up a life of MMA.<\/p>\n

Four years ago, she moved to Florida, where she can train and be part of one of the top MMA groups in the world. A sponsored athlete now, she trains twice a day and fights in top matches.<\/p>\n

MMA is no simple punching fight. It involves kicking, wrestling, grabbing, and more. How does one make that kind of intense, challenging work out happen with diabetes on board?<\/p>\n

Planning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a lot of spiking that goes on in this sport with the adrenalin,\u201d she said. \u201cSo that means a lot of checks \u2013 a lot. It also means being really careful with planning the timing of my carbs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because \u2013 surprise to those who would think someone who looks like Anna and competes at her level with diabetes on board might limit carbs \u2013 for her, carbs are a lifeline and a must.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to do low carb while doing this, and for me, it just does not work. I work out (and compete) so vigorously, I definitely need those carbs.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, she said, \u201cI don\u2019t just eat like crazy.\u201d Instead she has a plan of carbs that work well for her and eats them \u2013 usually after a work out or fight \u2013 with timing in mind.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s on injections, too, something that works best for her now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI do contact sports \u2013 I mean really<\/em> contact sports. I would love to have a pump but with the kicking and total contact, it just does not work. Injections works best for me now, so I\u2019m happy. When I retire? Then I\u2019ll get a pump.\u201d<\/p>\n

That retirement won’t come, she hopes, until she makes it to UFC. \u201cI\u2019m 29,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t have a lot of time. So I\u2019m working hard toward this. My goal and hope is within five years, I\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she works toward that dream, she looks back to that time when diabetes beat her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose times I was struggling with diabetes I wondered if I was going to be a fighter or anything at all. But know I realize that all I had to do was not let diabetes win.\u00a0I think you need to define what diabetes means to you. You have the option: you want to be a victim? Or you want to live well? I chose two.”<\/p>\n

That, she said, should be a lesson to all.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to be courageous enough to know you really can do these things (even with diabetes on board). I\u2019m not saying take stupid risks. Be a planner, have a good support network and think things through. With that, you can really do anything you want.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anna also never keeps diabetes a secret, but at the same time shares her view on responsibility. \u201cI tell all my training partners and coaches all about it,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I also tell them this is mine. This is my responsibility and it\u2019s up to me to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Follow Anna as she makes it work all the way to the top of her sport. You can find her on \u00a0Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":47674,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1434],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nType 1 Diabetes is No Match for MMA Fighter Anna Hyv\u00e4rinen | ASweetLife<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There\u2019s really been only one time that Finnish-born\u00a0mixed martial arts competitor Anna Hyv\u00e4rinen can recall something slamming her down for the count. 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