Episode 93 - Harriet Minter: A near-death adult diagnosis forced me to accept my limits

"The doctor said: 'You need to put your phone down because we have to get this drip into your arm, otherwise you're going to die.' And that was my introduction to type 1 diabetes."

Today's guest is Harriet Minter - published author, journalist, coach and gender equality specialist.

Harriet has worked and written for among others, The Guardian, The Times and the Telegraph. She’s a columnist for Psychologies magazine, and created the wildly successful Badass Women’s Hour podcast and live radio show, which she was very much in the throes of when she received that terrfying type 1 diabetes diagnosis on World Diabetes Day 2020, at the age of 38.

That horrifying diagnosis was in the midst of the pandemic, and it has since altered Harriet's relationships with her work, her loved ones, and ultimately herself.

Wise, sharp and insightful, this is an incredibly thought-provoking chat, covering the vulnerability that diabetes forces you to face, the conflict of becoming both more independent and more willing to ask for help, accepting her body's limits, stigma around body size and diabetes, diabetes in the workplace and my favourite new phrase - SOFT POWER. Oh, and don't speak to Harriet about glucose monitoring as a health trend...

This was such a treat to record, I hope you enjoy it! Be sure to check out Harriet's writing on her Substack too - aptly titled We Can't Do It Alone.

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