FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about the Smart Diabetes Living book series, free resources and advocacy work.
What is Smart Diabetes Living?
Smart Diabetes Living is a practical resource hub offering books, free guides, decision aids and advocacy resources for people living with Type 1 diabetes. It is written from 34 years of lived experience and designed to support the real-life work of diabetes between clinic visits.
Explore the books, free guides and advocacy resources throughout this site.
Who writes the content?
The author of this site has lived with Type 1 diabetes for more than 34 years and writes from long-term lived experience. The site was reviewed by a credentialled diabetes educator before launch and carries a foreword by Jane Overland NP, CDE, MPH, PhD. It does not replace clinical guidance.
Who is the Smart Diabetes Living series for?
The books are written for adults living with Type 1 diabetes. You’ve Got This is written specifically for parents navigating a child’s diagnosis. Some content may also be useful for partners, carers, educators and clinicians looking for honest, practical diabetes guidance.
Is this a replacement for medical advice?
No. Smart Diabetes Living is a lived-experience support resource. It does not replace your diabetes team, doctor, diabetes educator, dietitian or psychologist. It is not a substitute for emergency care. Always discuss changes to your diabetes management with your clinical team.
What is the difference between CGM and AID?
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is a sensor that tracks your glucose levels in real time, sending readings to a smartphone or receiver. It is the foundation technology for modern diabetes management and is the main access gap identified by recent reports.
Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) combines CGM data with an insulin pump to automatically adjust insulin delivery every few minutes. Think of it as cruise control for diabetes. AID is not possible without CGM, and pump affordability remains a separate barrier.
What is the TAMED framework?
TAMED is a practical framework developed in the Tech Tamed book to help people evaluate diabetes technology without feeling overwhelmed. It stands for:
- Trust — Do I trust this device to work reliably?
- Access — Can I access this technology affordably?
- Maintenance — Can I maintain this day to day?
- Effort — How much mental load does this require?
- Data — Can I understand and act on the data it provides?
What is the advocacy campaign about?
Smart Diabetes Living advocates for subsidised CGM access for groups currently excluded, and for pump/AID affordability for Australians with Type 1 diabetes. The current campaign focuses on the Cost of Inaction report, which found restricted CGM access is linked to an estimated 15,720 potentially avoidable hospitalisations and more than $110 million in potentially avoidable hospital costs each year.
Take action at smartdiabetesliving.com/advocacy.
How do I choose the right book?
- Beyond Burnout for restoring motivation and resilience
- Diabetes Decoded for understanding the science of Type 1
- Tech Tamed for practical diabetes technology confidence
- You’ve Got This for parents navigating the first year and beyond
Where can I buy the books?
The Smart Diabetes Living book series is available worldwide on Amazon in Kindle, paperback and hardcover formats. Links to Amazon AU, US and UK are provided on each book page. The books are not available in bookstores at this time.
Visit the books page for direct purchase links.
Are the free guides really free?
Yes. Every guide on the Free Guides page is genuinely free. Some can be downloaded immediately with no signup required. Others are emailed to you so you can keep them and receive future updates. No payment information is ever requested for download or email delivery.
How do I subscribe to the newsletter?
The newsletter is a free fortnightly email with practical Type 1 diabetes resources, new guides and advocacy updates. To subscribe, email hello@smartdiabetesliving.com or use the subscribe link on the Newsletter page.
Do you offer bulk orders for clinicians or organisations?
Yes. Bulk orders for diabetes clinics, hospitals and community organisations are available. Contact clinicians@smartdiabetesliving.com to discuss your needs.
Can I share these resources with my patients?
Yes, clinicians are welcome to share the free guides, decision aids and book recommendations with patients. The For Clinicians page has a printable quick-reference card and an appointment prep pack designed for clinical use.
How can I book Phil to speak at an event?
Phil is available for conferences, panel discussions, podcast interviews, corporate wellness sessions and media commentary. See the Speaking & Media page for topics and booking information, or email speaking@smartdiabetesliving.com.
How do I get involved in the advocacy campaign?
The Advocacy page has a personal draft email to your local MP or the Minister for Health you can choose your message, add your own lived experience, review the draft, edit it and send it yourself to your local MP in a few minutes. It also has a social share quote you can post. Start there.
Still have a question?
Send an email and I will get back to you within 48 hours.
Email hello@smartdiabetesliving.com →