Healthy Living Blog
We have learned that type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's immune system turning against insulin-producing cells. New research has found a 'hybrid' white blood cell that displays features of two of our immune's system most important cells (T and B cells). Further research will work to confirm the white blood cell's actions and possibly provide insight into treatments for diabetes and other immune conditions.
Read the whole article for a lot more details at Science Alert.
Happy Halloween! We love this story… A pumpkin sale recently helped Ian, a six-year-old who lives with Type 1 diabetes, and his family raise money for a service dog to help him manage his disease. In Sand Lake, Michigan, the Christensen family used their annual pumpkin sale as a fundraiser this year – and as a result, Ian will have a service dog trained specially to help him in less than a year. Ian’s diabetes service dog will be trained to detect the subtle smells in his breath and alert Ian before dangerous blood sugar lows kick in. We are so happy for Ian and his family!
“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.” ― M.K. Clinton
More great news has been announced about CGM! The Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) will be covered for Medicare beneficiaries, starting in early 2019. CGMs are DME items that provide critical information on blood glucose levels to help patients with diabetes better manage their disease. Coverage for therapeutic CGM includes certain beneficiaries who have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and intensively manage their insulin.
The Dexcom G6 CGM shines because of the following advantages:
Zero fingersticks
Acetaminophen blocking to maintain accuracy while taking Tylenol
Smartphone app that allows data to be shared with family members, providers, and other members of a patient's care team
Super easy application device
Very small and discreet sensor
Integration with the tSlim:X2 insulin pump from Tandem Diabetes, which is also covered by Medicare
Healthy Living will be able to provide the G6 to Medicare members – stay tuned for updates on this exciting news! Read the press release directly from Dexcom.
A professor at the University of Central Florida, Elizabeth Brisbois, is working to develop a cannula that can be left in place for as long as 30 days while effectively delivering insulin into the body. Cannulas are small tubes that are inserted beneath the skin to deliver insulin into the body as part of an insulin pump system. The cannula can either be part of the infusion set or attached to the actual insulin pump. Normally, over time, the body’s immune system attacks the cannula, with cells creating a film around the cannula that begins to inhibit proper insulin delivery. That is why infusion sets normally need to be changed every two to three days to reduce the risk of infection.
Brisbois’ goal is to create cannulas that have a lower risk of infection and inflammation, with reduced pain and inconvenience for patients. She and her team are developing cannulas that release nitric oxide, a molecule that can kill bacteria. Nitric oxide is also produced in the body to fight off germs and has an important role in wound healing.
This advance could significantly increase quality of life for people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Brisbois and her team are funded by a recent grant from the JDRF and are collaborating with researchers at the University of Georgia. Learn more about the cannula research here.
Recently, the Swing to Cure Diabetes golf outing celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Michigan Golf Course. As we have for several years, Healthy Living participated in this awesome event that benefits the JDRF and the Michigan Comprehensive Diabetes Center. Swing to Cure Diabetes was created by Rich and Chris Hewlett to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes. They started the event after their son, Jeff, was diagnosed. These were Jeff’s thoughts on the event:
“I’m sure my parents started this event thinking, ‘Oh, this will help our son,’” said Jeff Hewlett, who was diagnosed when he was four. “For that I’m certainly grateful, but there are many people who are just like me and many other diabetics who are also grateful. It’s really impacting a lot of people, and you can see it in the research and the advances that have been made for Type 1 diabetes. Hopefully over the years as this thing keeps growing and as we continue with it, it will be something that can hopefully lead to a cure. That’s ultimately what we’re looking for.”
To find out more about upcoming JDRF events in our area, visit the JDRF Metro Detroit/South East Michigan webpage.
The Health Alliance Plan of Michigan's Balanced Living is filled with tips and suggestions on increasing your wellness and leading a more active and healthy lifestyle
One of our regular features on the Healthy Living Medical Supply Blog is our “What We’re Reading” segment where we shine the spotlight on resources that we find particularly relevant to our employees and customers. One such resource is Health Alliance Plan of Michigan’s “Balanced Living Blog,” which is routinely updated with excellent ideas and suggestions for maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Subscribe to blog updates by visiting the site and clicking the email subscribe link.
Below you’ll find links to four articles that we found particularly interesting, all of which relate to diabetes, which is our specialty.
Walking it Back: Reversing Prediabetes
Facing Diabetes On Her Own Terms: How One Woman Took Control of Her Life
Diabetes Doesn’t Define Me: Overcoming Type 1 at 21
How Former U-M Football Star Marc Ramirez Tackled Diabetes
Healthy Living Medical Supply is in network with Health Alliance Plan of Michigan for diabetes testing supplies, insulin pumps, insulin pump supplies, continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGM) – if you are a Health Alliance Plan of Michigan member and are looking for diabetes related supplies delivered to your doorstep with great customer care, give us a call at 866.779.8512 or send us a text message at 248.577.9903 to start the easy enrollment process.
Join Healthy Living at the 11th Annual JDRF TypeOneNation Summit! The Metro Detroit & Southeast Michigan Summit will take place on Saturday, May 12, in Belleville from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm. This free, educational event will bring together people of all ages and stages of type 1 diabetes, their loved ones, and the medical community. This year’s theme is “Living with Diabetes: A Family Day of Inspiration, Hope, and Education.” Register here.
The TypeOneNation Summit was developed by a group of leading endocrinologists and diabetes educators. This one-day event will be full of education, information, and inspiration. Keynote Presenters include Dr. Alvin C. Powers and Dr. Korey K. Hood. In addition, there will be many break-out workshops and presentations on topics relevant to individuals and families living with T1D.
The JDRF Summit Youth Program will welcome pro-snowboarder Sean Busby. He is the founder of Riding On Insulin and will talk, inspire, and share his experiences with kids and teens.
We’ll have a table in the sponsor area, so please come and say hello!! We're in network with most major insurances for insulin pumps, insulin pumps supplies, continuous glucose monitoring systems ("CGM"), and testing supplies. This includes Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Health Alliance Plan of Michigan, Priority Health, Michigan Medicaid, and Medicare.
This is a great event – we learned so much last year when we attended the workshops. Hope to see you soon!
Dexcom's new G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System
Yet another great piece of news in the area of Continous Glucose Monitoring technology advancement: Dexcom received FDA approval for their next generation, G6 CGM product.
For a more detailed analysis of the Dexcom G6 CGM, visit the recent blog posts from Diatribe, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Beyond Type 1
The G6 solution is an exciting development for the diabetes community as it promises a ten day wear on the sensor, acetaminophen blocking, no finger stick calibrations, potential integrations with the Tandem insulin pump, OminPod's tubeless pump and more.
A launch date has yet to be determined but Healthy Living Medical Supply will be ready to provide this new platform to our patients once it does become available.
Interested in learning more about CGM and the possible therapeutic benefits? Read this article from the Healthy Living blog on the benefits of CGM.
Lighthouse at Milliken State Park (Flickr, Corey Seeman)
The JDRF One Walk has one goal: to create a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D). This year, Healthy Living Medical Supply will again be sponsoring the JDRF One Walk and will be at the Detroit event on the morning of Sunday, September 17th. We would love to see you there! Come out and walk the mile to help raise money to support life-changing breakthroughs that give hope to everyone impacted by type 1 diabetes! Even better, Milliken State Park and the Detroit Riverwalk are beautiful in the fall and offer great views.
Hope to see you in a couple of weeks!!
If you’re thinking about an insulin pump, start by talking to your doctor to see if you’re a candidate. Healthy Living can walk you through the next steps, including what you’ll need to qualify per Medicare guidelines. People with Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes both can get pumps if they qualify using this criteria:
Note: If your labs don’t qualify initially, we suggest that you discuss your options with your doctor.
Insulin pumps bill as a rental through Medicare for 13 months. The pump is considered your property after 13 months have passed. Medicare will cover 80% of the insulin pump for qualifying members. If you have secondary insurance, we will verify that insurance to find out if they will cover the remaining 20% of the cost.
The Healthy Living Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team will work closely with you to guide you through completing your qualifying criteria as well as verifying your insurance to give you estimated out-of-pocket costs for the pump.
Once these pieces are in place and you are ready to order an insulin pump, we will ask you to fill out two Medicare forms: The Assignment of Benefits form and the Rental Agreement. These forms give us permission to bill Medicare on your behalf.
Contact our Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team to find out which pumps are available. Once you are on an insulin pump, if your insurance changes or you discontinue using the pump for any reason, please notify us.
The 13-month rental period is now over and you now own your insulin pump. Your pump has a 4-year warranty offered by the manufacturer. Under Medicare guidelines, patients are eligible for a new pump every 5 years, but exceptions can be made if the 4-year warranty has expired and your pump is malfunctioning.
Contact the Healthy Living Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team to find out when you are eligible for a new pump, for help getting started with an insulin pump, or to learn more about pumps or CGM. You can reach them at (866)779-8512 (Option 2).
Ernesto Prado at Johnson Space Center
The enthusiasm of Ernesto Prado's dad for the space program rubbed off on him from an early age. Ernesto has been fascinated with air and space travel since he was young, when he began his dream of becoming an astronaut. Prado was featured in at least three diabetes publications and resources in 2016 because his story is so encouraging and inspiring. When he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a teenager, he was told to slow down his recreational activities and sports, so Ernesto focused on learning and preparing for work with NASA. Even though people with diabetes cannot fill the role of an astronaut, Ernesto prepared to work in a job that would be as close as possible to his original goal.
Turning Point to Health
Ernesto went to college at UC Davis, double-majoring in Aeronautical Sciences & Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, and he began working with NASA when he was 20 as part of a college co-op program. After graduation, and while working in the neutral buoyancy lab, Ernesto realized that he had lost focus on managing his diabetes and taking care of himself. This was a turning point when Ernesto came to understand that he needed to be healthy to do the things he was devoting his life to, and he reprioritized his health – eating 5 small meals a day, running, seeing a new, really good doctor, and beginning to use an insulin pump.
Catch More About Ernesto
Prado has continued employment and engagement with the NASA space program since. Recently featured on Stacey Simms’ Diabetes Connections podcast, you can hear the passion and excitement in Ernesto’s voice as he describes walking on the same ground as NASA astronauts. Ernesto is now a Technical Projects Manager at the Johnson Space Center in Texas.
Learn more about Ernesto Prado, and be wowed by his motivation, determination, dedication, and positivity:
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