CEO creates “digital twin” to drop 40 pounds and reverse diabetes
Three years ago, Devlin Donaldson thought diabetes was a life sentence.
Diagnosed as type 2 after a stroke, he felt hopeless about managing his condition.
“My understanding was diabetes was something you lived with for your whole life,” Donaldson told Business Insider. “Once you got it, you had it.”
Ozempic, the weekly injectable now famous for its use as a weight loss aid, didn’t do the trick. After 10 months on the drug, he’d only shed 5-10 pounds and his blood sugar remained stubbornly high.
“I had kind of given up and wasn’t really following a helpful diet,” he admitted.
But everything changed when Donaldson started using a “digital twin” app to monitor his blood sugar, food, exercise, sleep, and medications.
In just six months, he lost over 40 pounds, put his diabetes into remission, lowered his blood pressure and cholesterol, and ditched many of his meds.
A new type of personalized health care
“Digital twins” could be the next frontier in personalized health care, experts say. A digital twin is basically any type of virtual representation that is updated using real-time data and artificial intelligence (AI) in order to make decisions, according to IBM.
In this case, Donaldson was one of the first to use a digital twin app from health tech startup, Twin Health. The app creates a digital replica of the user’s metabolism and preferences made up from thousands of data points that are collected in real time, according to a press release. The app then creates highly unique AI-based recommendations that are sent to the real-life person to follow.
Once Donaldson had signed up, Twin Health sent him a scale, blood pressure cuff, smartwatch and continuous glucose monitor. Despite the high tech gear, Donaldson admits he didn’t have high expectations.
“I wasn’t super enthusiastic,” he told Business Insider. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”
The “twin” isn’t hands off — Donaldson still has to methodically log everything he eats and all of his exercise. But the recommendations are all tailored specifically to his body. For example, Donaldson said he noticed his blood sugar reacted better when he started eating vegetables before his protein at every meal.
“All of my information goes in and it talks to me like a smarter version of myself saying, ‘you ate this, this was really good. You ate this, this was really bad.’ And it begins to give me this feedback cycle,” Donaldson explained.
A healthier twist on a breakfast classic
The app encouraged Donaldson to revamp his diet, loading up on vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and swapping ultra-processed snacks for nuts.
And then there were the pancakes. Lots and lots of pancakes — albeit with a healthy twist.
“The world of diabetes has been historically so confusing and relegated to, ‘oh, well, here’s this sugar-free candy you can eat,'” Donaldson told BI. “Without saying, ‘Here’s how you embrace life.'”
Donaldson’s diabetes-friendly pancake recipe is a game-changer.
“Better than any of the stuff I had before that I thought I could never give up,” he told the outlet.
These protein-packed pancakes aren’t just tasty—they’re good for you, too.
Made with almond flour, they offer twice the protein and four times the fiber of regular flour, without spiking blood sugar.
Here’s Donaldson’s secret weapon recipe:
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
? cup of whole milk
? teaspoon stevia
? teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups blanched, finely ground almond flour (8 oz)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Avocado oil spray for the griddle
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, whole milk, stevia, and salt.
Gradually whisk in the almond flour until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
Whisk in the baking soda.
Heat a nonstick griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
Spray the griddle with avocado oil.
Use a ? cup scoop to drop the batter onto the griddle.
Cook for about 3 minutes on each side until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through.
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