Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar levels.
When busy nonprofit CEO Devlin Donaldson suffered a stroke in 2018, it was a wake-up call. The diagnosis? Type 2 diabetes, a disease he’d known but not known about for years. Feeling hopeless, Devlin tried medication but saw little improvement. He admits that he’d neglected his healthy eating habits during this time. Business Insider.
The turning point came when Devlin implemented a “digital twin” app that tracked his blood sugar, diet, exercise, sleep, and medications to get a comprehensive view of his health. Within six months, the results were remarkable: Devlin lost more than 40 pounds, his diabetes went into remission, his blood pressure and cholesterol went down, and he relied less on his medication, Devlin says. Business Insider.
The catalyst for his transformation was a change in his diet: Devlin prioritised vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, ate nuts instead of processed foods, and even made diabetic pancakes using almond flour. “Diabetes advice can be confusing,” Devlin says. “It’s focused on restricting rather than embracing a healthy lifestyle.”
Donaldson said the personalized insights transformed his understanding of his body and the challenges he faced. Three years later, his diabetes is in remission.
Devlin’s secret weapon? Protein-packed pancakes made with almond flour, which are high in protein and fiber compared to regular wheat flour and have a lower impact on blood sugar. He’s also been increasing his physical activity, aiming for 10,000 steps each day. “Starting a new exercise habit is hard,” Devlin admits, “but it gets easier!”
by whoApproximately 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority of whom live in low- and middle-income countries, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributable to diabetes each year. The number and prevalence of diabetes has been steadily increasing over the past few decades.
