I managed to reverse my diabetes — and I didn’t even have to give up eating my beloved pancakes
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.
Along the way, Donaldson revamped 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,’” he 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
- ½ cup of whole milk
- ½ teaspoon stevia
- ¼ 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 ¼ cup scoop to drop the batter onto the griddle.
- Cook for about 3 minutes on each side until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through.
