Lyle Wallace has a twin, but not the kind you might picture.
Wallace—a pastor in Texas, warm and with a flowing Southern drawl—was diagnosed with diabetes in early 2023, with an A1C of 7 and a prescription for Metformin. A few months in, Wallace decided he didn’t want to rely on drugs alone, taking on a digital twin, a virtual rendering of his body built by startup Twin Health. For more than two years, that twin has been linked to his glucose monitor and activity tracker—at Wallace’s side, through grocery stores, church events, and in his yard with his kids. He says that, without a doubt, the technology has helped him reframe how he thinks about his diabetes.
“When you incorporate a sense of control and allow things to be used in the proper design, that’s when flourishing comes,” said Wallace. “Sugar tastes really good, but if all I eat is pecan pies—which I’d love to do—it’s going to affect my health. Seeing that has made a difference. Now, as I’ve been able to heal, the slice of pecan pie is in its proper place and isn’t affecting my health in a detrimental way. [Twin] has helped bring in a sense of discipline and self-control that didn’t feel forced.”
For Wallace, the results were expeditious. In 90 days, he said, his A1C dropped to 5.1, and he was off Metformin. In a few months, he lost 70 pounds. Wallace’s story is striking, especially in the U.S., where some estimates suggest nearly 50 million people live with diabetes today.
