But some people pushing whatever diet caused them to lose the weight will call the type 2s who stop using insulin "cured" because they're off insulin. They're not cured. They're simply better controlled.

Here are a few examples of "miracle cures":

According to the book Reversing Diabetes, the 1987 edition, a Mr. R. K. came to the Whitaker Wellness Institute with a fasting BG level of 93 on 130 units a day NPH insulin, a lot of insulin. After 6 months of the institute's diet, he was taking no diabetes medications, and his fasting BG was 91. The author writes, "His diabetes and high blood pressure had disappeared -- a miracle cure!"

There's no question that he was doing better, because he was able to maintain the same fasting BG level without insulin. But there's no information about what his BG levels were after eating the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Nothing about his average BG level as reflected in his hemoglobin A1c.

I doubt that his diabetes had "disappeared." It was simply better controlled. The author considered this a miracle cure because his fasting level was at a high-normal level. (Anything above 100 is considered prediabetes.)

According to an Internet site selling Eleotin, a mixture of herbs promoted as a diabetes cure, Ms. B first bought Eleotin for her mother. When she started, her "blood glucose level" (doesn't say if it's fasting or after meals) was over 200. Six months later in June, her blood glucose level ranged from 150 to 165.

That's a cure? BG levels from 150 to 165? If those are fasting levels, they'd constitute a diabetes diagnosis even decades ago, when standards were more lax.

According to an Internet site selling Vitacel, a "natural cure," which turns out to be metformin, a patient said, "I have had diabetes for 15 years taking insulin twice a day, 40 units in the morning and 45 units in the evening for Diabetes management of the symptoms. At that time my sugar count was 380 to 400. . . My sugar count is now 149 and I feel great."

Again, her BG levels are better, but she's not cured. Furthermore, she's taking a standard generic prescription drug.

According to another Internet site selling a "natural cure: diabetes," "I am a 38 yr old diabetic woman. I take injections 4 times a day. I've always been afraid to exercise because I thought it would be bad for me. After reading your book I realized that exercise is good for me and I've joined a local walking group. Besides feeling better, I have made some wonderful new friends."

Gosh, I think it's wonderful this woman has a lot of new friends, but does that constitute a diabetes cure? Not in my book.

Some of these "cures" may bring down BG levels through a placebo effect. The patient expects them to work, so they do. Enthusiasm about a new treatment also sometimes gives a patient a temporary feeling of well-being, and more energy.