Dr. Jason Fung sums up 2 of the big myths about type 2 diabetes and presents an hour long lecture going into more detail (which I recommend watching for those interested in this subject):
At the Intensive Dietary Management Clinic we treat many people with type 2 diabetes. Patients often come to our clinic with two ‘facts’ established in their minds. The first is that type 2 diabetes is a chronic and progressive disease. They are often told that they will have the disease for the rest of their lives and they should get used to it. Actually, it is not true at all. Type 2 diabetes is an entirely curable disease. However, taking medications will not cure the disease. Only dietary management has a hope of reversing diabetes.
The other big lie in the treatment of type 2 diabetes is that ‘it is all about controlling blood sugar’. Actually, it makes virtually no difference at all. The disease of type 2 diabetes is excessive insulin resistance. It is this insulin resistance that leads to high blood sugars. In order to treat/ cure diabetes, you must reverse the insulin resistance. The high blood sugar is only the symptom, not the disease. Therefore, treating the symptom alone is useless.
I would quibble with the language of that last sentence. Treating symptoms can be beneficial but I understand he means that treating this symptom will not help reverse the disease.