Interesting. I'm Type II (maternally inherited - my mother's side of the family are all diabetic, going back generations). I was able to get off the Glucovance two years ago thru a combination of diet modification and exercise. I just have to stick myself twice a week, and get my A1C checked quarterly. This would be good news for anyone who might be at risk in the future - I can tell you from personal experience, if it isn't caught and dealt with at the onset, it
will leave it's permanent calling card. And like my doctor said, there's no being 'kinda' diabetic, like there's no being 'kinda' pregnant. Once you have it, you have it. (Hey, I went through that whole Kubler/Ross cycle when I got diagnosed, too.)
The underlying cause is genetic. You had it the day you were conceived. On the other hand, Type II diabetes is not a “disease” if you lead the correct lifestyle ~ which seems to include an almost exclusive fish, meat and low starch rootcrop diet, at the top of mountains, with miles and miles of walking, lots of other exercise, running with the dog-team, chasing reindeer, chasing wildabeast, hunting seal on Arctic pack-ice, and avoiding anything else except for tree nut oils.