Dear Dr. Roach: Every time I get on my phone, there are a ton of ads on how to cure Type 2 diabetes. Are any of them worth looking at?

— F.N.

Answer: If the ads are for comprehensive diet and exercise programs with education provided by a diabetes educator and a registered dietician (combined with medication if necessary), then they are absolutely worth looking at!

Sadly, if they are anything like the ads I see, you might be recommended a supplement. (Look for the fine print that says: “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”) Supplements do not play a major role in the treatment of diabetes.

Also, if you see an ad advertising “one weird trick your doctor doesn’t want you to know about,” you can safely skip it. Your doctor wants you to know about any treatment that is safe and effective. We don’t really care if it’s “weird.” Medicine is full of discoveries that seemed weird at the time.

Dear Dr. Roach: I am 55 and wondering if I need the shingles vaccine. I had a pretty severe case of shingles when I was 34 with a large outbreak of blisters on my neck, shoulder and chest. Then a few months ago, I had a mild case with just a few blisters.

— G.E.

Answer: Getting shingles twice is uncommon, so getting shingles a third time would be quite unusual. However, the benefit of further reducing your risk of shingles outweighs the downside of a vaccine, which is a sore arm, maybe a low-grade fever, and some muscle aches that last for no more than a day.

There are some people who don’t develop a good resistance to shingles, and if you are one of those people, the vaccine will give you extra protection.

Dear Dr. Roach: A recent article about the sweetener stevia claimed that using too much maintains a blood level that contributes to heart problems. It also stated that stevia’s sweetness causes an insulin reaction and is no better than sugar.

As a 78 year old, I worry about developing heart disease. As a prediabetic, I often bake with stevia instead of sugar. Should I stop using it?

— M.W.

Answer: Stevia is a natural extract of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. The raw leaves are not considered safe, but purified extracts (steviol glycosides) are. They are marketed under several different names including SweetLeaf, Truvia and Pure Via.

The issue about heart disease refers to a 2023 study on erythritol, which is sometimes used in combination with stevia and was shown to possibly increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. However, stevia and erythritol are not the same.

As far as an insulin reaction to stevia, this is not supported. A trial in diabetic people found no change in blood sugar or insulin levels after consuming stevia in sweetened tea.

In my opinion, the preponderance of the data shows that using stevia as a sweetener or baking with it is likely to be a healthier option than using sugar, especially for people with prediabetes or diabetes.

Contact Dr. Roach at ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.