Inflammation and Its Link to Serious Illness

The word inflammation most likely makes you think of a swollen knee or the redness surrounding a cut you just acquired. This kind of inflammation is known as acute inflammation, and it is a normal, healthy part of your body’s immune response. Your body responds to injury or foreign invaders by sending white blood cells to the infected area to heal the site, and the swelling, pain, redness, and even pus is a byproduct of the healing process. But things like stress, poor diet, smoking, and poor dental health can also cause inflammation, and in many cases, this inflammation persists over the long term, becoming chronic. Chronic inflammation is a slow, silent disturbance that can last for months or even years. Moreover, this type of inflammation is often associated with the development or presence of serious disease, including heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression, to name a few. Read more…