Inflammation and Disease Prevention

Inflammation is term that is frequently used when understanding and describing the underlying components of various health conditions, and can be thought of as the body’s effort to protect itself against harmful exposures. Acute inflammation plays a role in the body’s natural homeostatic processes, whereas chronic inflammation is more often associated with disease, and in some cases, death.

            Research has shown that more than 50 percent of all deaths are linked to diseases rooted in chronic inflammation, including but not limited to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and various neurodegenerative and autoimmune conditions (Furman et. al., 2019). Diet and lifestyle habits have been shown to directly influence the body’s inflammatory responses by increasing oxidative stress and therefore triggering many of these chronic health conditions.

            Making small diet and lifestyle changes can largely impact prevention of chronic illness! The foods we eat and the lives we lead have just as much capacity to enhance overall wellness as they do to cause disease. Take control over your health by actively choosing to fuel your body with the foods that heal instead of those that harm!