What is inflammation & what does it mean?

Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury, infection, or harmful stimuli. It's protective and helps the body fight infections and heal.

But when it becomes chronic or excessive, it can contribute to health problems. Inflammation is involved in 80-90% of all chronic diseases like autoimmunity, heart disease and cancer.

• Acute inflammation is short-term and often a protective response. It occurs when the body faces an infection or injury, helping the body fight infections and repair tissues

• Chronic inflammation is when the inflammatory response persists over time. It can damage healthy tissues, leading to conditions like autoimmune diseases, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety

The causes of chronic inflammation include

1. Infections from bacteria, viruses, or fungi in the gut or elsewhere

2. Chronic stress, which can hyper-activate the immune system and put healing on the back burner

3. Poor diets high in processed foods, sugars, processed seed oils and trans fats, and low in disease-fighting nutrients

4. Toxins and pollutants like chemicals, heavy metals and mould (a key hidden one)

5. Obesity, where fat tissue, particularly visceral fat, produces inflammatory cytokines

6. Sleep deprivation (hello stress and menopause), which disrupts the immune system

7. Lack of movement, which can lead to poor circulation, reduced metabolic function (energy) and the accumulation of toxins and inflammatory cytokines in

Chronic inflammation is a major driver of chronic diseases, and reducing inflammation through proper nutrition, stress management, sleep and movement is a key focus in functional health💫