Inflammation is one of the body’s natural ways of protecting itself. It involves many chemical reactions that help to fight off infections, increase blood flow to places that need healing, and generate pain as a signal that something is wrong with the body. Unfortunately, as with any process in the body, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

Inflammation is often compared to fire. In controlled amounts, there is no question that fire keeps us warm, healthy, and protected, but when there is too much fire, or if fire gets out of control, it can be destructive. But a fire does not need to be big to cause damage. It is now understood that low-grade chronic or on-going inflammation that is below the level of pain, can contribute to many chronic health problems and can itself become a disease. This low-grade inflammation can keep the body’s tissues from properly repairing and also begin to destroy healthy cells in arteries, organs, joints, and other parts of the body.

A number of medical conditions are linked to too much inflammation. Some of these include:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Chronic obstructive lung diseases (emphysema and bronchitis)
• Chronic pain
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
  (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis)
• Stroke
• Diseases where the immune system attacks the body, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or scleroderma