Inflammation and the Brain

In an informal poll, healthcare professionals listed inflammation as their top response for a condition that may form the underpinning of many (if not most) of the chronic diseases in today’s society. What is inflammation? You may have noticed the redness, heat, swelling, and pain that surrounds a cut or twisted ankle or bee sting. These are examples of helpful inflammation—signs that the immune system has leapt into action to send white blood cells to the area of damage, triggering a response so the healing process can occur. Unhelpful inflammation is a different story entirely. Unhelpful inflammation is a different story. It can even become chronic, especially when tissue swelling fails to resolve and interferes with the healing process. It can occur almost anywhere in your brain or body. Inflammation attack your heart, liver, joints, brain, and gastrointestinal (GI) system. You may have experienced the results: bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and flatus (also known as gas, passing wind, or flatulence).