NBCNews.com: Inflammation is a ‘Double-Edged Sword’—How to Protect Against Chronic Disease
NBCNews.com recently interviewed Moshe Arditi, MD, director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, about the ways inflammation helps the body heal and how it can be harmful if it persists over time.
Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response to illness or injury. Arditi, executive vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics for Research, told NBCNews.com a sore throat is one example of helpful inflammation and evidence the immune system is fighting an infection.
“Localized immune response in the acute stage—to a limited extent—is all beneficial inflammation,” he said.
Arditi, the GUESS?/Fashion Industries Guild Chair in Community Child Health, told NBCNews.com chronic inflammation—a persistent inflammatory state—can damage organs and blood vessels and play a role in the development of certain diseases.
“Ongoing inflammation may lead to heart disease and building of plaque in the blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack and strokes,” he said. “Long-term inflammation in your brain may lead to development of neurodegenerative diseases by damaging neurons and interfering with normal brain function.”
Autoimmune disorders and diabetes also are linked to chronic inflammation.
Smoking, obesity, poor diet, lack of sleep or exercise, and prolonged stress increase the risk of chronic inflammation. Signs the body is in a chronic inflammatory state include fatigue, constipation, depression and persistent joint pain.
Although there are blood tests that measure inflammation, experts recommend reducing chronic inflammation through diet, exercise and other healthy lifestyle modifications.
Click here to read the complete article from NBCNews.com.