Discover the best and worst foods to eat while following an anti-inflammatory diet or looking to reduce inflammation.
What is inflammation?
You might be hearing more about inflammation and its role in overall health lately, but what exactly is inflammation and how does it happen?
Quite simply, “inflammation is the body’s response to something wrong,” explains Megan Wroe, wellness manager and registered dietitian at St. Jude Medical Center in Southern California. For example, “when you get a paper cut, the area turns red and a bit swollen as the body initiates the healing process.”
Inflammation isn’t just a response to an external injury, though, Wroe notes. It kicks in inside the body in response to a number of issues, such as pathogens, irritants and allergens.
Inflammation’s purpose is to heal. “When inflammation occurs, the immune system’s cells release inflammatory mediators, which causes small blood vessels in the tissue of the affected area to dilate, allowing more blood to reach the injured tissue,” explains Janette Wong, a registered dietitian with Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California.
This cascade of events leads to redness and the sensation of feeling hot. “The immune system’s response also triggers an increase of white blood cells to fight the infection,” Wong adds. “This may irritate nerves, causing pain and increased fluid in the affected area, leading to swelling.”
