Bottom Line:
Researchers have identified inflammation as one of your body's most beneficial and harmful processes. How is that possible? Acute inflammation is your body's natural repair and healing response to an accident or injury. However, chronic inflammation is a different matter. Many major diseases, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, and cancer, commonly cause chronic inflammation.
Why it Matters:
All the systems in your body are balanced and regulated by your hormones and nervous system. This balance, or intelligent design, can activate your immune system to fight a cold or heal after a fall. However, this process can become very destructive if your lymphocytes keep producing antibodies. The key to good health and reducing chronic inflammation is to make daily lifestyle choices that don't result in a constant state of stress, known to trigger chronic inflammation.
Acute inflammation is your body's natural healing process, while chronic inflammation is a destructive process linked to many chronic diseases.
Lymphocytes are white blood cells responsible for your immune system.
Making healthy daily decisions around your stress level can help your nervous system maintain a balance that reduces chronic inflammation.
Next Steps:
The decisions you make now will determine your health later. Your body is designed to manage stress effectively; chronic inflammation only begins as a last resort. We want you to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and a high quality of life for decades. If you have questions about how you can reduce the stress in your life, ask! We are here to be your health partners!
Science Source(s): Inflammation: A unifying theory of disease. Harvard Health. 2006