What is inflammation, and what does it have to do with being overweight?
Ever had a bad sore throat or an infected hangnail? Then you’ve experienced the pain, swelling, redness, and heat that signal inflammation. When you’re hurt, inflammation is a good thing. It fights foreign invaders like infections, allergens, and toxins. But when your immune system gets out of whack, inflammation gets out of control and spreads throughout your body. The result? Any number of chronic diseases-including obesity. It’s a vicious cycle: Inflammation can make you gain weight, but extra pounds can trigger more inflammation. Other causes of body-wide inflammation include a typical Western diet (sugar, animal fat, and processed food) and lack of exercise. I can’t stress enough how important it is to prevent and treat inflammation-it can have disastrous effects on your weight and health.
