Inflammation is the body's 'double-edged sword: What to know, when to test for it
Inflammation is linked to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Longevity experts say managing it is key to healthier aging and disease prevention.
Why do our ankles swell when they’re sprained or does our skin turn red — or inflamed — when it’s scraped?
That quick response is caused by inflammation — and it can save your life.
At its core, inflammation is the “response of the body to an illness or an injury to try to restore health,” said Dr. Robert Shmerling, a rheumatologist and faculty member at Harvard Medical School who helped author a report on inflammation.
Inflammation has come under fire for its link to a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and even allergies. Longevity experts even see reducing chronic inflammation as key to healthier aging.
“It’s a classic double-edged sword,” said Dr. David Hafler, a neurologist and professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine.
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