The role of chronic inflammation in disease risk

Inflammation has become a wellness boogeyman. But your body needs some inflammation to survive.

When you heal a cut, fight off a virus, adapt to a hard workout — that's inflammation doing its job. The problem isn't inflammation itself. It’s when inflammation doesn't shut off. There is an understanding of the difference between acute and chronic inflammation — and figuring out what was keeping mine stuck in the "on" position.

Acute inflammation is targeted and temporary. You get injured, your immune system sends in the repair crew — cytokines signal for backup, platelets clot the wound, white blood cells clean house. Job done, inflammation resolves.

Chronic inflammation is that same response, but stuck on repeat. Typically, with chronic inflammation, there’s no threat to fight off, but your immune system stays activated anyway. And the science connecting chronic inflammation to disease keeps stacking up. For example, in September 2025, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) released a statement calling the link between inflammation and disease "compelling and clinically actionable." They're now recommending doctors screen for inflammation alongside cholesterol. That's a big deal.

When chronic inflammation lingers, it's linked to higher risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, and cancer — a pretty catastrophic lineup.

So what do you do about it? Diet, sleep, exercise, stress management. Pick one or two things to start, dial them in, and see what works for you.

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