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That begs the question, what is inflammation? Simply put, it is the body’s go-to response when there is an injury, naturally. It is the body’s way of removing harmful substances including damaged cells. These signs tell you that an inflammatory process is in place – pain, redness, warmth, swelling and loss of function [not being able to use the injured part]. There are two types of inflammation the acute [when the injury just occurs and disappears when the cause of injury is removed] and chronic “inflammation can also occur in response to other unwanted substances in the body, such as toxins from cigarette smoke or an excess of fat cells (especially fat in the belly area). Inside arteries, inflammation helps kick off atherosclerosis—the buildup of fatty, cholesterol-rich plaque. Your body perceives this plaque as abnormal and foreign, so it attempts to wall off the plaque from the flowing blood. But if that wall breaks down, the plaque may rupture. The contents then mingle with blood, forming a clot that blocks blood flow. These clots are responsible for most heart attacks and most strokes.” - Harvard Health
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