Inflammation 101

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Have you ever had a swollen ankle after twisting it or maybe a cut that turned red and warm? That’s inflammation doing its job. Inflammation is basically your body’s way of protecting itself. When you get a cut or twist an ankle, your body sends out inflammatory cells to fight off the invader and start the healing process. That’s called acute inflammation, and it’s normal.

However, when inflammation sticks around for too long—like if your body is constantly on high alert because of stress, poor diet, or lack of exercise—it turns into chronic inflammation. And that’s where the trouble begins.