The Story of Inflammation, Diet, and Disease

Shilpa Ravella is a gastroenterologist with a specialization in nutrition. She has unique experience in treating rare digestive ailments such as intestinal failure and multiple-organ transplantation.

Below, Shilpa shares 5 key insights from her new book, A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet, and Disease. Listen to the audio version—read by Shilpa herself—in the Next Big Idea App.

1. Inflammation has a fundamental role in nearly all modern chronic diseases.

In its ancient role, inflammation is a benevolent force that evolved to fight infectious germs, poisons, and traumas, all of which humans routinely succumbed to. When you cut your finger or stub your toe, you see the cardinal signs of inflammation working to heal the wound: redness, heat, swelling, and pain. Blood flow quickens as arteries and veins dilate, and fluid and protein leak out into tissues. But inflammation is not always helpful. For instance, the visible inflammation in autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, in which joints swell and rashes erupt.

We’re finding that the dark side of inflammation is more pervasive than ever imagined, extending beyond typical autoimmune diseases. Low-level inflammation, or hidden inflammation, is rarely tested for or treated, but it is tied to many chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer. In fact, it may be a…