Natural Approaches to Controlling Inflammatory Disease

I nflammation is simply a physiologic response process generated by the body in response to injury, infection, or irritation. In acute stages, the inflammatory process is vital to the healing process; however, chronic inflammation can increase disease-associated morbidity. New insights into the chronic inflammatory process now provide evidence that this mechanism is a negative contributor to an ever-expanding list of chronic conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, asthma, cancer, and even depression. As inflammation is increasingly acknowledged as a main precursor to morbidity in the pathology of chronic disease, medicine is elucidating both the effects of inflammation prior to clinical disease manifestation and preventative treatments geared toward reversal and attenuation of symptoms. Natural medical therapies directed toward anti-inflammatory effects have become more intensely researched in the last several years, providing significant insight into the role of inflammation in disease and offering options for effective preventative and symptomatic treatment.