Since writing about inflammation in Eat to Beat Illness and my last book Healthy High Protein, I’ve become fascinated by how this one process connects so many of the health issues I’ve seen in thousands of patients over my career.

On the one hand, inflammation is brilliant, it helps us fight infections, repair injuries, and clear out damaged or cancerous cells. But when it doesn’t switch off or is constantly triggered, it becomes a slow burn in the background, driving heart disease, cancer, dementia, and even daily struggles like joint pain, gut problems, poor sleep, skin issues, and fatigue.