What social media gets wrong about inflammation
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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What does science say about social media’s claims that inflammation causes disease?
If you've been online lately, you probably noticed that health influencers can't stop talking about inflammation. According to the internet, it's the reason you're always sick, tired, or bloated.
Ever wondered why your face looks puffy, tired, or bloated no matter what you do? It's not always fat, it's inflammation.
You're not ugly, you just have inflammation that's trying to make you ugly because of pathogens and toxins. Inflammation is so common these days, but that doesn't mean it's normal.
And it's not just online discourse. The Secretariat of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Junior weighed in two.
I'm looking at kids as I walk through the airports today, as I walk down the street. And I see these kids that are just overburdened with Mitochondrial challenges with inflammation.
And while it might seem like inflammation is getting a bad rap. There is some truth to the hype. Inflammation is
at the heart of nearly every disease in the body, and more and more we're realizing that even diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's. Cardiovascular disease, heart disease, of course cancers. They all have a connection to inflammation.
That's Shruti Naik. She's a professor of immunology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Shruti says that not all inflammation is harmful, and in fact, it's sometimes necessary. Acute inflammation or responsive inflammation is key for your immune system.
Now, when things will arise when you have chronic inflammation, so long-lasting inflammation that never stops, sometimes it's low grade, sometimes it's high grade, and you have an inflammatory
disease. Chronic inflammation is this gray zone that sent the internet into a tailspan. And while influencers are quick to promote fat diets and supplements, Shruti believes we're misdiagnosing the problem. And overstating the solution.
Generally,
if you have an
inflammatory disease, it's not a failure of wellness. There are genetic components, there are environmental components, lifestyle components. So this narrative that everyone needs to wholesale stop inflammation is not good. You need the right response in the right place for the right amount of time. And when that gets out of balance, then you have a disease state. And if you have a disease state, it's not going to be your turmeric milk that's
gonna fix the issue. So today on the show, should you actually worry about your chronic inflammation levels, and can you even do anything about it? I'm Regina Barber, and you're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.
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How can you tell whether anti-inflammatory diet claims are backed by evidence?
Okay, Shruti. Um, I've been hearing a lot about inflammation. Has it come up in discussions with friends and family for you too? And like what kind of things are people asking about?
For sure. I think inflammation is sort of on everyone's mind because there's so much out there in social media about how seed oils and juice cleanses and turmeric, you know, all of these quote unquote anti inflammatory diets inflammatory diets.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:23
2
What does science say about social media’s claims that inflammation causes disease?
0:23–4:07
3
How can you tell whether anti-inflammatory diet claims are backed by evidence?
4:07–5:43
4
What is chronic low-grade inflammation, and how can it affect health?
5:43–6:21
5
How can stress affect the immune system and chronic inflammation?
6:21–8:16
6
Can a blood test show whether you have chronic inflammation?
8:16–9:56
7
What everyday habits can help reduce chronic inflammation?
9:56–12:28
8
Can GLP-1 drugs help treat inflammatory diseases?
12:28–16:56
Speakers
8 identifiedMore from Short Wave
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