When you are healthy…inflammation is actually the immune system’s first response to infection or irritation. It’s a good thing!

However, uncontrolled, chronic or systemic inflammation is a distinct kind of BAD inflammation, the dark side of what should be a healing process. It occurs when the tissue is continuously injured by infection, stress, irritation, etc…thereafter, chronic inflammation ensues.

This is how what should be a healthy defense system turns into a ruthless, life-threatening destroyer.

Here is what happens in more detail…

Inflamed tissue is flooded with macrophages looking to remove the damaged cells from the injured tissue. These cells are powerful defenders for the body, but in an unhealthy, or more specifically, an unbalanced body, bad things can happen.

Dr. William Meggs, in his book “The Inflammation Cure” explains it this way:

“Ideally, inflammation should subside when the pathogens are killed, or when the insult is removed and the body tissue heals. When the virus that causes the common cold dies…When the cut on your arm heals. The chemical messengers stop ringing the inflammation alarm, and blood vessels and the lymphatic system carry the excess fluid, dead pathogens, damaged cells, and leaked blood cells away from the site of inflammation. Unfortunately, when the body becomes unbalanced, the system can overreact, or stop working, or turn against us, or just continue fighting small battles every day so that inflammation continues indefinitely.”

This is why uncontrolled or chronic inflammation is almost always accompanied by tissue destruction.

Typically, inflammation is characterized by redness, swollen joints that are warm to touch, joint pain, joint stiffness, or loss of joint function.

However, inflammation may also be associated with general “flu-like” symptoms.

But, most interestingly, and probably most relevant to us, uncontrolled inflammation can affect internal organs in the same way that it affects the other tissue in our body such as the joints.

The symptoms you may feel depends on which organs are affected.

For example:

Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) may cause shortness of breath or leg swelling.

Inflammation of the small tubes that transport air to the lungs may cause an asthma attack.

Inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis) may cause high blood pressure or kidney failure.

Inflammation of the large intestine (colitis) may cause cramps and diarrhea.

In fact, pain may not be a primary symptom of an uncontrolled inflammatory response, since many organs do not have many pain-sensitive nerves.

In that way, uncontrolled inflammation secretly and silently destroys our cells, only to be detected once a significant amount of damage produces an obvious symptom.

So, the goal should be, not to just “treat” uncontrolled inflammation but to prevent it.

How?

By keeping your body balanced. By understanding what you can do to make sure your body has what it needs to fight infection, disease, toxins, viruses and injuries normally.

We all know that we need to exercise and eat healthy foods.

We all know that vitamins and supplements are beneficial.

In fact, many people seeking a natural cure spend hundreds of dollars a year on vitamins, minerals and other beneficial supplements.

Maybe you are one of them…

And, although you may have had a measure of success with the variety of supplements you have taken over the years, you may not have experienced a true breakthrough.

Well, here is something that you should know…

Understanding a little known, but increasingly mentioned, molecule produced naturally by our bodies is the key to a true breakthrough in fighting uncontrolled inflammation.

This molecule is called glutathione or GSH. A chemical or substance our body produces by itself which has been called the “master antioxidant”.

Understanding what glutathione is, how it works and how to increase the bodies ability to produce this life sustaining molecule has recently transformed the quality of life for many.

It can make a difference in your life as well.