Maria Katrina Paras

Metro Inflammation Series What is Inflammation

Article (news)

<p>Inflammation has become one of those wellness words that gets blamed for almost everything: tired skin, stubborn weight, joint pain, bloating, brain fog, low mood (I should know; I experienced inflammation for years). The word now sounds inherently bad, like something to detox or fight. But inflammation is not the enemy—at least, not at first.</p><p>At its core, <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21660-inflammation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">inflammation is the body’s built-in way of sounding the alarm and starting repairs.</a> Medical references describe it as an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK556083/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">immediate protective response to injury, infection, or tissue damage.</a> In this case, inflammation is helpful—it means the body is doing what it’s meant to do.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786953578969IMG_0988.jpeg" style="width:700px;display:block" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded"/><span class="fr-inner">Inflammation isn’t bad per se; it signals the body that repair needs to be done.</span></span></span>The danger comes when the same protective response stays on. Chronic inflammation is slower, stealthier, and more systemic. Instead of a short burst of immune activity, the body keeps sending inflammatory signals even without an obvious injury or infection. <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21660-inflammation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">It can last for months or years</a>, sometimes flaring and fading, sometimes operating so subtly that a person simply feels “off.”</div><p>A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0675-0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2019 Nature Medicine perspective</a> described systemic chronic inflammation as a process promoted by factors like <strong>poor diet, physical inactivity, environmental exposures, infections, and psychological stress.</strong> The authors linked it to many of the conditions that now dominate modern health conversations, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, fatty liver disease, autoimmune conditions, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.</p><p>In other words, inflammation isn&#x27;t necessarily bad on its own. It becomes a problem when the body stays in emergency mode.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>The Difference You Can Actually Feel</strong></div><p>You don’t need a lab test to notice the difference between temporary and chronic inflammation. The pattern usually gives clues.</p><p><strong>Acute inflammation usually has a story</strong>—a twisted foot, a sore throat, a popped pimple, a dumbbell that’s heavier than your usual range. <strong>The symptoms tend to be localized:</strong> redness, swelling, heat, tenderness, or reduced movement in one specific area. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is harder to pin down. It may not show up as a red, swollen patch. Instead, <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21660-inflammation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>it can feel like fatigue that does not match your sleep, stiffness that keeps returning, recurring digestive issues, skin flare-ups, frequent infections, or mood changes like anxiety and depression.</strong></a> They are not proof, but they are clues—<strong>especially when they keep coming back.</strong></p><div><br/><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786954035415IMG_0990.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">A bigger belly—specifically one driven by deep visceral fat—is strongly linked to chronic, systemic inflammation.</span></span></span></div><p>A useful self-check: <strong>Did it have a clear trigger? Is it getting better? Is it contained?</strong></p><p>If the answer to all 3 is yes, you’re probably looking at a normal inflammatory response. If the answer is no, not really, and it seems to move through the body in different ways—gut, skin, joints, energy, mood—it may be time to pay closer attention.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Where Keto Enters The Inflammation Conversation</strong></div><p>Keto often comes up in the inflammation conversation because of its <strong>link to metabolic health.</strong> By keeping carbohydrates very low, the body shifts from using glucose as its main fuel to using fat and ketones. </p><p>Some low-carb physicians believe this shift may help stabilize certain inflammatory pathways. <strong>Eric C. Westman, MD, MHS, of the Duke Keto Medicine Clinic</strong>, has said, <a href="https://physicians.dukehealth.org/articles/low-carb-ketogenic-diet-most-effective-lifestyle-counseling-adherence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“I see weight go down and diabetes improve every day,”</a> while still noting that keto is not for everyone. <strong>Stephen Phinney, MD, PhD</strong>, has written that nutritional ketosis may “reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.” The late <strong>Sarah Hallberg, DO</strong>, often described insulin resistance as “a state of carbohydrate intolerance,” especially for people with type 2 diabetes or metabolic disease. When I finally addressed my inflammation, I turned to the ketogenic diet, too. Within three months, I saw my acne subside, my weight go down, my period regulate, and my brain fog clear. The hype is real.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786954964110METRO BEAUTY BANNERS.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">High-fat, low-carb — the ketogenic diet proves to be a life-changer for many.</span></span></span>Don’t simply take my word for it; the science looks promising, too. A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nm.3804" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2015 Nature Medicine study</a> found that one ketone body appeared to quiet a specific inflammatory pathway involved in chronic disease. A <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11643700/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2024 review of randomized trials</a> also found that ketogenic diets lowered <strong>C-reactive protein, a common inflammation marker</strong>, in overweight and obese adults.  Still, keto is not automatically anti-inflammatory. A whole-food, well-formulated low-carb diet is very different from living on processed “keto” snacks. Also, it’s not for everyone. People should consult a trusted health expert who can guide them through this new dietary lifestyle.</div><div><br/></div><div><strong>When To See A Doctor</strong></div><p>At-home observation is useful, but it has limits.</p><p>See a physician if inflammation-like symptoms are severe, spreading, recurrent, unexplained, or persistent. It is also worth getting checked if you feel “inflamed” in multiple systems at once—skin, gut, joints, energy, and mood—especially if the pattern lasts beyond a few weeks or keeps returning.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786955406418METRO BEAUTY BANNERS.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Don’t ignore the clues from your body. Notice the patterns and respond accordingly.</span></span></span></div><div><strong>The Real Wellness Takeaway</strong></div><p>Inflammation is not something to fear every time it appears. A little swelling around a cut, a sore throat that passes, or muscle tenderness after movement may simply mean the body is doing what it was designed to do.</p><p>The better question is not, “Do I have inflammation?” It is: <strong>“Is my body resolving it?”</strong></p><p>When it lingers, spreads, repeats, or becomes part of your everyday baseline, it deserves more attention. Inflammation is not the problem; staying inflamed is. A healthy body knows the difference.</p>

<p><a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21660-inflammation" target="_blank">It can last for months or years</a>, sometimes flaring and fading, sometimes operating so subtly that a person simply feels “off.”</p>

It can last for months or years , sometimes flaring and fading, sometimes operating so subtly that a person simply feels “off.”

What Is Inflammation? When It’s Good, Bad, and What to Know

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What Is Inflammation? When It’s Good, Bad, and What to Know

Danah Gutierrez

Published August 17, 2026 04:00 PM PHT

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Updated August 17, 2026 04:44 PM PHT

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