Cool it! Battling chronic inflammation to improve heart health
America is on fire -- and not just from wildfires. Almost 35% of the adult population contends with chronic inflammation that heats up their risk for metabolic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease, gastrointestinal woes, cancer, and autoimmune conditions. But that's not all, according to experts at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. Chronic inflammation triggers a full range of cardiovascular issues, including plaque growth that clogs arteries, blood clots and stiffening of blood vessels, which contributes to high blood pressure. And that can lead to chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations, or reduced exercise tolerance, as well as heart attack, stroke, heart failure and dementia.
A blood test that checks your level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is the most reliable test for low-grade systemic inflammation linked to cardiovascular risk. But you can also be pretty sure that you're contending with chronic inflammation if you have periodontal disease, pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes, are overweight or obese, have an autoimmune condition, hepatitis C or another chronic infection, or have already been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
How to cool it? Eat anti-inflammatory foods such as tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, almonds and walnuts, salmon, sardines, and strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges. See my "What to Eat When Cookbook" for tasty recipes. Also, manage inflammation-fueling stress with physical activity (300 minutes a week, please), quality sleep, a supportive posse, and a sense of purpose. And for an innovative way to transform your body by banishing inflammatory proteins quickly, check out therapeutic plasma exchange at LifeSpan-Edge.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at drmikerealage@gmail.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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