The Great Inflammation Panic
The first time I was hospitalized at 18 for my then-undiagnosed chronic illness—with an extremely puffy face, hives, nausea, and trouble breathing—I was told the cause was anxiety. I know firsthand how frustrating it is to be undiagnosed with serious symptoms, and how tempting it can be to reach for any explanation that promises answers. […]
The Great Inflammation Panic has swept through various sectors, from wellness podcasts to the highest echelons of the federal government. This narrative centers on the widespread belief that inflammation, a natural bodily response, is inherently harmful and needs to be combated with various unproven methods.
The story began with the author's personal experience of being hospitalized at 18 with undiagnosed chronic illness symptoms, leading doctors to attribute her condition to anxiety. It was only then that she learned she had an autoimmune disorder called vasculitis, which causes her blood vessels to become inflamed. Her father, who heard from someone else about a similar case cured by a specific diet, pushed Dr. Steven Gundry's lectin-free diet on her.
Despite the lack of rigorous evidence supporting its efficacy, and even potential harm, her father remained convinced that the diet could help manage her condition.
Gundry's claims have been widely disseminated, with his book being recommended to many, including the author's pro-vaccine father. However, even after reading Gundry's Wikipedia page, which includes his own claim that mRNA Covid vaccines "dramatically increase" inflammation, and a correction from Reuters stating there is no reliable evidence to support this, the father stopped pushing the diet.
This inflammatory narrative has been picked up by various platforms, including TikTok, where absurd claims about the need to be in a state of ketosis to reduce inflammation are prevalent. Even health advocates, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have joined the bandwagon, claiming that children today are "overburdened" with inflammation as evidence of their poorer health.
Even the Make America Healthy Again Commission, established by former President Donald Trump, has incorporated this concept, ordering the committee to assess the threat of potential over-utilization of medication and other exposures to children with respect to chronic inflammation.
Despite the lack of substantial evidence, the popularity of these inflammatory theories persists. Health experts warn that these theories can be detrimental, devaluing the struggles of those with legitimate inflammatory disorders. Inflammation, while sometimes necessary for healing, is not inherently bad and plays a crucial role in many bodily functions.
The inflammation craze, however, has been largely driven by wellness influencers who capitalize on legitimate health concerns but promote ineffective and often harmful solutions, such as detoxes and supplements.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
