A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet and Disease

(Paperback)

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An expert in nutrition and the gut reveals what inflammation is, why it lies behind many modern diseases and what we can all do to help combat it Inflammation has traditionally been thought of as the body's response to injury and foreign microbes. But as the threats we face have evolved, what if it were now the root cause of modern disease New science has revealed low-level, smoldering inflammation, simmering quietly and undetected, behind everything from heart disease and cancer to mysterious autoimmune conditions. Hidden inflammation even weakens our immunity and increases the likelihood that our immune system will mount an overwhelming, inappropriate attack against infections. In this beautifully written story of scientific discovery by a doctor at the forefront of this field, A Silent Fire brings together the science of immunology, nutrition and the microbiome, interwoven with fascinating case studies, to explain what we know of this elusive phenomenon, offering insights into how we can live not only long but well.

Author Bio

Shilpa Ravella is a transplant gastroenterologist with expertise in nutrition and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Slate, Discover, and USA Today, among other publications, and she has appeared as an expert on ABC's Good Morning America and in print media outlets including Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Food and Wine, Glamour, and Women's Health. Her TED-Ed lesson, 'How the Food You Eat Affects Your Gut,' has garnered over five million views.