U.S. News and World Report tells us:

Chronic inflammation, long known as the scourge that turns arteries into plaque magnets, may also predict whether breast cancer is likely to recur.

Inflammation turns out to be the culprit in many diseases and many of the aches and pains we feel as we age. It is of course what causes pain in arthritis. The idea that inflammation is associated with cancer is not new — the study referenced above is news because it means a possibility of predicting recurring cancers.  Inflammation is “regarded as a likely cause of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers.” More research links inflammation to heart disease on a regular basis.

One of the reasons that daily aspirin therapy appears to help heart disease patients was obvious once scientists understood the role of inflammation:  aspirin is an anti-inflammatory drug. This simple, inexpensive intervention saves lives.

However, there is another way to battle inflammation in your body, along with all the bad things inflammation does:  diet and exercise. Evidence definitely supports reducing inflammation through diet (entire books have been written on the topic). Although there is less evidence to support exercise reducing inflammation, more research supports it all the time.

It’s something that will not only help you live longer, it’s something that will help you live better.