07/10/2026
๐ฅ The Slow Burn
4 Culprits Fuelling Chronic Inflammation ๐ฅ
I'm always trying to learn more about inflammation - yes, the dreaded word that is ubiquitous within the wellness community (which, of course, includes ourselves, as much as we might like to think we are unique!).
๐ง Anyway, this week I listened to a podcast where they interviewed Professor Luke O'Neill, an immunologist at Trinity College Dublin.
When we started Zestt, our overriding goal was to develop products that reduced chronic inflammation; that's because, in our research, it underpinned all the classic diseases of ageing, like cardiovascular disease, dementia, diabetes, some cancers and autoimmune diseases.
๐ฏ At Zestt, we are confident inflammation is our target, yet we have never been arrogant enough to think we have all the answers for reducing it. Our supplements are designed to reduce inflammation, and for the outcome to be even better when combined with lifestyle changes. Darcy showed this; Zestt Breathe+ measurably improved his lung function quickly, which allowed him to move more. He was then able to make a number of parallel steps: dietary changes, muscle building, cardiovascular training and, working with his doctors, reducing pharmaceuticals from 26 to 3. ๐ช
His story mirrors the advice given by Professor O'Neill in his podcast, although the nutritional changes Darcy made are more in line with a high-fat, low-carbohydrate regimen. In the podcast, Prof O'Neill warns against too much fat in the diet, although he praises olive oil and other plant oils ๐ซ, whereas Darcy has opted for more of a whole foods approach, which included good amounts of fats (for satiety).
I enjoyed the podcast; I have to say Prof O'Neill came up with some great metaphors for describing the biology of inflammation. My favourite was him describing chronic inflammation as like your immune system changing from fighting a war against infections to fighting a civil war (essentially, your body turning on itself). โ๏ธ
I have summarised his main points below, with a few of my own thoughts added in brackets. I will also say that if you have been diagnosed with a chronic disease, there is more and more evidence that, for some conditions, you can partially and, in some cases, fully reverse the disease with lifestyle changes and the right medical support.
1๏ธโฃ Excess body fat, especially around the middle
Obesity is the number 1 chronic inflammation culprit. Visceral fat, which is the fat that gets packed around your organs, is the greatest fat contributor (more so than subcutaneous fat). It generates reactive by-products, which Prof. O'Neill likens to bleach, and these trigger your immune system to clean up. This is why visceral fat is full of active immune cells, and he likened the immune system to a vacuum cleaner, which, when the fat levels get too high, gets overloaded and overheats, driving chronic inflammation.
For those of you following (or even taking) the new weight loss drugs, like Ozempic or Mounjaro, one of the interesting findings in their use is that they have been shown to lower inflammation, as well as reduce visceral fat.
2๏ธโฃ Too much sugar, especially fructose ๐ฌ
If you are experiencing chronic inflammation, then a diet high in glucose adds fuel to the inflammation fire. The breakdown of glucose in an inflamed situation gives off "fumes", including a molecule called succinate, which causes more inflammation.
Inflammation also makes cells less responsive to insulin, so blood sugar levels stay higher, which drives up inflammation again, potentially leading to Type 2 diabetes.
There are different types of sugars, but gram for gram, fructose is the worst offender. Fruit is a natural source of fructose, but this doesn't mean that you should not eat fruit; when the fructose is packaged with fibre, it has less of an effect (although I do tend to minimise my consumption of some fruits, like grapes ๐). The big thing to watch for is the fructose in sugary drinks (including sugary mixers, ciders and premixed alcoholic drinks) and ultra-processed foods.
3๏ธโฃ A gut microbiome short on fibre ๐ฅฆ
Fibre feeds beneficial gut bacteria (which I have written about in previous blogs), which produce anti-inflammatory compounds called short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate). However, when you don't eat enough fibre, you can get an imbalance of the less helpful microbes which produce pro-inflammatory molecules. These can travel beyond the gut to the liver and even the brain.
4๏ธโฃ Poor sleep, stress and a body clock out of sync ๐ด
Back in 1738, Jonathan Swift wrote in Polite Conversation that "The best doctors in the world are Doctor Diet, Doctor Quiet, and Doctor Merryman," which can be interpreted as nutrition, rest/sleep and laughter. Skimping on sleep and living with chronic stress both throw your immune system out of whack. In fact, stress can undo all the good work of a healthy diet.
Inflammation is also connected to having a consistent daily rhythm; for example, jet lag can make arthritis worse, and morning sunlight helps get your body clock back on track โ๏ธ (I am feeling virtuous on this one; with the longer days, I have been charging my circadian rhythm with a dawn ocean plunge - bracing but beautiful! ๐)
โ 1 in 3 of us will develop an inflammatory disease
Prof O'Neill says one in three of us will develop an inflammatory disease in our lifetime, and that includes heart disease. Low-grade inflammation also tends to creep up as we age (levels of CRP, a blood marker of inflammation, rise as we get older). Lifestyle is the key to keeping it at low levels (and not letting it turn into a full-on civil war!).
When you have chronic inflammation, it triggers the same molecules as an infection. You know how you want to curl up in bed and hide from the world when you get an infection? Well, your body responds in the same way to the inflammatory signals from chronic inflammation, leaving you tired and low-energy; it can also affect your mood. Further to this, long-term chronic inflammation sp*eds up the ageing process itself (inflammageing).
โ
Lifestyle changes work
The encouraging news is that lifestyle changes work. Eat a varied, plant-rich, high-fibre diet, with some good-quality protein and fats (whole foods basically). Keep added sugar in check, stay active, protect your sleep and get quality morning light.
And if all of this is making you depressed, don't forget Doctor Merryman; go find a friend for a good chinwag and chuckle! ๐
