Inflammation is the new medical buzzword. It seems as though everyone is talking about it, especially the fact that inflammation appears to play a role in many chronic diseases. The July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter highlights inflammation's role in cardiovascular disease.

Of course, inflammation isn't entirely bad. Acute inflammation — the kind that protects and heals the body after an injury or infection — is essential and normal. In the wake of a nasty cut or broken bone, the battle is on! Immediately, a biochemical cascade improves blood flow to the area. Nerve endings and other cells at the site of the injury or infection send out signaling molecules and other chemical components to recruit the body's equivalent of the Superhero — white blood cells that fight off foreign bodies. It's an amazing process that from the surface looks like swelling and can hurt, but it's all part of making things better. That's acute inflammation. It's necessary and normal for good health.