The Silent Fire: Symptoms of Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation from Ultra-Processed Foods
In the world of medicine, inflammation is traditionally viewed as a hero. When you stub your toe or catch a cold, acute inflammation is the signal that your immune system has deployed its troops to repair tissue and fight off pathogens. You see it as redness, feel it as heat, and experience it as temporary pain. However, there is a much more insidious version of this process: Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation (LGCI).
Unlike the sharp, localized “fire” of an injury, LGCI is a slow, systemic “simmer” that persists for years, often without the patient realizing it. Modern nutritional science has identified a primary driver of this silent fire: the heavy consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs). These industrially manufactured products—laden with refined oils, emulsifiers, and synthetic additives—do more than just add calories; they trigger a perpetual immune response that eventually erodes the health of our organs, brain, and metabolic systems.