Attempting to lower inflammation in the elderly is risky because the inflammatory response remains essential for protecting against infections.

“We are reducing people's risk of rate of...Well, likely rate of progression of atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's and such alike, but we were also increasing their risk of dying pneumonia.”

Chronic inflammation is the primary driver of disease in the United States and should be addressed through lifestyle, diet, and physiological assessment.

“So, inflammation single-handedly causing more disease in this country than anything else.”

Chronic inflammation resulting from long-term social stress is a primary mechanism linking isolation to adverse health outcomes.

“in long-term stress, what can happen is the the body sort of desensitizes to that cortisol. And so when it should normally be anti-inflammatory, it's no longer having that property. And so inflammation can build up over time with chronic stress and therefore cause chronic inflammation.”