Detecting Hidden Inflammation: Key Strategies to Uncover and Address Inflammation

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “inflammation?” You might imagine pain, swelling, burning and fever—and you’d be right. These are all symptoms of inflammation, and they’re all pretty hard to ignore. But not all inflammation is so easy to spot. Some inflammation hides within other symptoms or remains completely invisible—until it results in an autoimmune disease like arthritis, lupus or diabetes. 

Hidden inflammation is often chronic, and chronic inflammation has been identified as the most significant cause of death worldwide by the WHO [1]. To make things worse, Americans are in the midst of an inflammation crisis. About 1 in 5 Americans suffer from inflammation-related autoimmune diseases, and many are at risk of developing them. 

If your inflammation stays hidden, it will only get worse, taking your quality of life along with it. Now is the time to find out where inflammation is hiding in your body so you can deal with it before it’s too late. 

Acute Inflammation vs. Chronic Inflammation 

Some types of inflammation are obvious, and some are hidden. Why is that? Inflammation manifests in different ways based on your diet, genetics, lifestyle, biological sex and other factors. But it generally falls into two categories: acute and chronic. 

Acute inflammation is a bit like the fire brigade of your body—it’s big, it’s loud, it’s red and it’s hard to ignore. Acute inflammation shows up when you get hurt. It stops the damage from a cut, break, sprain or infection before it gets worse. After its job is done, it retreats and allows your body to heal. Imagine our fire brigade rolling up to blast a burning house with water and then going home when the blaze has been put out. Acute inflammation may be painful, but it is good inflammation—it’s your immune system doing its job properly.

Chronic inflammation is another story. This occurs when the fire brigade doesn’t go home after the fire is out. It sticks around and continues to blast your house (healthy cells and tissue in your body) with water. Your body can only survive this attack for so long until it turns into a pile of soggy rubble. This is when you are at the highest risk to develop an autoimmune disease. 

But wouldn’t you notice this was happening? Not always. When inflammation enters the chronic stage, those fire hoses may reduce their power from a blast to a steady flow. This causes inflammation that falls below your threshold for pain and discomfort. In other words, it slowly destroys your body under the radar—completely hidden. 

Where Inflammation May Be Hiding in Your Body

Hidden inflammation is not always without symptoms. You just need to know what to look for—and where to look. These are the areas in your body that are the most prone to hidden inflammation. 

The Brain and Nervous System 

Your brain is pretty important, (you only have one and at this point in time you can’t replace it) and it’s one of the biggest targets for hidden inflammation. That manifests in symptoms like anxiety, depression, brain fog and poor memory. Many people suffer from these cognitive issues for one reason or another, so we’ve begun to believe that they’re normal. In fact, these issues are almost always signs of a deeper problem, such as chronic inflammation. 

Chronic inflammation of the brain and nervous system can lead to diseases like dementia and Parkinson’s, so clearing your head is no joke [2,3]. Where can you start? A better diet comes first. This is because brain inflammation is often triggered by a leaky gut (a condition that involves gut bacteria escaping and wreaking havoc in your body) [4]. Eat plenty of probiotic foods and consider a vitamin D supplement to strengthen your intestinal lining.  DHA is also critical for brain health, and it’s a powerful systemic anti-inflammatory nutrient that protects your brain and circulatory system. *

The Digestive System

Your digestive system is a place where sneaky inflammation loves to hide. From burps to reflux to bloating, inflammation may be at the root of what many consider routine discomfort. Chronic inflammation of the intestines can lead to loads of disorders such as IBS, Crohn’s, leaky gut and more. And as we learned in the previous section, gut inflammation rarely remains localized. This may be why most people with chronic diseases also suffer from gut inflammation [5]. Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said that “all diseases begin in the gut.” And that was 2400 years ago!

The most important nutrients for combatting hidden gut inflammation are vitamin D, omega-3s, and antioxidants like curcumin. Americans don’t get enough of ANY of these nutrients, so consider adding a supplement to your diet if your tummy ever feels rumbly. *

The Detox System

Your lymph nodes, liver and kidney keep your body clean by flushing out toxins. If inflammation occurs in these organs, they can’t do their job. Hidden inflammation of the detox system is particularly insidious, as it can cause toxins to build up slowly over time without you noticing the damage. Antioxidants are absolutely crucial for combating detox inflammation and getting rid of those excess toxins in your body. For this we recommend taking curcumin, one of the most powerful antioxidants. Zinc is also an antioxidant, and it regulates the immune system for balanced inflammation, making it a go-to for detox system health [6]. * 

The Insulin System

Diabetes is a poster child for hidden inflammation. It’s an autoimmune disease that sneaks up on people unnoticed due to chronic inflammation, and it can’t be cured. Hidden inflammation affects insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, sending blood sugar and insulin levels out of whack [7]. The symptoms include heightened hunger, thirst and weight gain—something most Americans don’t notice as out of the ordinary. The best way to combat this inflammation and prevent diabetes is to exercise and lose weight. Exercise is an anti-inflammatory activity, and studies have shown that it protects the pancreas from hidden inflammation [8]. 

The Endocrine System

The endocrine system controls your hormones and includes your thyroid, adrenal glands, reproductive organs and parts of your brain. Inflammation in any of these areas can wildly alter your mental and physical health. The problem is, when your health is altered long-term, it can become the new normal and go on unnoticed. If you’ve noticed a shift in your personality, sleep habits or sex drive, you may be suffering from chronic endocrine inflammation. Nutrients that may counter endocrine inflammation and regulate hormonal release include selenium, vitamin D and vitamin B12.*  

The Musculoskeletal System

The musculoskeletal system is affected by the most common chronic inflammatory condition—arthritis, which is definitely not hidden. However, less intense inflammation can go unnoticed and result in damage to the joints, ligaments and muscles. In fact, inflammation is connected to all musculoskeletal diseases, most of which lead to long-term pain, stress and limited mobility [9]. What can you do about it? The best way to fight this inflammation is with exercise and sleep. Lack of sleep and a sedentary lifestyle (both common among Americans) are leading causes of musculoskeletal inflammation [10]. Taking a joint health supplement along with exercise and rest may help you fight inflammation—and relieve joint discomfort—even faster. Just be careful to not overdo it with exercise.  Overtraining and constant high intensity exercise can ironically be a source of chronic inflammation  

The Immune System

The immune system is the source of all inflammation because inflammation is an immune response. When autoimmunity occurs, it means that your immune system attacks your body using inflammation as its primary weapon. Autoimmunity can trigger chronic inflammation in every part of your body. Sometimes it’s very noticeable (ouch!), and sometimes it’s completely hidden. Regulating your immune system can rebalance your inflammatory response and stop hidden inflammation before it starts. When it comes to boosting immunity, vitamins B, C, D, and zinc are heavy hitters. You can get all of them (and more) in an immunity-optimizing supplement like Manna Liposomal Elderberry Immune. 

Found: Hidden Inflammation

Sometimes, the hardest part of dealing with hidden inflammation is locating it in the first place. But even if you can’t find it, there are steps you can take to reduce hidden inflammation anywhere in the body. Getting enough sleep and physical activity is critical for regulating inflammation naturally. Your diet also plays an important role. Consuming plenty of antioxidants and vitamin D daily will target chronic inflammation wherever it hides. 

We recommend adding Manna Liposomal Curcumin and Manna Liposomal Vitamin D3 + K2 to your diet to get the inflammation-regulating nutrition you need. Our liquid liposomal formula is highly bioavailable, meaning your body can absorb up to 10x more nutrition with every dose compared to pills and powders. And, our supplements are formulated from the finest ingredient sources to deliver natural nutrition your body can easily use. 

Taking steps to fight hidden inflammation now can prevent you from developing one (or more) of hundreds of diseases in the future. Don’t let inflammation hide in your body any longer. Flush it out with diet, sleep and exercise, and bring your immunity back into balance.