One of the most insidious consequences of hormonal imbalances, and insulin resistance in particular, is inflammation, which is now thought to be at the root of all chronic illness we experience — from heart disease, obesity and diabetes to dementia, depression, cancer and even autism.

Inflammation and immune balance is yet another one of the body’s core systems we must address to prevent disease and power our vitality. We may feel healthy, but if this inflammation is raging inside of us, we’re in trouble.

The real concern is not our acute inflammatory response to injury or infection, but the chronic smoldering inflammation that slowly destroys our organs, compromises our ability for optimal functioning and leads to rapid aging.

The real effects of statin drugs like Lipitor in reducing heart disease may have nothing to do with lowering cholesterol and everything to do with their unintended side effect of reducing inflammation. But is that the right approach to address the problem? No. This treatment approach is a classic example of what I call “downstream” medicine: Modern medicine tends to get caught up in treating the symptom — inflammation, in this case — without actually stopping to think: What is actually triggering this inflammation? Where is it coming from?

Common treatments such as anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen or aspirin, for example), or steroids like prednisone, though often useful for acute problems, interfere with the body’s immune response and inevitably lead to serious side effects. In fact, as many people die from the side effects of taking excessive amounts of anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen as die every year from asthma or leukemia. In other words, stopping the inappropriate use of these drugs would be the lifesaving equivalent of finding a cure for asthma or leukemia. Hard to believe, but true.

So, what is the “upstream” medical approach to inflammation? First, identify the triggers and causes of inflammation, such as sugar, processed foods, hidden food allergens, environmental allergens, toxins, stress, being sedentary and hidden infections. Then, remove as many as possible, and help the body’s natural immune balance reset by providing the right conditions for it to thrive.

Taking a comprehensive approach to reducing inflammation at its source is one of the most important things we can do to support the core systems of the body, and I consider it a cornerstone to good health.

In fact, the future of medicine may no longer have specialties like cardiology or neurology or gastroenterology, but new specialists like “inflammologists” who focus on precisely these sorts of root causes of disease. In the meantime, it’s up to you to keep a close eye on your own “fire withi