Book excerpt: Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or illness, but long-term inflammation can silently turn on us, becoming a danger to our health. This guide explains how chronic inflammation damages cells and can lead to asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Fortunately, there are natural solutions to keep chronic inflammation in check. Our food choices can make a crucial difference. Learn how to design an anti-inflammatory diet based on health-protective plant-based foods with high concentrations of phytochemicals and other essential inflammation-fighting nutrients. Then enjoy a few delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes that reveal how to incorporate a wide variety of these power-packed foods into everyday dishes.