Inflammation 101

Inflammation: it’s the reason your ankle swells after a sprain and a hidden engine behind heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. In this foundational episode of The College of Glycation, Professor Paul Reynolds walks us through the science of inflammation—what it is, how it works, and why it’s both essential and potentially destructive.

You’ll learn the difference between acute and chronic inflammation, the signaling molecules driving these responses, and how modern lifestyles—from sugar-loaded diets to constant stress—are fanning the flames. Drawing from historical insights and cutting-edge research, this episode unpacks how inflammation connects to the biggest health challenges of our time—and more importantly, what we can do about it.

Whether you’re trying to make sense of a blood test or just want to understand your body’s internal alarm system, this is your crash course in the biology of burning out—and how to cool the fire down.