A Silent Fire is a captivating expert account of inflammation's hidden role in many of the diseases of modernity and what we can actually do about it. 'Controlling Inflammation is the key to good health and this beautifully written and researched book is the best way to understand it' TIM SPECTOR , #1 bestselling author of Food for Life 'As gripping as a mystery story and as useful as a self-help book' BEE WILSON , author of First Bite _____ Inflammation is the body's response to injury and foreign microbes. But what if it were also a potential root cause of modern disease? The swelling and soreness of inflammation are caused by the gathering of immune cells to defend and heal our bodies. But as our environments and diets have rapidly changed, new science suggests that our immune systems are increasingly turning against us. Low-level inflammation, simmering quietly and undetected, has recently been identified behind everything from heart disease and cancer to mysterious autoimmune conditions. Hidden inflammation even weakens our immunity and increases the likelihood that our immune system will mount an overwhelming, inappropriate attack against infections. Shilpa Ravella is a specialist doctor at the forefront of this field, working on rare inflammatory disorders, gut transplants, nutrition and the microbiome. In A Silent Fire she interweaves the latest research with unusual case studies from her own practice and the history of immunology to explain what we know about this elusive phenomenon.

She also debunks common myths about 'anti-inflammatory' lifestyles and reveals how we can reform our relationships with food and our microbiomes to benefit our own health and the planet's. In the eyes of many experts, inflammation is emerging as a common root of the diseases of modernity. This captivating narrative of scientific discovery explains why - and how we might control it.