A Silent Fire

An expert in nutrition and the gut reveals what inflammation is, why it lies behind many modern diseases and what we can all do to help combat it

Inflammation has traditionally been thought of as the body's response to injury and foreign microbes. But as the threats we face have evolved, what if it were now the root cause of modern disease?

New science has revealed low-level, smoldering inflammation, simmering quietly and undetected, 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.

In this beautifully written story of scientific discovery by a doctor at the forefront of this field, A Silent Fire brings together the science of immunology, nutrition and the microbiome, interwoven with fascinating case studies, to explain what we know of this elusive phenomenon, offering insights into how we can live not only long but well.

'As gripping as a mystery story and as useful as a self-help book' BEE WILSON, author of First Bite

'Compelling, thoughtful and rigorously researched' The Times