Most of my career has been spent treating disease—tumors, mostly one patient at a time.

However, it was only recently that I began targeting something deeper.

Something upstream.

Something ancient.

Inflammation.

Not the helpful kind you get after a cut or cold. That kind heals.

I’m talking about chronic inflammation — the kind that lingers quietly, damaging your blood vessels, brain, joints, and organs like a slow, internal wildfire.

Over time, I’ve come to believe that chronic inflammation is the common thread behind most chronic diseases. The evidence keeps stacking up.

The Number That Predicts How Fast You’re Aging

Most doctors ignore it. I don’t.

medium.com

The Hidden Fire Behind Disease

Dementia? Check.

Type 2 diabetes? Check.

Heart attacks. Strokes. Obesity. Cancer?

Check, check, check.

We call these conditions separate diagnoses.

But I’ve come to see them as symptoms of a deeper cause: the body’s immune system stuck in the “on” position.

Scientists have even coined a term: inflammaging — the chronic, low-grade inflammation that accelerates aging and shortens lifespan.

That realization changed the way I live.

6 Ways I’m Extinguishing the Fire

I don’t believe in silver bullets. But I do believe in stacking small daily wins. Here’s how I’m pushing back against chronic inflammation:

1. Sleep Like It’s Medicine

Sleep isn’t optional. It’s therapeutic.
Insufficient sleep increases inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein. But quality sleep can lower them, especially when it becomes a consistent, protected ritual.

I now aim for 7.5–8 hours per night, without apology. I treat it like an appointment; I don’t cancel.

2. Move Daily, Not Occasionally

Exercise cools inflammation, especially the aerobic kind.
Walking. Cycling. Swimming. Even light strength training. They all lower pro-inflammatory cytokines and boost your cellular resilience.
And yes, I consider walking to be medicine.

3. Eat Food That Fights for You

I’ve shifted toward a Mediterranean-style diet, which includes olive oil, vegetables, nuts, berries, and fatty fish.
I’ve also added turmeric, green tea, and fiber-rich legumes.
These foods don’t just fuel me. They protect me from the inside out.

4. Avoid the Fire-Starters

Two habits pour gasoline on inflammation:

• Smoking
• Excess alcohol

I’ve never smoked. But I do drink on occasion — and now I limit that to one glass a week, if that. Most of the time, sparkling water does the trick just fine.

5. Stay Lean for the Right Reason

Weight isn’t just cosmetic — it’s biochemical.

Visceral fat (the kind that wraps around your organs) fuels inflammation and increases risk for cancer, dementia, and heart disease.

I stay lean, not for a mirror, but for my mitochondria.

6. Take Oral Health Seriously

Inflamed gums = inflamed body.

I didn’t always take flossing seriously. But the link between periodontal disease and heart disease — even cognitive decline — is real.

Now I treat my toothbrush like a prescription.

We Can’t Stop Time — But We Can Stop the Fire

Aging is inevitable.

But how do we age?

That’s far more flexible than most people realize.

If you want more energy, sharper cognition, and a lower risk of disease, start by cooling the flame of inflammation.

It’s not glamorous. But it works.

Final Thoughts

I used to think aging was just a number. Now I think it’s a pattern.

A pattern of how we sleep. How do we move? How do we eat?

And how we treat the quiet signals our body sends us — before they become sirens.

You don’t need a prescription to start.

You just need to start.

If you’re interested in aging better, you might also enjoy This One Lab Result Predicts How Long You’ll Live.

Ready to fight inflammation? Download my free ebook here.
📘 Debunked: 7 Health Myths That Quietly Hurt You
You’ll learn the truth about common habits that silently fuel inflammation, disease, and aging — and how to reverse them.

Author bio:
Michael Hunter, MD, is a cancer doctor, writer, and wellness advocate who believes the best medicine often starts outside the hospital walls.