Inflammation is the body’s response to injury so that it can heal and repair damaged tissue. There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is usually due to an injury, lasts a short time, and is characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain. Chronic inflammation is caused by one of more of the following: environmental toxins, infection, poor nutrition, stress, and processes related to aging. It lasts weeks, months, or years. Chronic inflammation can lead to increased risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Last summer,  I recommended eating more berries in a blogpost since they contain protective antioxidants and flavonoids that can help improve brain function and memory. That’s still sound advice. But did you know that chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains some of those same healthy compounds? Chocolate may also improve blood flow to the brain and reduce inflammation!