Diet, Immunity and Inflammation

In recent decades much research has been carried out into the effects of dietary constituents on human immune responses. One of the body's first responses to infection is inflammation. Though inflammation defends the body against infection, overactive immune responses can cause chronic inflammatory diseases. Long-term low-grade inflammation has also been identified as a risk factor for certain diseases. This book provides an overview of key research in this important area. After an introductory section on the fundamentals of immunity and inflammation, following chapters review the effects of different food constituents. Final chapters discuss important related issues, such as ageing and exercise.