Inflammation is the body’s natural defense mechanism, but when it becomes chronic, it can fuel many of the symptom's women experience during perimenopause and menopause. Hot flashes, joint pain, fatigue, weight gain, and even mood swings can all be worsened by an inflammatory diet. Before we get into how it affects us, we will start by discussing what inflammation is. What is Inflammation? Inflammation is a protective reaction response to something going on in your body. It can be acute or chronic. What's the difference? Acute is the body's natural response to an injury or an infection, or when you get sick such as a cold . Our immune system will activate an inflammatory process to protect the body in order to heal. For example, if you have a cut, it turns red, some heat, and swelling, some pain or stiffness to the tissue. Acute inflammation is good; it's our natural process to begin healing. Chronic inflammation on the other hand is persistent, will hot have ob...