ABSTRACT
Probably the most important concept that has emerged from each of these chapters is the pervasive role that inflammation-associated signaling plays in the etiology of diabetes, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), chronic diseases that are responsible for the vast majority of the many hundreds of billions of dollars spent as annual direct and indirect costs for health care in the United States. The second is that the prevailing inadequate dietary and activity habits of Americans compromise cell functions and enhance proinflammatory signaling to such a degree that they are major contributors to the etiology of these chronic diseases. The detrimental effects of nutritionally insufficient diets, consuming too many calories, and participating in too little physical activity and the impacts of poor diet and activity habits on the progression of chronic diseases are profound. In essence, it is through our lifestyle of mindless ease and plenty that so many of us are in a constant, low-level proinflammatory state. The term mindless simply refers to the idea that most people are completely unaware of how detrimental their lifestyle really is to their own health, and even if they are aware they rarely change their behaviors. As a result, a large majority in the United States is highly susceptible to cellular and tissue dysfunctions from any cellular stressors regardless of their source and therefore at high risk for chronic disease.
