Inflammation Traps Your Body in “Fat Storage Mode”

When inflammation is elevated in the body, it pushes the body into what she describes as caloric conservation — essentially, fat storage mode. It becomes a self-perpetuating cycle: inflammation drives fat storage, which can then contributes to more inflammation.

In her practice, Dr. Hehmeyer uses lab testing to actually measure inflammation levels in her clients. When inflammation is elevated, she often spends three to four weeks working intensively on nutrition, lifestyle, and targeted supplementation before clients even see the scale move — because until that inflammatory cycle is interrupted, the body simply won’t release and burn stored energy.

Where Does the Inflammation Come From?

Inflammation isn’t one-size-fits-all. According to Dr. Hehmeyer, common sources include:

• Latent systemic infections (yeast overgrowth, viral or chronic bacterial infections)

• A diet high in pro-inflammatory foods

• Autoimmune conditions

• Imbalances in the gut microbiome

And yes — the microbiome (the ecosystem of bacteria, yeasts, viruses and parasites in the gut) itself can be a sneaky contributor. Blood sugar imbalances also play a major role: pro-inflammatory foods tend to fuel the blood sugar rollercoaster, and mastering blood sugar stability has a powerful downstream effect on reducing inflammation.

Source: Midlife Vitality