Our doctors want us to be healthy and live active lifestyles. Yet sometimes, no matter what we do, we're still at risk for disease.

Studies have found that chronic inflammation could have something to do with it. Recent studies have shown that many common diseases and conditions are classified as chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is hidden swelling that occurs in our bodies, causing pain and redness, like arthritis...

And when tissues are inflamed, it can lead to blood vessel problems.

So conditions like obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease are associated with chronic inflammation.

Winchester Medical Center Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Jim Wiedower says this is one reason why there is much more to obesity than eating too much and storing fat.

"Problems like inflammatory changes in blood vessels can cause heart trouble. So obesity as related to some of these other problems and that it is a chronic inflammatory condition if you measure those proteins in obese patients, they tend to be elevated. And that can cause you to have lots of different medical problems related to inflammation," said Wiedower.

Valley Health is hosting a symposium about chronic inflammation on Friday.

Doctors, nurses and health professionals from all fields will learn about obesity and diabetes.

They're hoping more will understand the everyday challenges people with diseases of chronic inflammation face.

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