Inflamed

Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice

By: Rupa Marya, Raj Patel

Narrated by: Raj Patel, Rupa Marya

Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

This program is read by the authors.

Raj Patel, the New York Times best-selling author of The Value of Nothing, teams up with physician, activist, and cofounder of the Do No Harm Coalition Rupa Marya to reveal the links between health and structural injustices - and to offer a new deep medicine that can heal our bodies and our world.

The COVID pandemic and the shocking racial disparities in its impact. The surge in inflammatory illnesses such as gastrointestinal disorders and asthma. Mass uprisings around the world in response to systemic racism and violence. Rising numbers of climate refugees. Our bodies, societies, and planet are inflamed.

Boldly original, Inflamed takes us on a medical tour through the human body - our digestive, endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. Unlike a traditional anatomy book, this groundbreaking work illuminates the hidden relationships between our biological systems and the profound injustices of our political and economic systems. Inflammation is connected to the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the diversity of the microbes living inside us, which regulate everything from our brain’s development to our immune system’s functioning. It’s connected to the number of traumatic events we experienced as children and to the traumas endured by our ancestors. It’s connected not only to access to health care but to the very models of health that physicians practice.

Raj Patel, the renowned political economist and New York Times best-selling author of The Value of Nothing, teams up with the physician Rupa Marya to offer a radical new cure: the deep medicine of decolonization. Decolonizing heals what has been divided, reestablishing our relationships with the Earth and one another. Combining the latest scientific research and scholarship on globalization with the stories of Marya’s work with patients in marginalized communities, activist passion, and the wisdom of Indigenous groups, Inflamed points the way toward a deep medicine that has the potential to heal not only our bodies, but the world.

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

©2021 Rupa Marya and Raj Patel (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Starts off well!

The beginning of the book is a compelling narrative about how our health is impacted, negatively, by systematic injustices, colonization, and the inflammation and disruption in microbiomes that result.

However, towards the middle, you fall down a rabbit hole of causes, mainly aimed at European, British, and American colonization (not too hard to believe and examples abound).

Unfortunately, it’s heavy on blame, but light on solutions. And the scant interventions suggested (such as eating organic, native foods and replenishing gut microbes once a part of the natural local diets <through fecal transplants> are largely negated a few paragraphs later with sentiments of “it’s too late”, “forever chemicals”, “probiotic pills don’t change systematic cultural suppression of ‘native cultures’”. Basically, it becomes a diatribe of how the modern world, and colonialism/capitalism, have caused a rise in cancers, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and other inflammatory syndromes.

Finding better ways to improve the health of our soils, and applying sustainable ways to grow healthy harvests is appreciated and a commendable start, but the sense that I get from the authors is that we return to the agricultural ways/economy that existed a thousand years ago, which is not feasible on a large scale, nor sufficient at addressing concerns that could probably benefit from more technology, instead of less.

I will amend my review if the rest is the book addresses sum of my initial misgivings. Overall, so far, a lot of research has gone into this book. I’m looking forward to reading more by these authors, as I absolutely believe American society is not conducive to assuring the health of all Americans, but usually benefits the most wealthy of our nation.

Innovative & Amazing.

Finally, A publicly accessible work that connects the human body to the planet. This writing openly takes human health and connects its 100% to the environment we inhabit.

Phenomenal!

Why has no one ever connected all these dots before now?? This book is no less than phenomenally groundbreaking work! Once you hear it, the connections between illness (body inflammation) global warming (earth inflammation) police violence and other issues of life in low income neighborhoods that inevitably cause emotions and stress levels to stay inflamed- it’s no mystery why as a species and as a planet we are in trouble. I appreciate the care, concern and cultural respect the authors wrote the book with, beautifully done. Also answers to problems suggested. Cannot be more highly recommended.

Medicine for becoming human again

This is the book for our times. Required reading for anyone in the field of medicine. It shed light on so many of the issues facing these curious times, humbly weaving the various threads of history, diaspora, grief, political struggle, colonial repercussions and more into one accessible read. Accessible yet challenging in all the right ways. It does not shy away from the deeper truths we all must now recognize and courageously step into acting upon for the benefit of the whole and a time beyond now. Deep thanks to the authors and their mentors.

Incredible!

For fans of justice, health, & restoration this is a must read! Decolonization is a collective act.

Inflammation Affects All of Us

Inflamed is full of insight on how we deal with inflammation and how the environment contributes to the cause. Fascinating!

Words don’t do this book justice

Everyone should hear/read this book. Everyone.
At times I had to take breaks due its impact and how much it was transforming me as I engaged with it. The breaks helped me process and reflect and have the openness to continue. Now, I’m moved to action. Thank you kindly to the authors.

Value

Most valuable book that I read/heard on Audible!
Like I said, the most valuable book that I have ever heard or read on Audible!!

Culture and community of care

this is one of those books I wish every human could read. it inspires solidarity and deep introspection surrounding our bodies, our environment, and our impact. it makes plain what for many might seem complex, and offers tender guidance towards a more caring future. you will not regret reading this twice💚

this was insightful, amazing, and robust.

went through it like a breeze, and want to read over and over to get it engrained.