 There is evidence of a link between a form of low-grade systemic inflammation and several chronic diseases. This subclass of inflammation has been labeled a meta-inflammation, para-inflammation, or smoldering inflammation. Obesity is known to be associated with this form of inflammation, though this recent paper argues that obesity may be more of kind of canary in the coal mine. Well, if this inflammation is now known to underline most, not all forms of chronic disease, what are some of the inducers of this inflammation? Well, that coal mine may actually be one, air pollution rising CO2 levels, but also second-hand smoke, inactivity, too much activity, like marathon runners actually may be stressing their bodies too much, excessive alcohol, calories, fast food, the Western diet, saturated in trans fats, not enough fiber, and too much sugar, meat, and salt. Note, though, they specify domestic meat. Might wild game be healthier? One study comparing the meat of both captive and wild pheasants, for example, found significantly more saturated fat in the domesticated birds, which is one of the components blamed for helping trigger that meat-induced post-prandial or after-meal inflammatory response, given the potent inflammatory effects of saturated fat. So, wild animals would seem to be the least unhealthy meat option, but it wasn't until recently when we got any real evidence one way or the other. This group of Australian researchers compared the amount of inflammation triggered by modern meat, domesticated animal meat, compared to that triggered by kangaroo meat. They looked at three different inflammatory markers, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein. Here's the regular meat, big spike in inflammation, one hour, two hours after eating meat. No surprise, that's what animal fat does. But here's the kangaroo. Sure, still causes that smoldering meta-inflammation, but not as much as store-bought meat.