Don't flood your body with too many nutrients

Since we were kids, we heard from parents, teachers, and even PSA characters like "The Hanker For a Hunka Cheese" guy that we need to get nutrients from food. But, what happens when we are getting too many? Couple that excess of nutrients and caloric intake with a lack of exercise, and you run the risk of an inflammatory immune response.

Sort of like a dam, if the body is overloaded with nutrients, it will eventually give out. However, unlike a breached dam, an overwhelmed body will result in low-grade inflammation characteristic of obesity and other metabolic diseases. This is why researchers from Harvard have been trying to come up with a treatment to reinforce this barrier, and they are doing so by paying close attention to a protein, enriched in fat cells, called STAMP2.

The researchers discovered that animals that lack STAMP2 develop inflammation in deep pockets of visceral fat. The animals also showed signs of metabolic syndrome; including insulin resistance and a propensity for type 2 diabetes. The scientists hope that finding a treatment to strengthen STAMP2 may help the body retain control. Essentially, add some reinforcement to the retaining walls of the dam. But, this treatment won't be coming any time soon, for the scientists admit that it may require years of further investigation to yield the results necessary to move forward.