Even in infections, it can be the inflammatory response which causes the damage. I had myocarditis following a flu infection, but it wasn't the influenza virus that screwed up my heart muscle, it was the white blood cells going apeshit trying to kill it.
I not sure whether this is the point you were making or not, but without the inflammation perhaps you would have simply died from the flu infection due to insufficient white blood cells around to kill it before it spread elsewhere in your body.
But it's perfectly possible to acknowledge the damage inflammation does while also acknowledging its necessity (or at least the possibility of its necessity). Just like e.g. you can acknowledge that chemotherapy drugs do damage to the body while still acknowledging that they're necessary sometimes.
If you took falling lessons as a kid, and you knew how to properly respond- following the push to a controlled fall, roll, or other redirection- you'd be fine. Sometimes the overreaction is the problem.
Learning to snowboard on dry slopes gave me an instinct to fall with my elbows down and firsts up in front of me, so that I block my body with my arms, but have my fists clenched to protect my fingers. Obviously this does nothing if I don't fall forwards, but anyway.
I disagree. I was by far the smallest kid in my grade, but I took a couple of years of judo when I was 7. It was really useful as I grew up. A big equalizer for me. It does give you an intuitive sense of how to move and a shift your weight in your favor. Even if you fall, you end up falling on top of the other kid. As an adult and for personal defense I think Judo comes right after BJJ and wrestling.
Judo definitely helps. Any full contact martial art will, and Judo is the one with the most contact (at kids level) and lowest chance of serious injury. Wrestling too, but Judo typically covers more.
Lots of close contact will mean you're far less likely to panic in a fight situation. Most people have never been in a fight let alone hit.
Plus the fitness of course. Judo helps enormously with core strength.
BJJ borrows a lot from Judo, particularly the grappling.
Out of interest, how did you find out it was the white blood cells that were hurting the heart muscle? I have a history of myocarditis without any proper diagnosis.
