“We spend so much time trying to think our way better. But true healing often starts deeper—in the nervous system, the immune system, the places words can’t reach.”
Inflammation: The Hidden Saboteur
We don’t talk enough about inflammation.
And yet it’s behind some of the most pervasive challenges people face today. Depression. Anxiety. Alzheimer’s. IBS. Chronic fatigue. Heart disease. Even long COVID. The list goes on.
When your body is in a chronic state of defense—whether due to stress, poor diet, trauma, or environmental exposures—it starts to fight itself. And that battle doesn’t stay isolated to one organ or system. It becomes the background hum of dysfunction across the entire body-mind network.
Personally, as someone who’s been active most of my life—running, golfing, pushing my body in different ways—I’ve had to learn the hard way that inflammation isn’t just something that shows up in a swollen joint. It can live in the gut, the brain, the nervous system. It shows up as irritability, fatigue, trouble sleeping, or just not feeling quite right.
And the food we eat? It matters. A lot.
Ultra-processed foods, sugar, seed oils, and alcohol all contribute to inflammatory load. And even “healthy” foods can become triggers in a dysregulated system.
So where do psychedelics come in?
Psychedelics and the Inflammatory Response
Here’s where things get interesting. Several studies suggest that classic psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD may reduce inflammation—not just psychologically, but biologically.
A 2013 review in Nature Reviews Neuroscience noted that psychedelics appear to downregulate pro-inflammatory cytokines—immune molecules that can drive chronic inflammation and mood disorders. More recently, a 2022 study by Davydov et al. found that LSD suppressed the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a key inflammatory marker, in human immune cells.
Psilocybin also activates the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor, which plays a role in both mood and immune regulation. When this receptor is engaged, it appears to shift immune signaling from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory pathways (Flanagan et al., 2022).
In plain terms: the same mechanism that helps people feel emotionally lighter may also help the immune system stand down.
Microdosing and Subtle Shifts
While clinical trials mostly focus on full-dose psychedelic experiences, microdosing is where many people are noticing subtle but steady changes. Some report fewer body aches. Less brain fog. Improved digestion. Better sleep. More emotional resilience.
Are these changes caused by reduced inflammation? Possibly.
Though research is still catching up, the anecdotal pattern is strong. When people microdose consistently, they often begin to feel less inflamed—both physically and emotionally.
Microdosing doesn’t numb you. It brings you back into conversation with your body. And that reconnection may be one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory shifts of all.
A Personal Take: Running, Golf, and Learning to Listen
I’ve always been someone who found clarity through movement.
Running clears my mind in ways nothing else does—just me, my breath, the road, and that feeling of momentum. Golf, on the other hand, teaches me patience. It’s where I learn to focus, slow down, and stay grounded in the moment. But for years, I carried inflammation with me into both.
It wasn’t always obvious. Sometimes it was tightness in my hips that seemed to stick no matter how much I stretched. Other times it was a foggy head that made it hard to concentrate, or a kind of inner heaviness that felt like dragging a weighted vest through the day.
I knew something had to change.
So I started listening to my body in a way I never had before. I changed the way I ate—paying close attention to inflammatory foods like sugar, processed oils, and even “healthy” foods that didn’t sit right with me. I began intermittent fasting and stuck with it. Over time, I lost 50 pounds. Yes, I made real changes. But I believe what allowed me to actually sustain those changes—the thing that helped me feel in tune with my body rather than in battle with it—was microdosing.
I’ve been microdosing for two years now, and it’s not an exaggeration to say it helped shift the entire foundation of how I relate to my health. It didn’t make me lose the weight. It didn’t make me eat better or fast or stretch. But it helped me care—deeply, intuitively, sustainably. It helped me feel connected to the why behind my choices.
Microdosing created enough space in my nervous system to hear what my body was asking for. Enough calm to stop white-knuckling my way through willpower and start feeling what was actually working.
Today, when I run, I feel lighter—not just physically, but emotionally. When I play golf, my mind is clearer. I’m less reactive, more present, more able to enjoy the moment. And when inflammation does creep in, I notice it earlier. I respond with care instead of frustration.
And now, at 50, I feel better than I did at 30.
I’ve golfed since I was five years old—but just recently, I played the best round of my life. I lost 50 pounds for my 50th birthday. And it’s not just the physical change that feels big—it’s the sense of alignment. Of truly being in tune with myself.
Microdosing didn’t do the work for me. But it helped me stay with the work. It helped me stay aware, stay curious, stay committed. And when you’re not fighting your body, that’s when everything starts to click—your swing, your stride, your life.
I’m not slowing down. I’m just getting started.
Final Thoughts
The research is still unfolding. But the early signs are encouraging: psychedelics may help reduce inflammation not just by shifting brain chemistry—but by supporting nervous system safety, emotional regulation, and lifestyle alignment.
If inflammation is a symptom of disconnection—from our bodies, our needs, our boundaries—then psychedelics, when used intentionally, may be one way to come home to ourselves.
Want to Track Your Own Healing?
The NLYTN Microdosing Community gives you the tools to measure physical and emotional shifts over time—from daily wellness check-ins to personalized dashboards that make patterns visible. You’ll also get access to psychedelic therapists, education, and a supportive community that believes you deserve to feel well.
Because healing inflammation isn’t just about what you stop doing. It’s about what you start creating.