The Ayahuasca diet, also known as a dieta, is an important element of any leading Ayahuasca retreat in the US. It is not what people believe it to be; rather, an Ayahuasca diet is not meant to be hard and aims at guiding the person’s Ayahuasca journey. It is a temporary diet that should be committed for 4-5 weeks to support you in preparing for your Ayahuasca ceremony. Many leading Ayahuasca retreat centers create a strict diet for the patients before and after they attend an Ayahuasca ceremony.
The Ayahuasca diet is not just about cutting out on certain foods like fermented foods, fried foods, energy drinks, spicy foods, dairy, red meat, spicy foods, etc. It is also about limiting or removing certain behaviors, including sexual activity. It is a time commitment beyond food and behavior restrictions that betters your mind, body, and soul to receive the Ayahuasca brew. So remember that agreeing to the Ayahuasca retreat means agreeing to the ‘dieta.’
Facts About Ayahuasca Diet
The Ayahuasca diet is an important part of a leading Ayahuasca retreat in the US as it helps cleanse your physical and energetic bodies, so the medicine has to do less cleansing and get to work quickly. The dieta ideally begins 14 days before your first ceremony and lasts at least seven days before the Ayahuasca ceremony. Since the Ayahuasca vine contains a monoamine oxidase inhibitor that allows the medicine to work, some foods that contain high amounts of tyramine should be avoided.
The enzyme monoamine oxidase processes tyramine, a lack of which prevents the body from processing tyramine. Hence, it is crucial that you avoid eating foods high in this amino acid in order to prevent your body from reaching high levels of tyramine, as it could lead to headaches or hypertension. Moreover, you should also not be on antidepressants like MAOi or SSRI. In case you have been on these medications, make sure that you let the facility professionals know about it.
Following the diet strictly showcases your respect for the medicine and the work you plan to do. It shows that you are serious about what you want and willing to honor your body and the medicine. You may not be allowed to take Ayahuasca if you do not adhere to these rules since you become a danger to yourself and the people around you. The sooner you begin with the diet, the more clear your mind and body will be.
Foods to Avoid When on an Ayahuasca Diet
The common foods to avoid during the Ayahuasca diet include alcohol, red meat, pork, processed or packaged foods, caffeine, overripe fruits, fermented or aged foods, food items high in salt, sugar, or artificial additives, dairy products, spicy or heavily seasoned foods, fried or greasy foods, peanuts, chocolate, and protein supplements. You should also limit the intake of foods like onions, tomatoes, citrus, fruits, pineapples, mangoes, honey, and garlic.
Drugs to Avoid When on the Ayahuasca Diet
There are some common core habits to cut out in order to reclaim your energy and protect yourself physically and psychologically during an Ayahuasca ceremony. These habits include recreational drugs, sexual activity, high blood pressure medicine, marijuana, prescription drugs, engaging with people energetically, and more.
One should remember that following this strict diet is challenging and may constrain your lifestyle, thus inviting a degree of discipline. As you start avoiding certain habits from your normal routine, you may also notice the underlying conditioning that drives these routines to arise, which can be a powerful tool in recovery.
Your choice of committing to the dieta will be felt, known and observed by the spirit of Ayahuasca when you go in for the ceremony. The more seriously you take the diet, your chance of quick and lasting recovery increases.
What to Eat on the Day of the Ceremony?
On the day of the ceremony, the best thing to have is a simple vegetarian breakfast, followed by a light lunch. A vegan diet or fasting may also be recommended in some cases. On the day of the ceremony, you should avoid spicy foods like chili, caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, soda, eggs, dairy, and heavy sweets. You should drink water or herbal tea and avoid eating after 3:00 p.m. or at least five hours before the session.
You may have some fruits at the end of the ceremony only if there is no nausea or dizziness. If you have unstable or problematic digestion, it is recommended that you avoid a few foods from your diet at least a week before the Aya ceremony, like cheeses and other products made from cream. However, you can have yogurt but not white bread, sugary carbohydrates like cookies and cakes, and products high in gluten or butter.
Also read: Can Diet Make a Difference to Anxiety?
Conclusion
Your focus should be on the Ayahuasca diet and your commitment to it during your retreat. This diet is likely to trigger you in new and old ways. The best way to avoid an uncomfortable feeling with food or habits is by facing it. The Ayahuasca ceremony will invite you to face things that are hard to look at so that you fight the things holding you down or keeping you small. So, if you want to recover from an addiction or mental trauma, you need to give it a chance to Ayahuasca so that you can let go of the things holding you back.
Hi, I’m the Founder and Developer of Paramedics World, a blog truly devoted to Paramedics. I am a Medical Lab Tech, a Web Developer and Bibliophiliac. My greatest hobby is to teach and motivate other peoples to do whatever they wanna do in life.
A very comprehensive guide. Got to learn so many new things