Dietary Guidelines

“Eat less from a box and more from the earth.”

Fresh and healthy foods like potatoes, vegetables and fruits, as well as grains, such as bread, rice, cereals and pasta are the way to go about this diet. In terms of meat, if you are not a vegetarian, it is best to limit yourself to chicken, turkey and fish, but keep it to a minimum. Do not use too many spices and limit the intake of salt and sugar. Some types of foods do not go well with ayahuasca, these are foods that contain the amino acid “tyramine”. Under normal circumstances this is not a problem, but when we have a MAO inhibitor active in our system, tyramine can be absorbed in the body. This causes a release of adrenaline, which can cause headaches, sweating, increased heart rate and blood pressure. These effects have been known to be mild and have never caused severe damage, but, nevertheless, it is wise to limit these foods, especially when you suffer from high blood pressure or heart problems. Medication, drugs and supplements are also prohibited with the use of ayahuasca and must be stopped 2 weeks before the ceremony. Even the usage of a simple nose spray could prevent you from participating in a ceremony. Below you find a list of substances you can’t consume when preparing for an ayahuasca ceremony.

2 weeks prior to retreat:

Stop the usage of drugs and supplements. When in doubt, please contact our center.
Begin reducing refined sugars, salt, caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants.
Limit red meat, heavy fats and processed foods.
Stop eating pork.

3 days prior to retreat:

Stop the usage of certain prescribed medication (always consult a medical professional and the team at Acsauhaya)
No alcohol or drugs
No dried or fermented sausage/meats (e.g. salami, pepperoni, corned beef and liver)
No fermented cheeses or foods (e.g. canned foods, sauerkraut, soy, tempeh, kimchee)
No old or moldy cheeses (you CAN eat young cheese; e.g ricotta, mozzarella, cottage cheese & cream cheese)
No overripe bananas or avocados
Reduce dairy
No dried or salted fish
Keep nuts, peanuts, seeds and dried fruit to a minimum

No large amounts of chocolate
No protein extracts or supplements (they often contain yeast extract, e.g. Marmite/Tartex)
No artificial sweeteners
No caffeine, toramine or other stimulants (coffee, energy drinks)
Avoid certain herbal drinks/teas, like Ginseng & St John’s wort
No nose sprays
No orgasms (sexual energy is a potent energy source and should be reserved for ceremony, rather than released)
Drink plenty of water (but avoid drinking too much directly before or during the ceremony)

Keep up the diet for at least 3 days after the ceremony. Although it is not mandatory, it can be very helpful to develop a body/mind practice, like meditation or yoga, if you don’t have one already. Such a practice teaches you to focus your energy and connect to your breath, which can be very helpful throughout the ayahuasca process (see Preparing yourself).

“Prepare not just the body, but also the mind and soul for the healing process.”

FAQ

Why should I follow an ayahuasca diet?acsauhaya2019-05-02T13:46:57+02:00

Why should I follow an ayahuasca diet?

The MAO inhibitors that are present in the ayahuasca brew, strongly conflict with certain drugs, medication or certain physical abnormalities, which can result in serious consequences. Therefore, we ask you to fill out our extensive questionnaire. We review each case one-by-one and decide if your situation is a contraindication to the usage of ayahuasca.

Aside from the possible contraindications (that might exclude you from participation), there are also certain foods that do not go well with the MOA inhibitors in the ayahuasca brew. These are foods that contain the amino acid “tyramine”. In the dietary guidelines we provide a detailed list of these. Under normal circumstances, the enzymes in our bodies can degrade this amino acid, but when we have a MAO inhibitor active in our system, these enzymes are – temporarily – not functioning. This causes a release of adrenaline which can trigger headaches and sweating and can increase the heart rate and blood pressure. Therefore, it is wise to limit the intake of foods that contain this amino acid, especially when you suffer from high blood pressure or heart problems.

Besides, by carefully preparing our bodies and minds for the upcoming ayahuasca experience, we show our willingness and commitment to truly dive into this process to receive the healing we need.

What can I eat before (and after) ayahuasca?acsauhaya2019-05-02T13:46:57+02:00

What can I eat before (and after) ayahuasca?

As a preparation for your ceremony, it is important to follow a diet and to avoid certain foods that contain the amino acid “tyramine”, because they can interact with the MAO inhibitors in the brew. For a full description of the proper diet, please click here.

What to eat on the day of the ayahuasca ceremony?acsauhaya2019-05-02T13:46:57+02:00

What to eat on the day of the ayahuasca ceremony?

On the days of your ceremonies, it is best to have only light meals. You can start the day with some cereals with fresh fruits (no banana!) and plant-based milks. Later you can have some bread/crackers with a bit of spread, a soup or a smoothie as a light meal. You can drink herbal tea or water as much as you want.

We advise you not to eat up to three hours before the ceremony. When you will participate in our retreat, we will make sure the food that will be served is safe for you to eat. We will also make a round to warn people about the “last round” of food before the next ceremony.

What not to eat with ayahuasca?acsauhaya2019-05-02T13:46:57+02:00

What not to eat with ayahuasca?

Before and during your ayahuasca retreat, you need to avoid certain foods that contain tyramine, because they can interact with the MAO inhibitors in the brew. For a full description of the proper diet, please click here.

When to start the ayahuasca diet?acsauhaya2019-05-02T13:46:57+02:00

When to start the ayahuasca diet?

We recommend you to start (certain aspects of) the diet at least 2 weeks prior to your retreat (e.g. stop the usage of drugs and certain prescribed medication – NEVER WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR FIRST!). Read more in the dietary guidelines.

One important aspect of the preparation for your ayahuasca experience is rest. Make sure to get enough sleep, but also limit the intake of stimulants. Don’t lose yourself in distractions and allow plenty of time for and with yourself. Try to spend time in nature, and quiet your mind through yoga, meditation, music, journaling, whatever suits you best.

Can I combine ayahuasca with cannabis/weed/marijuana?acsauhaya2019-05-31T10:44:17+02:00

Can I combine ayahuasca with cannabis/weed/marijuana?

We do not allow participants to smoke cannabis/weed on our retreats, as we have a no drugs and no alcohol policy.

We believe in a careful preparation for receiving the sacred plant medicine in the purest way and part of this is to stop the usage of marijuana. Smoking cannabis occupies quite some mental space. Ayahuasca does as well. Combining the two can create a foggy experience, while we strongly believe that you can get most out of your ayahuasca experience, if “she” gets your full attention and you go in purified from marijuana. Besides that, commitment to work with ayahuasca is essentially committing to look at yourself and your patterns and habits honestly. Abstaining from marijuana usage for a period can make reflect on your smoking behavior more purely and clearly?

Notice: Our experience is that some heavy marijuana users have been left disappointed with their ayahuasca experience, because it didn’t seem to work (well) for them. Even though we have also seen examples of people that have had a great experience after having used marijuana regularly for years, or examples of people that were able to break through marijuana addiction, it is important to know that recent heavy marijuana usage might impact your process.