Essential Dietary & Health Guidelines for Ayahuasca
At Amayama, your safety and well-being are our highest priorities. This comprehensive guide will help you prepare properly for your plant medicine experience. Please read all information carefully and contact us with any questions.
Dietary Guidelines & Preparation
🌿The Importance of Dietary Preparation
Following dietary restrictions is a crucial component of the healing process. These guidelines help prepare your body and mind for the medicine, ensure your safety, and enhance the effectiveness of your experience. Please follow these guidelines carefully and avoid foods rich in tyramine.
📅One Week Before Your Retreat
For optimal preparation, you can follow these guidelines for two weeks
- Stop medication usage (consult your medical professional first - never stop abruptly)
- Pork and red meat
- Heavy fats and processed foods
- Processed meats and sausages (salami, pepperoni, corned beef, liver)
- Fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, kefir - yogurt is acceptable)
- All alcohol and recreational drugs (cannabis, amphetamines, MDMA, cocaine)
- Aged cheeses (young cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, cottage cheese are acceptable)
- Dried or salted fish
- Refined sugars
- Large amounts of chocolate
- Protein supplements and extracts
- Caffeine (coffee, certain teas)
- Carbonated and energy drinks
- Herbal teas (ginseng, St. John's Wort)
- Nasal sprays (contain vasoconstrictors affecting blood pressure)
- Sexual activity
Additional guidelines:
- Reduce dairy products
- Minimize artificial sweeteners
- Use minimal spices
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day
⚠️Important: Cannot Follow Dietary Guidelines?
If you cannot follow these dietary restrictions, please inform our staff BEFORE your arrival. Not following the diet can negatively impact your experience, including increased purging, blood pressure issues, and reduced effectiveness of the medicine.
Please discuss any difficulties with the guidelines beforehand rather than arriving unprepared. We're here to support you and find solutions together.
Recommended Nourishing Foods
Focus on fresh, wholesome meals that support your preparation:
- Fresh vegetables (steamed, roasted, or raw)
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Fresh fruits (except overripe bananas)
- Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole wheat bread)
- Fresh Eggs
- White meats in moderation (organic chicken, turkey, fresh fish)
- Fresh herbs for flavoring
- Herbal teas (chamomile, peppermint, ginger - avoid those listed above)
- Moderate amounts of natural salt and honey
✨After Your Ceremony
We recommend continuing the dietary guidelines for 3 days following your ceremony. This helps integrate your experience and allows the medicine to continue its work, though it is not mandatory.
Medical Safety Information
⚠️Critical Medical Disclosure
At the time of booking, you must confidentially report any known medical conditions and all medications you are taking. Complete honesty is essential for your safety. Never discontinue prescribed medications without consulting your physician first.
Cannabis Considerations
💭Important Information for Cannabis Users
While there is no direct medical contraindication with cannabis, we've observed that Ayahuasca works best with a clear system. Regular cannabis users may experience:
- Reduced or absent visions during ceremony
- Increased purging and physical discomfort
- A more challenging overall journey
Our Recommendation: Ideally, discontinue cannabis use 3 weeks before your retreat. If you use cannabis medicinally for sleep or pain management and cannot stop for 3 weeks, please discontinue at minimum 3 days before arrival. Be aware that it can numb your experience.
Medication Contraindications
Ayahuasca contains natural MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors) and can have dangerous interactions with many pharmaceuticals. The following medications must be discontinued under medical supervision with adequate time for your body to clear them:
Antidepressants & Mental Health Medications
SSRIs
Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zoloft), Paroxetine (Paxil), Citalopram (Celexa)
⚠️ Must wait 5 weeks after discontinuation
SNRIs
Venlafaxine (Effexor), Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
Tricyclic Antidepressants
Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline
⚠️ Very Important
MAOIs
Phenelzine, Tranylcypromine
⚠️ Very Important
Other Psychiatric
Bupropion (Wellbutrin), Lithium, Benzodiazepines
Stimulants
Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta
⚠️ Very Important
Note: St. John's Wort, an herbal antidepressant, must not be consumed within 2 weeks of ceremony.
Health Conditions
Mental Health Considerations
While Ayahuasca can be therapeutic, it may not be appropriate for individuals with certain psychological conditions. Please inform us if you have any history of mental health concerns.
Family History: If mental illness runs in your family, we need to ensure you have no personal or familiar history of bipolarity (bipolar disorder), borderline disorder, or schizophrenia.
Suicidal Ideation: If you have experienced suicidal thoughts, please disclose this during your consultation. This requires discussion but is not an automatic exclusion.
Alternative options such as our shamanic diet retreats, different plant medicines, energy healing, or natural psychology may be more appropriate for certain conditions.
Physical Health Conditions
Please disclose any physical conditions for discussion during your consultation call.
- Cardiovascular Issues: Heart conditions or chronic high blood pressure prevent safe use of plant medicine. Alternative therapies available.
- Liver Conditions: Please discuss this during your consultation call so we can assess appropriateness.
Dangerous Interactions - Detailed Information
Stimulants
Combining stimulants (cocaine, amphetamines, MDMA) with MAOIs can cause cerebral hemorrhage, stroke, or death. Even small amounts can lead to dangerous blood pressure spikes.
Specific Medication Warnings
The following combinations have documented dangerous interactions:
- Tricyclic antidepressants: Risk of seizures and death
- Fluoxetine (Prozac): Must wait 5 weeks after discontinuation
- Bupropion: High seizure risk within 2 weeks
- Tramadol/Opiates: Respiratory depression risk
- Dextromethorphan: Can trigger psychotic episodes
- Lithium: Severe serotonin syndrome risk
- Sleeping medications: Dangerous sedation
Preparation Practices
Recommended Practices
While not required, beginning a mindfulness practice can greatly enhance your experience:
- Daily meditation or breathwork
- Gentle yoga or qi gong
- Journaling your intentions
- Time in nature
- Reducing screen time and social media
These practices help you connect with your breath and learn to direct your energy - valuable skills during ceremony.
Final Important Notes
We reserve the right to refuse admission if we believe safety guidelines have not been followed or if alcohol or drugs have been used shortly before arrival. This is for your safety and the safety of all participants.
Questions? We're Here to Help
Your journey is sacred to us at Amayama.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions about preparation, medications, or dietary guidelines.
We're committed to ensuring your experience is both safe and transformative.
Contact Us