Ayahuasca Diet: How to Prepare Your Body and Mind for Ceremony

The Ayahuasca diet is a short-term preparation protocol where you remove certain foods, substances, and habits (like tyramine-rich foods, alcohol, recreational drugs, heavy meats, sugar, and sexual activity) and focus on a simple, clean, mostly plant-based diet. This protects your body from unsafe interactions with Ayahuasca’s MAOI compounds and helps you enter the ceremony clearer, lighter, and more mentally focused.

Disclaimer This article is for educational purposes only and is based on a mix of scientific literature, anecdotal reports, and recommendations from Peruvian and Amazonian healers. Always consult your doctor before changing medications, starting fasting, or preparing for an Ayahuasca retreat, especially if you have any medical or psychiatric conditions.

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Table of Contents

• Why the Ayahuasca Diet Matters

• What Science Says About the Ayahuasca Diet

• What Shamans Say About the Diet

• Anecdotal Evidence: What People Actually Experience

• Foods and Substances to Restrict (Timeline)

• Tyramine, MAOIs, and Why Some Foods Can Be Dangerous

• Allowed Foods: What You Can Eat

• Purgatives Before Ayahuasca

• Recreational Drugs

• Prescription Medications

• Vitamins and Supplements

• Fasting and Ayahuasca

• Why Sex Is Also “on the Diet”

• If You Can’t Give Up Certain Foods or Drugs

• If You Break the Ayahuasca Diet

• How Ayahuasca Changes Your Relationship With Food

• FAQ: Quick Answers About the Ayahuasca Diet

• A Final Word

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Why the Ayahuasca Diet Matters

Ayahuasca — and the intense interest it has generated in Western society — is a living argument for its efficacy. It really works. Modern research is now catching up with what indigenous traditions have known for centuries: this brew can profoundly shift mental health, emotional patterns, and how we relate to ourselves and others.

Exactly because it’s powerful, it should never be taken lightly.

To be responsible with Ayahuasca means treating it with respect and following a clear preparation process. A proper Ayahuasca diet:

• keeps you safer from unwanted or even dangerous side effects,

• protects your nervous system and cardiovascular system during MAOI action

• and helps preserve the integrity and reputation of Ayahuasca culture by avoiding “dark stories” that come from poor preparation.

The Ayahuasca diet is not about punishment. It’s a temporary protocol that lightens your body, clarifies your mind, and makes it easier for Ayahuasca to do deep inner work without your system being overloaded.

Mind–Body: One Cleaning Process

The Ayahuasca ceremony is an act of cleaning one’s mind, but the connection between mind and body is much tighter than we’re usually told.

During the ceremony, you can literally feel your system processing trauma, suppressed memories, and unlived emotions. At some point, when the process is ripe, the body joins in and releases: through vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, shaking, or tears. This is the famous purging.

To clean your mind, you often need to stress your body a little. The question is: what kind of stress will it be — chaotic and heavy, or focused and intelligent?

A clean Ayahuasca diet reduces the burden your body carries before you drink the brew. That way:

• purging tends to be easier and lighter,

• sometimes it’s significantly reduced,

• and the mental work you do is clearer and more efficient.

  
  

Imagine running while carrying two heavy dumbbells. You can do it, but it is not optimal if you want speed and endurance. If you drop the weights, suddenly your body can do what it was always capable of.

Your Ayahuasca diet is how you “drop the dumbbells”.

Your Body as a Rocket

You can also compare the process with the launch of a space rocket. At first, the rocket carries large fuel tanks. As it rises, it drops them one by one, shedding anything that’s no longer needed to reach its destination.

Your body is that rocket. The unnecessary “fuel tanks” are the foods, substances, and habits that can:

• endanger your health during MAOI action, or

• dull the clarity and depth of your experience.

• 
  

The Ayahuasca diet is how you gently detach those tanks in advance.

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What Science Says About the Ayahuasca Diet

Scientific research on the diet itself is limited, but there is solid evidence on Ayahuasca’s pharmacology and on the risks of mixing MAOIs with certain foods and drugs.

Most research focuses on:

• How Ayahuasca works in the brain,

• how MAOIs interact with neurotransmitters and tyramine,

• and how Ayahuasca may help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction when used in structured settings.

• 
  

Main scientific takeaways relevant to the diet:

1. Ayahuasca is an MAOI + DMT combination.

   • The vine Banisteriopsis caapi contains β-carbolines (like harmine, harmaline), which act as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

   • The leaves (often Psychotria viridis) contain N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT).

     
     

2. MAOIs temporarily “turn off” a protection system.

   Monoamine oxidase normally breaks down substances like tyramine. When it’s inhibited, tyramine from food can build up and increase blood pressure to dangerous levels.

   
   

3. Mixing MAOIs with certain drugs and foods is risky.

   • Combining MAOIs with some antidepressants, stimulants, or recreational drugs can cause serotonin syndrome, hypertensive crises, or other severe reactions.

   • High-tyramine foods (aged cheeses, cured meats, some fermented products) are the classic “do not combine with MAOIs” category.

     
     

So from a scientific perspective, even if the spiritual reasons for the Ayahuasca diet vary, avoiding tyramine-rich foods and interacting medications is non-negotiable.

At the same time, a strict diet also seems to correlate with deeper, more integrated experiences in observational and qualitative studies of Ayahuasca use in retreat settings. (ScienceDirect)

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What Shamans Say About the Diet

Across Amazonian traditions, you will find very different, sometimes contradictory, dietary rules:

• Some apprentices are allowed to eat only bananas and white fish once a day.

• Others are prohibited from any animal products at all.

• The length and strictness of diets (“dietas”) can range from days to months or years.

These differences come from:

• tribal traditions,

• local ecology and available food,

• and the specific lineage of the shamanic training.

It’s also important to remember: a local shaman living deep in the rainforest is not exposed to:

• ultra-processed foods,

• industrial seed oils,

• heavy pesticide loads,

• or years of pharmaceutical use in the way a typical Westerner might be.

  
  

So the diet they follow during their training is not a 1:1 template for a Western guest who has had decades of different exposures.

For Western participants, many experienced shamans simplify their advice to a single principle:

Simple, clean, mostly plant-based food — with respect and intention.

If you want to explore traditional dietas in depth, many centers offer separate experiences that go far beyond the basic Ayahuasca preparation and involve specific plant diets, isolation, and strict rules.

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Anecdotal Evidence: What People Actually Experience

If you talk to enough people who’ve sat in a ceremony, a pattern emerges:

Those who take the Ayahuasca diet seriously very often report smoother ceremonies, less chaotic purging, and deeper emotional clarity.

From many personal accounts, a few themes repeat:

• Effort matters more than perfection.

  It is not about following every line of the diet 100% perfectly. What matters is the direction and sincerity of your effort. Every restriction you stick to is a message to yourself: “I’m committed. I’m showing up fully.”

• Discipline is part of medicine.

  The Ayahuasca diet is not only about food — it’s about training your will. Like an exercise that “pumps up” your inner strength. You will need that during the challenging parts of the ceremony.

• Purging is different with and without the diet.

  Many people who do not follow any diet report heavy, chaotic purging and more physical distress. Those who respect the diet often describe purging as more focused, meaningful, and sometimes minimal.

  
  

Is this “hard science”? No. But the consistency of these reports across retreats, cultures, and years is hard to ignore.

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Foods and Substances to Restrict (Timeline)

Most retreat centers recommend gradually tightening your Ayahuasca diet over 4 weeks: first stopping psychoactive medications and recreational drugs, then alcohol and heavy foods, and finally sugar, tyramine-rich foods, red meat, dairy, and stimulants in the last week before ceremony.

Important: Always consult your prescribing doctor before changing or stopping any medication.

Below is a commonly used, conservative guideline adapted from multiple retreat centers and MAOI dietary recommendations.

When to Eliminate	What to Avoid
4 weeks before the ceremony	• All psychoactive medications (under medical supervision) • All recreational / street drugs
3 weeks before the ceremony	• Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications (SSRIs, SNRIs, DRIs, etc.) — only in coordination with your doctor
2 weeks before the ceremony	• Pork • Alcohol • Marijuana • Sexual activities • Hot & spicy foods • Ice, ice cream, and ice-cold drinks
1 week before the ceremony	• Sugar • Tyramine-rich foods (full list below) • Red meat • Animal fats (lard, etc.) • Carbonated drinks (including diet sodas, energy drinks, non-alcoholic beer, etc.) • Dairy products • Fermented foods (kimchi, tofu, tempeh, many pickles, etc.) • Caffeine and other stimulants (wean off gradually if you are a heavy user) • Junk food / fast food • Excess salt and strong spices • Sweets, chocolate, cacao • Most oils (use olive or coconut oil very sparingly) • Overripe, bruised, and dried fruit • Protein extracts, protein powders, and shakes • Yeast or yeast extracts (plain unsalted, unleavened bread is usually fine)

This is intentionally strict. Some elements are debated from center to center, but with Ayahuasca, it is genuinely better to over-prepare than to under-prepare.

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Tyramine, MAOIs, and Why Some Foods Can Be Dangerous

Tyramine is a natural substance formed as proteins in food break down over time. Aged, fermented, or improperly stored foods tend to have higher tyramine levels.

When you ingest MAOIs — like the β-carbolines from Banisteriopsis caapi — your body’s ability to break down tyramine is temporarily reduced. If you then consume food with very high tyramine content, this can trigger a hypertensive crisis (a dangerous spike in blood pressure) with symptoms such as:

• intense headache,

• nausea and vomiting,

• sweating and flushing,

• chest pain,

• rapid heartbeat,

• and in severe cases, the risk of stroke. (Mayo Clinic)

Common tyramine-rich foods to avoid

• Dried or overripe fruits

  (raisins, prunes, very ripe bananas or avocados)

• Strong or aged cheeses

  (Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, blue cheeses, Camembert)

• Aged or cured meats

  (salami, pepperoni, some sausages, beef jerky, nitrate-treated meats)

• Smoked or heavily processed meats

  (bacon, hot dogs, corned beef, smoked fish)

• Canned or fermented foods

  (some sauerkraut, kimchi, caviar, tofu, pickles — check how they’re prepared)

• Certain sauces

  (soy sauce, shrimp paste, fish sauce, miso, teriyaki)

• Soy and broad beans (fava) and their pods

• Yeast-extract spreads

  (Marmite, some brewer’s yeast products)

• Alcoholic beverages

  (especially red wine, some beers, sherry, spirits)

• Improperly stored / spoiled foods

• Most caffeinated drinks

  
  

For a more medically detailed tyramine–MAOI interaction overview, you can also check resources like Mayo Clinic or clinical diet sheets for MAOI patients. (Mayo Clinic)

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Allowed Foods: What You Can Eat

At this point, you might ask:

“Is there anything left to eat?”

Yes — and in fact, what’s left is often what your body has been quietly asking for.

The Ayahuasca diet usually centers on a simple, mostly plant-based menu: whole grains, legumes, vegetables (except strong alliums like garlic and onions), fresh fruit, nuts and seeds in moderation, herbal teas, and plenty of water.

A vegetarian or vegan-leaning diet fits best. The idea is to:

• remove anything that could be risky with MAOIs,

• reduce inflammation and digestive load,

• and give your nervous system a calm, stable baseline.

  
  

General guidelines

Focus on combinations of:

• Proteins

  • Lentils, beans, chickpeas

• Grains

  • Brown rice, quinoa, amaranth

  • Whole wheat, spelt, Kamut, wheat berries

  • Gluten-free pasta (without weird additives)

• Vegetables

  • All vegetables except onions, garlic, and leeks (they’re often considered too stimulating energetically and physically)

• Fruits

  • Berries, grapes, bananas, peaches, apricots, apples, pears (fresh, not overripe)

• Raw nuts and seeds

  • All nuts except peanuts

  • Raw hemp seeds, chia seeds

  • Nut butters (unsalted, and again, not peanut)

• Beverages

  • Herbal teas

  • Coconut water

  • Nut milks (without additives if possible)

  • Plenty of clean water

• Seasoning

  • Fresh herbs: basil, oregano, thyme, sage, dill, etc.

  • Mild spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, mild dill or sage

  • 
    

Be mindful of oils and nuts — they technically fit the diet, but can be heavy in large amounts.

Pro tip:  Soaking and sprouting beans, seeds, and some grains can dramatically improve digestion and reduce gas or discomfort.

And remember: this is temporary. Treat it like preparing for a major life event — because that’s exactly what many Ayahuasca retreats become.

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Purgatives Before Ayahuasca

Some traditions, especially in parts of Ecuador and Peru, use purgative plants before Ayahuasca, as teas that induce vomiting and strong cleansing. The idea is:

• less physical purging during the ceremony,

• more space for the visionary and psychological work.

  
  

Ceremonial purgatives are usually strong local plants known to the tradition. This approach can be powerful but also intense and is not necessary for everyone.

From a modern, Western-body perspective:

• a deeply clean diet plus

• light fasting (see below)

often offers a similar or better result with less shock to the system.

If a retreat center suggests purgatives, ask:

• which plant is used,

• how it’s prepared,

• what possible risks exist,

• and whether there’s a gentler alternative (like a longer diet or more fasting).

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Recreational Drugs

Ayahuasca — like most classical psychedelics — appears physically safe when administered correctly in a proper setting. (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

But when mixed with recreational drugs, the story can change quickly.

Combining Ayahuasca with:

• MDMA,

• cocaine,

• amphetamines,

• opiates,

• ketamine,

• research chemicals or unknown designer drugs

can lead to unpredictable and potentially dangerous interactions, especially around serotonin and blood pressure regulation. (Frontiers)

The short version:

If you’re thinking of “enhancing” Ayahuasca with another drug — don’t.

Ayahuasca on its own is already more than enough to transform a life. Any attempt to “upgrade” it with other substances usually adds only risk, not depth.

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Prescription Medications

This is one of the most critical sections of the entire Ayahuasca diet.

Prescription drugs — especially psychiatric medications — can create serious problems when combined with MAOIs or DMT:

• SSRIs / SNRIs / other antidepressants

• Mood stabilizers

• Antipsychotics

• Some pain medications

• Certain antibiotics and other MAOI-like drugs

  
  

The interaction territory between Ayahuasca and modern pharmaceuticals is still under-researched. Because of that, maximum caution is required. (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

General principles:

1. Never stop medication on your own.

   If you are taking anything from a psychiatrist or doctor, you must talk with them honestly about your plans.

2. Know the half-life of your medication.

   Some medications leave the body in days, others in weeks. You need enough time for them to clear your system safely.

3. Taper slowly when required.

   Many drugs (especially antidepressants and benzodiazepines) must be tapered gradually, sometimes over weeks or months, to avoid withdrawal or rebound symptoms.

4. Expect symptoms to return temporarily.

   If your medication was suppressing symptoms rather than addressing root causes, some discomfort may come back when you taper. The idea is that Ayahuasca might help you work at the root — but you still have to cross the bridge safely.

   
   

Here is the list of pharmaceutical drugs that should not be combined with Ayahuasca (some are mild risks, others are serious):

• Actifed

• Adderall

• Alaproclate

• Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin)

• Amantadine hydrochloride (Symmetrel)

• Amineptine

• Amitriptaline

• Amoxapine (Asendin)

• Atomoxedine

• Befloxetone

• Benadryl

• Benylin

• Benzedrine

• Benzphetamine (Didrex)

• Bicifadine

• Brasofensine

• Brofaromine

• Bupropion (Wellbutrin)

• Buspirone (BuSpar)

• Butriptyline

• Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Epitol)

• Chlorpheniramine

• Chlor Trimeton

• Cimoxetone

• Citalopram

• Clomipramine (Anafranil)

• Codeine

• Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)

• Cyclizine (Marezine)

• Dapoxotine

• Desipramine (Pertofrane, Norpramin)

• Desvenlafaxine

• Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)

• Dextromethorphan (DXM)

• Dibenzepin

• Dienolide kavapyrone desmethoxyyangonin

• Diethylpropion

• Disopyramide (Norpace)

• Disulfiram (Antabuse)

• Dopamine (Intropin)

• Dosulepin

• Doxepin (Sinequan)

• Duloxetine

• Emsam

• Ephedrine

• Epinephrine (Adrenalin)

• Escitalopram

• Femoxitine

• Fenfluramine (Pondimin)

• Flavoxate Hydrochloride (Urispas)

• Fluoxetine (Prozac)

• Fluvoxamine

• Furazolidone (Furoxone)

• Guanethedine

• Guanadrel (Hylorel)

• Guanethidine (Ismelin)

• Hydralazine (Apresoline)

• 5 Hydroxytryptophan

• Imipramine (Tofranil)

• Iprindole

• Iproniazid (Marsilid, Iprozid, Ipronid, Rivivol, Propilniazida)

• Iproclozide

• Isocarboxazid (Marplan)

• Isoniazid (Laniazid, Nydrazid)

• Isoniazid rifampin (Rifamate, Rimactane)

• Isoproterenol (Isuprel)

• L dopa (Sinemet)

• Levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa)

• Linezolid (Zyvox, Zyvoxid)

• Lithium (Eskalith)

• Lofepramine

• Loratadine (Claritin)

• Maprotiline (Ludiomil)

• Medifoxamine

• Melitracen

• Meperidine (Demerol)

• Metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel)

• Metaraminol (Aramine)

• Methamphetamine (Desoxyn)

• Methyldopa (Aidomet)

• Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

• Mianserin

• Milnacipran

• Minaprine

• Mirtazapine (Remeron)

• Moclobemide

• Montelukast (Singulair)

• Nefazodone

• Nialamide

• Nisoxetine

• Nomifensine

• Norepinephrine (Levophed)

• Nortriptyline (Aventyl)

• Oxybutynin chloride (Ditropan)

• Oxymetazoline (Afrin)

• Orphenadrine (Norflex)

• Pargyline (Eutonyl)

• Parnate

• Paroxetine (Paxil)

• Pemoline (Cylert)

• Percocet

• Pethedine (Demerol)

• Phendimetrazine (Plegiline)

• Phenergen

• Phenmetrazine

• Phentermine

• Phenylephrine (Dimetane, Dristan decongestant, Neo Synephrine)

• Phenylpropanolamine (in many cold medicines)

• Phenelzine (Nardil)

• Procarbazine (Matulane)

• Procainamide (Pronestyl)

• Protriptyline (Vivactil)

• Pseudoephedrine

• Oxymetazoline (Afrin)

• Quinidine (Quinidex)

• Rasagiline (Azilect)

• Reboxetine

• Reserpine (Serpasil)

• Risperidone

• Salbutemol

• Salmeterol

• Selegiline (Eldepryl)

• Sertraline (Zoloft)

• Sibutramine

• Sumatriptan (Imitrex)

• Terfenadine (Seldane D)

• Tegretol

• Temaril

• Tesofensine

• Theophylline (Theo Dur)

• Tianeptine

• Toloxatone

• Tramidol

• Tranylcypromine (Parnate)

• Trazodone

• Tricyclic antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Elavil)

• Trimipramine (Surmontil)

• Triptans

• Vanoxerine

• Venlafaxine (Effexor)

• Viloxezine

• Yohimbine

• Zimelidine

• Ziprasidone (Geodon)

*If you are taking medications from the list above, please reach out to your doctor and discuss the possibility of temporarily stopping the intake.

If you are on any of the risk medications, the conversation between you, your doctor, and the retreat center is not optional — it’s the foundation of a safe experience.

Also, check our more detailed information about the contradictions between Ayahuasca ( and the MAOIs contained in the brew) and other pharmaceutical medications:

Using stimulants with MAOIs is particularly dangerous and can be potentially fatal. Using cocaine, amphetamines, or MDMA (ecstasy) with MAOIs may cause a severe increase in blood pressure, increasing the chances for stroke and cerebral hemorrhage and making it possible to overdose on a relatively small amount of cocaine. (A fatality has been recorded involving combining peganum harmala and cocaine. Fatalities resulting from combining amphetamines with pharmaceutical MAOIs have been recorded in the medical literature.)

Using other serotonin agonists or precursors with an MAOI can lead to serotonin syndrome. The main symptom of serotonin symptom may be a severe and long-lasting headache (the same symptom as MAOI tryptamine interaction) and/or fever (as high as 40 °C / 104 °F or more) Other symptoms of serotonin syndrome may include rapid heartbeat, shivering, sweating, dilated pupils, intermittent tremor or twitching, overactive or over-responsive reflexes, hyperactive bowel sounds, or high blood pressure. Severe serotonin syndrome may lead to shock, agitated delirium, muscular rigidity and high muscular tension, renal failure, or seizures, and can be life-threatening.

Using tricyclic antidepressants within two weeks of taking MAOIs may cause serious side effects including sudden fever, extremely high blood pressure, convulsions, and death.

Using Fluoxetine (Prozac) within five weeks of taking MAOIs may cause high fever, rigidity, high blood pressure, mental changes, confusion, and hypomania.

Using Benzedrine, Benzphetamine, Desipramine, Desoxyn, Dexedrine, Dopamine, Ephedrine (contained in Marax, Quadrinal, and other asthma drugs), Epinephrine, Guanadrel, Guanethidine, Hydralazine, Isoproterenol, L-dopa, Metaraminol, Methyldopa, Mirtazamine, Norepinephrine Oxymetazoline, Phendimetrazine, Phentermine, Phenylephrine, Phenylpropanolamine, Pseudoephedrine, Ritalin, or Venlafaxine with MAOIs may cause a hypertensive crisis (severe spike in blood pressure).

Using Adderall with MAOIs can result in high body temperature, seizure, and in some cases, coma.

Using Bupropion (Wellbutrin) within two weeks of taking MAOIs may cause serious side effects such as seizures.

Using Buspirone (Buspar) with MAOIs may cause high blood pressure and increased sedative effects.

Using Carbamazepine (Tegretol) with MAOIs may result in fever and may increase seizures, especially in epileptics.

Using Clomipramine with MAOIs may cause high fever (hyperpyrexic crisis) and seizures.

Using CNS depressants with MAOIs may increase the depressant effects.

Using Desipramine (Norpramin, Pertofrane) with MAOIs may result in a hypertensive crisis.

Using Dextromethorphan with MAOIs may cause excitement, high blood pressure, fever, or brief episodes of psychosis.

Using Fenfluramine with MAOIs may result in fever (hyperpyrexic crisis).

Using Kava with MAOIs may result in a hypotensive crisis (severe blood pressure drop).

Using Lithium with MAOIs may cause fever and serotonin syndrome.

Using Meperidine (Demerol) with pharmaceutical MAOIs has resulted in deaths from a single dose.

Using Metaproterenol or other beta-adrenergic bronchodilators with MAOIs may cause blood pressure elevation and rapid heartbeat.

Using Mirtazapine (Remeron) with MAOIs may result in a hypertensive crisis.

Using Nefazodone (Serzone) may result in high fever.

Using Temaril with MAOIs may increase the chance of side effects.

Using Terfenadine with MAOIs may cause an increase in MAOI blood levels.

Using Theophylline with MAOIs may cause rapid heartbeat and anxiety.

Using Trazodone (Desyrel) with MAOIs may result in high fever.

Using Tryptophan or L-tryptophan with MAOIs may cause disorientation, confusion,

amnesia, delirium agitation, memory impairment, hypomanic signs, or shivering.

Using Venlafaxine (Effexor) with MAOIs may result in a hypertensive crisis.

Using Ziprasidone (Geodon) with MAOIs may cause serotonin syndrome.

Using alcohol with MAOIs may cause side effects like angina (chest pain) or

headaches. The headache may mask or be mistaken for the hypertensive crisis caused

by MAOI interaction. MAOIs can also increase the sedative effect of alcohol.

Using opiates with MAOIs carries a risk of respiratory depression.

Using diuretics with MAOIs may cause a greater drop in blood pressure than normal and increase in MAOI blood levels.

Using anesthetics with MAOIs may potentiate the anesthetic effect.

Using sleeping pills, tranquillizers (major or minor), or barbiturates with MAOIs may increase the sedative effect.

In order to stop taking certain medications, you should gradually reduce the dosage over long periods of time. Be mindful of it and start as soon as possible.

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Vitamins and Supplements

Most vitamins and many basic supplements are relatively safe in standard doses and often behave more like concentrated foods than drugs.

That said, because Ayahuasca itself is already a potent modulator of your system, the general recommendation is:

If a supplement isn’t essential during the retreat period, consider taking a break.

You can usually pause:

• multivitamins,

• vitamin D3,

• magnesium,

• omega-3s,

for a week or two without major issues (for most people).

Be more cautious with herbal supplements that affect mood, blood pressure, or neurotransmitters, such as:

• St. John’s Wort,

• Kava,

• Yohimbe,

• strong adaptogen blends,

• and anything marketed as a “natural MAOI” or “natural antidepressant”.

  
  

There are anecdotal reports of negative or destabilizing interactions between some of these herbs and Ayahuasca. When in doubt, check with a health professional experienced in both herbs and psychedelics, or simply remove them during the pre-retreat window. (Frontiers)

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Fasting and Ayahuasca

Sometimes, the best “Ayahuasca diet” is no food at all — for a limited time.

Fasting is a powerful way to:

• deepen the effects of the brew,

• lighten purging,

• and sharpen your will and awareness.

  
  

Many shamans recommend at least a 12-hour fast before a ceremony:

• Eat breakfast,

• Skip lunch,

• Drink Ayahuasca at night on an empty stomach.

  
  

People often report:

• easier handling of the ceremony,

• less purging,

• more clarity in visions,

• and a stronger sense of inner resolve.

  
  

For those who are experienced with fasting, a 24-hour fast before the ceremony can further amplify these effects — but this should be done only if your body is already familiar with fasting and you don’t have medical conditions that make fasting unsafe.

Always drink enough water, and if you have blood sugar issues, low blood pressure, or any metabolic condition, speak with your doctor before fasting.

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Why Sex Is Also “on the Diet”

It may seem strange to see sex listed among restricted “foods”. But many spiritual and ceremonial traditions, not only in the Amazon, include periods of sexual abstinence before and after deep work.

Sexual activities — including solo sex and porn use — have a strong effect on:

• mental focus,

• emotional stability,

• and how we handle intense states.

  
  

In many lineages, it is believed that sexual energy is raw fuel for spiritual work. If it is constantly dispersed, the “fuel tank” is never full enough for certain kinds of transformation.

From a more psychological perspective, constantly stimulating yourself sexually can also be a way to avoid uncomfortable feelings — exactly the kind of feelings Ayahuasca tends to bring to the surface.

Abstaining for a couple of weeks before the retreat often results in:

• sharper attention,

• more emotional resilience,

• and more capacity to stay present during challenging parts of the ceremony.

  
  

For some men, especially those coming to Ayahuasca to work with porn addiction or sexual dysfunction, abstinence itself can already feel like a big mountain. In that case, it may be wiser to focus on other aspects of preparation (for example, see your internal article like /ayahuasca-preparation-guide/) and treat sexual healing as a gradual process rather than an immediate “all-or-nothing” task.

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If You Can’t Give Up Certain Foods or Drugs

Sometimes people come to Ayahuasca precisely because they want to break addictions — to nicotine, alcohol, sugar, overeating, or even heavier substances.

Then they read the Ayahuasca diet and discover:

“To prepare for healing my addiction… I must already be free of it? How is that supposed to work?”

This can feel like a paradox.

A realistic approach:

• Reduce instead of instantly eliminating.

  Cut the quantity of the substance (coffee, cigarettes, sugar, alcohol) day by day. Even a 50–70% reduction makes a difference.

• Replace instead of just removing.

  • Red meat → lighter fish or plant-based meals

  • Soda → herbal tea or water with lemon

  • Candy → small portions of fruit

• Use the last week as a “minimum viable discipline” window.

  Even if you cannot be perfect for a month, give yourself a few days of maximal effort before the first ceremony.

  
  

And if you still don’t manage to follow the diet perfectly, don’t hate yourself for it. The Ayahuasca diet is a mosaic of many small actions. If you drop one tile, you can still build a strong picture by focusing more on the others:

• meditate more,

• eat cleaner versions of what you do eat,

• start the diet earlier next time,

• include fasting,

• do more emotional and mental preparation.

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If You Break the Ayahuasca Diet

If, during your preparation, you suddenly find yourself eating a burger, chocolate, or drinking a beer, remember:

It is not the end of the world — but it does matter when and what you consume.

Two simple principles:

1. The closer you are to the ceremony, the cleaner you should be.

   A beer two months before your retreat is not the same as beers the night before your first cup of Ayahuasca.

2. There is a hierarchy of harm.

   If you are about to “cheat,” choose the least harmful option:

   • A small piece of simple dark chocolate is different from an ultra-processed dessert.

   • A homemade vegetarian meal is different from fast food loaded with additives.

   • 
     

If you slip, accept it, adjust, and keep moving toward more clarity — rather than spiraling into guilt.

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How Ayahuasca Changes Your Relationship With Food

One of the quieter, long-term effects of Ayahuasca is the way it shifts people’s food preferences.

After retreats, many guests report:

• naturally choosing more organic, whole foods;

• eating less overall;

• losing interest in heavy meat or junk food;

• drifting toward vegetarian or plant-based eating, even if they never planned to. (ScienceDirect)

  
  

It’s as if Ayahuasca shines a light on the building blocks that make you — and once you see clearly what you’re built from, it becomes very hard to keep feeding yourself garbage.

This change brings:

• more physical health,

• more emotional stability,

• and a subtle, ongoing integration of your retreat experience into everyday life.

  
  

Following the Ayahuasca diet is not always easy or comfortable. But the benefits can pay off many times over — both during the ceremony, and in the quieter months that follow.

FAQ: Quick Answers About the Ayahuasca Diet

How long before Ayahuasca should I start the diet?

Ideally, begin adjusting 4 weeks before your first ceremony, with the last 7 days being the strictest. If you have less time, prioritize stopping contraindicated medications (with your doctor), tyramine-rich foods, alcohol, and heavy meats.

Can I drink coffee before Ayahuasca?

It’s best to reduce coffee gradually and stop at least 7 days before the ceremony. Caffeine overstimulates the nervous system and can increase anxiety and insomnia around the retreat.

Is a completely vegan diet mandatory?

Not always, but a mostly plant-based, simple diet is strongly recommended. If you eat animal products, keep them light (e.g., small portions of white fish) and avoid pork, red meat, and heavy fats close to ceremony.

Do I have to be perfect with the diet?

No. Perfection is rare. Focus on sincere, consistent effort and especially on the most critical elements: medications, tyramine-rich foods, alcohol, and drugs.

Can I do Ayahuasca if I’m on antidepressants?

You must discuss this in detail with your prescribing doctor and the retreat center. Some medications are strict contraindications; others may require long tapering periods. Never stop antidepressants suddenly without medical supervision. (Mayo Clinic)

Is fasting required?

Not required, but 12 hours of fasting before the ceremony (no solid food) is standard in many traditions and often makes the experience smoother. If your body is used to it and your health allows, you can experiment with longer fasts for deeper effects.

Why is sex restricted if it’s not “food”?

Because it affects energy, focus, and emotional balance. Short-term abstinence builds willpower and can strengthen your capacity to hold intense states during ceremony.

Where can I read more scientific research on Ayahuasca?

 You can explore reviews and studies summarizing Ayahuasca’s pharmacology and therapeutic potential in reputable journals and research collections. (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

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 Ready to Begin Your Journey?

If you feel a calling toward Ayahuasca, trust that whisper. Preparation is not about perfection — it’s about meeting yourself with honesty, courage, and care. And when the moment comes, the medicine meets you exactly where you are.

For over 7 years, we’ve been guiding guests through their Ayahuasca journeys in the Amazon, and the gratitude reflected in our reviews means the world to us. Our team supports you before, during, and long after the ceremonies, so your transformation doesn’t just stay in the jungle — it becomes part of your life.

If this path resonates with you, we warmly invite you to take the next step.

At Lighthouse! Ayahuasca Retreat Center, we honor every guest’s process with compassion, safety, and deeply personal guidance. We work with small groups of up to 8 people, ensuring intimacy, presence, and the kind of attention that’s only possible when every participant truly matters.

If this path resonates with you, we warmly invite you to take the next step.

You don’t have to walk this alone. We’re here — with open hearts, steady hands, and a deep respect for your healing.

👉 Explore retreats, learn more, and begin your journey here:

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