Unsure about food or medication? Schedule a check-in.
Many people wonder what you can and cannot eat before an ayahuasca ceremony.
The ayahuasca diet helps prepare your body for the ceremony, allowing your system to participate more calmly and safely.
At SunGaya, we see nutrition as part of the preparation. It supports your process, without becoming a goal in itself.
What normally isn’t a problem can, in combination with ayahuasca, lead to:
That’s why dietary guidelines are used, and why alignment around medication is always necessary.
Before an ayahuasca ceremony, you eat light, fresh, and simple foods. Think of:
This helps your body enter the ceremony in a more stable state.
Most people start the ayahuasca diet 3 to 7 days in advance.
The last 48 hours before the ceremony are the most important. During this period, you avoid as many products as possible that could affect your body.
You don’t have to be perfect, but you do need to be honest. The idea that your body needs to be as “clean” as possible isn’t entirely accurate.
The less noise there is, the easier it becomes to feel what is happening during a ceremony.
Preparation is not about control or optimization. It’s a way to bring your body and system into a calmer state, so that whatever arises can actually be felt.
If you’re unsure about something, or if something didn’t go as planned, always discuss it during your check-in. It’s better to align one extra time than to sit with uncertainty afterward.
Important information
Ayahuasca does not combine well with certain medications and substances. Due to the MAO-inhibiting effect in the body, some combinations can react differently and, in some cases, be unsafe.
That’s why it’s important to always be honest about any medication or substances you use.
Not to control anything, but to assess what is safe and appropriate at this moment.
This is carefully discussed beforehand and, if needed, aligned with a consulting physician.
Ayahuasca works, in part, because DMT, the active compound, can become active in the body.
Normally, this substance is broken down immediately. Due to the MAO-inhibiting effect, this breakdown is temporarily blocked, allowing the experience to occur.
This is also why certain foods and medications can temporarily react differently in your system.
Before an ayahuasca ceremony, you should avoid:
These guidelines are based on how MAO inhibitors affect the body.
These timeframes are minimum safety guidelines and are always assessed individually.
These substances should never be combined with ayahuasca, regardless of timing:
If you use medication or have doubts about herbs or homeopathic remedies, always check in first.
Alcohol and drugs
Preferably stop 5–7 days beforehand, completely avoid in the last 3 days
Stimulants
Reduce 5–7 days beforehand, completely avoid in the last 48 hours
Smoking
Dairy Products
Avoid at least 48 hours beforehand, preferably 2–7 days, and at least 12 hours after
(Young or mildly aged cheese, cottage cheese, and cream cheese are usually okay)
Fermented and processed products
Avoid at least 48 hours beforehand, preferably 2–7 days, and at least 12 hours after
Tofu is usually fine
Meat and Fish
Avoid at least 48 hours beforehand, preferably 2–5 days, and at least 24 hours after
Fruits and plant-based products
Avoid 2–3 days beforehand and 12 hours after
Nuts and legumes
Avoid 2–3 days beforehand and 12 hours after
Other substances
Avoid at least 48 hours beforehand and 12 hours after
In the days leading up to the ceremony, it is often advised to be mindful of sexual activity.
Preferably no sexual activity, including masturbation, 2–3 days beforehand.
Why:
Sexual energy can be demanding on your system and may affect your focus and inner stillness.
By being conscious of this temporarily, you create more space to be present with whatever arises during the ceremony.
Your system is more sensitive and open. It can help to continue the diet a bit longer, allowing the experience to settle and integrate more deeply. Eat light, drink enough water, and take rest.
Read more about this process on the integration page.
The ayahuasca diet helps prepare your body for a ceremony by creating calm and stability. By temporarily avoiding certain foods and substances, you reduce risks and increase the chance of a clear experience.
At SunGaya, we work with clear guidelines around nutrition, medication, and preparation for an ayahuasca ceremony in the Netherlands.
SunGaya is a place of stillness and strength where healing is allowed to deepen.
You are seen and supported as you integrate what you have experienced.
Here, everything is welcome, and you find the space to truly come home to yourself.
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