One of the most important aspects of working with Ayahuasca and Huachuma is following the dieta. This preparation is both physical and spiritual. Through it, your body is cleansed, your mind calmed, and your respect for the plants is shown.
Every shaman or spiritual master may have slightly different guidelines. Even so, the foundations are consistent: avoid foods, substances, and activities that interfere with the plants, and embrace simplicity, purity, and mindfulness.
The stricter you are with your dieta, the more open you will be to the medicine. As a result, your transformation can be more lasting and profound.
Why the Dieta Matters
Special diets and fasting are ancient practices observed in many spiritual traditions worldwide. In the Amazon and Andes, the dieta is central to working with Ayahuasca and Huachuma. By cleansing the body and mind, you create space for the medicine to work deeply and safely. Therefore, the ceremonies can bring more clarity and healing.
Every shaman or spiritual master may provide slightly different guidelines. However, the core intention is always the same: to prepare you for healing, to protect you from unnecessary discomfort, and to open your heart and spirit to the teachings of the plants. The stricter and more mindful you are with your dieta, the more profound and lasting your transformation can be.
To learn more about the traditional dieta and why it is considered essential preparation for Ayahuasca, see this overview from the Temple of the Way of Light.
Food Guidelines for the Ayahuasca and Huachuma Dieta
The dieta encourages simple, unprocessed, healthy foods while cutting out those that may cause problems or interfere with the medicine. In addition, this clean diet helps your body handle the medicine more smoothly.
Avoid (2 weeks prior):
- Red meat and pork
- Alcohol
- Illicit drugs (cocaine, MDMA, amphetamines, etc.)
- Plant medicines/psychedelics (San Pedro, mushrooms, LSD, cannabis, kambo, rapé, etc.)
- Garlic and onion
- Dairy and eggs
- Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kombucha, soy sauce, tofu, aged cheese, yogurt)
- Tyramine-rich foods (chocolate, peanuts, yeast products, nutritional supplements)
- Spicy foods, excess sugar, and excess salt
- Carbonated drinks (sodas, energy drinks, seltzers, even diet sodas)
- Caffeine and stimulants
Minimize:
- Oils (if necessary, olive or coconut used sparingly)
- Animal fats (lard, etc.)
Embrace:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains (rice, quinoa, oats)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
Optional suggestion: Some shamans also recommend avoiding ice-cold drinks, as well as heavily scented perfumes and synthetic soaps, to further support energetic sensitivity.
Mental and Spiritual Preparation
The dieta is as much about what you feed your mind and spirit as it is about what you feed your body.
Enter ceremony with values such as honesty, patience, humility, respect, love, and courage.
Avoid stressful environments and negative influences. Instead, seek out practices that cultivate peace and clarity, such as yoga, meditation, journaling, or time in nature.
Seek out practices that cultivate peace and clarity (yoga, meditation, journaling, time in nature).
What to Avoid & For How Long
14 days prior to first ceremony:
- Stay away from pork and red meat
- Leave out garlic and onion
- Do not use illicit drugs
- Pause plant medicines or psychedelics
- Avoid alcohol
- Check with facilitators if you are taking medications that are not safe to mix with Ayahuasca (MAOIs)
7 days prior:
- Refrain from sexual activity of any kind, including masturbation
- Cut out dairy and eggs
- Leave out caffeine and other stimulants
- Keep spices, sugar, and salt out of your meals
- Use little to no oils or animal fats
- Skip refined sugars, chocolate, and junk food
- Stay away from carbonated drinks
Important Notes:
- Ayahuasca is not compatible with pregnancy.
- Inform facilitators if menstruating during retreat.
Post-Retreat Integration of the Ayahuasca and Huachuma Dieta
The dieta does not end after your final ceremony. Rather, maintaining restrictions afterward allows the icaros and plant remedies to integrate into your system.
3 days after:
- Protect the crown (head) from sunlight and rain (optional suggestion, but many traditions recommend it).
1 week after:
- Avoid spicy foods, dairy, red meat, carbonated drinks
- Limit oils, refined sugars, junk foods, and sweets
- Avoid intense exercise and heavy massage
- Refrain from giving or receiving energy work
2 weeks after:
- Avoid sexual activity of any kind
- Abstain from alcohol
4 weeks after:
- No intense breathwork practices (holotropic, rebirthing, etc.)
- No plant medicines/psychedelics or street drugs
- Avoid pork
- Avoid deep energetic massage, Reiki, or shamanic energy work
Final Thoughts
By respecting the Ayahuasca and Huachuma dieta, you honor the plants and deepen your healing journey. The dieta may seem challenging. However, it is also an act of devotion to your healing journey. By following these guidelines before, during, and after ceremony, you prepare your entire being to receive the wisdom of Ayahuasca and Huachuma.
Remember: every healer may provide slightly different guidance. Follow the instructions of your retreat center and spiritual master, and treat the dieta as part of the medicine itself – an invitation to greater awareness, respect, and transformation. If you’re ready to experience these traditions in a safe and supportive setting, explore our all-inclusive Ayahuasca and Huachuma retreats in Peru.
✨ At Perú Increíble, we guide you through every step of the journey, providing support, meals in accordance with the dieta, and a safe environment to explore the transformative power of sacred plant medicine.
