Ayahuasca is a special brew made from plants with psychoactive substances that can make you see and feel things that aren’t there. Some people think it’s good for your brain and make you feel better, but it also has risks. People in South America, especially traditional healers, have been using this tea for a long time because they believe it can help heal sickness. It’s also a big part of some religious ceremonies.
When we do plant medicine, and we see love, we realize right then and there that it was never apart from us, that in fact it was a part of us.
Gerard Armond Powell
In recent years, scientists have been studying ayahuasca and think it might have some health benefits. Because of this, more and more people in Western countries are becoming interested in trying it. But there’s still a lot we don’t know about it.
Ayahuasca is made by mixing the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub with the stalks of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, although sometimes other plants are added too. Ancient groups of people in the Amazon rainforest used to use this drink for religious reasons. Some religious groups in Brazil and North America still use it today, like the Santo Daime church. Usually, a shaman or healer who knows a lot about ayahuasca makes the brew by boiling these plants together in water. More: Forest bathing as a natural therapy to reduce stress
Understanding Ayahuasca: How is it used?
Both plants used in ayahuasca tea can make you see and feel things that aren’t real. The leaves of the P. viridis plant have something called DMT, which is a powerful drug that makes you hallucinate. The B. caapi vine has stuff in it called MAO inhibitors, which stop your body from getting rid of the DMT. This lets the DMT make you hallucinate. So, you need both of these plants together to make ayahuasca work.
When you mix these plants, you get a powerful drink that messes with your brain, making you feel like things around you aren’t real. You might see things that aren’t there, feel happy, or even get scared or overly suspicious. It can also make your stomach feel weird. Even though some people use ayahuasca for religious reasons, nowadays, lots of people all over the world are trying to expand their minds, deal with bad things that happened to them in the past, or just see what it’s like.
But it’s really important to only take ayahuasca when there’s someone who knows a lot about it watching over you, like a shaman. That’s because you’ll need someone to take care of you while you’re on this journey. More: Achieve your purpose with a mindful coach
Benefits, risks, and cautionary considerations
Studies suggest that ayahuasca might have some good effects on health, especially on the brain and feelings. But we need more research to be sure about these benefits.
Some of the good things it might do include:
- Helping Brain Health: Ayahuasca contains certain compounds that could potentially offer protective and reparative effects on various parts of the brain. One of these is called DMT, which could help make proteins that fight stress and bad stuff in the brain. Another thing in ayahuasca called harmine might also help the brain work better by reducing swelling and bad stuff that can damage it.
- Making You More Mindful: Ayahuasca might help people be more mindful. That means being calm and not judging things too much. Some studies show that it’s as good as a special course for reducing stress and being more accepting of things.
- Improving Mood and Feelings: Ayahuasca might help people feel better and less stressed. Some studies show that it can help with depression and anxiety. These good feelings can last for a while after taking it. More: Learn how to meditate in the right way
But, ayahuasca can also have some bad side effects. Some of the things people might feel after taking it are anxiety, diarrhea, feeling sick, panic, feeling scared, and throwing up.
It’s also important to be careful if you’re taking other medicines or herbs. Also, if you have certain health problems ayahuasca can interact with them and make things worse.
It’s really important to only take it with someone who knows what they’re doing and to be careful. If you have mental health problems, it’s best to talk to a doctor before trying ayahuasca.
Source: Healthline
