PREPARE & PLAN
Preparation Guidelines
Preparation for a Master Plant Dieta begins well before your arrival in the Amazon. In the weeks leading up to the program, you will gradually simplify your diet and review your medications and supplements to support your physical preparation for the experience.
The dieta is more than a physical preparation. To help you arrive feeling grounded, open, and ready for the journey ahead, we also recommend a range of emotional, mental, and behavioral practices. These guidelines are intended to create a supportive foundation for your time in the Amazon and to help you prepare with intention, awareness, and respect for the process.
PREPARE & PLAN
Preparation Guidelines
Preparation for a Master Plant Dieta begins well before your arrival. In the weeks leading up to the program, you will gradually simplify your diet and review your medications and supplements to support your physical preparation for the experience.
Preparing for a Dieta also means taking care of your emotional and mental wellbeing. We recommend practices that help you slow down, become aware of how you are feeling and approach the experience with openness, intention and respect.
WHY PREPARE
The Dieta begins before you arrive
Preparation is not only about avoiding certain foods or substances. This is the first step in moving out of everyday routines and into the rhythm of the Dieta.
By simplifying your diet, reducing stimulation and becoming more conscious of your physical and emotional state, you begin creating the conditions for deeper inner work before the retreat itself has started.
Preparation is a necessary part of the Dieta. It means caring for your body, slowing down, making space for your emotions and approaching the Master Plants and ceremonies with respect.
Don Gino describes it this way:
“If you invite your Mother into your house, you don’t invite her into a big mess. You show respect by cleaning up before inviting her into your temple.”
- DON GINO
YOUR PREPARATION TIMELINE
How preparation builds before the Dieta
Preparation becomes gradually more focused as the Dieta approaches. The exact guidelines may vary depending on your health, medications and your selected program, but this is the general rhythm.
01
2 weeks before
Begin simplifying your diet and lifestyle. Avoid alcohol, reduce processed foods, caffeine and heavy meals, and start creating more space for rest and reflection.
02
1 week before
Move toward a lighter and simplified diet. Reduce outside stimulation further and pay closer attention to sleep, stress, your emotional state and your overall wellbeing.
03
Final days before arrival
Follow the strict preparation guidelines provided by Chaka Runa. Keep food simple, avoid unnecessary stimulation, rest well and avoid making last minute changes to medications or supplements without medical guidance.
04
During the Dieta
Follow the Dieta food and behavioural restrictions throughout the retreat.
05
Immediately after
Some food and behavioural restrictions continue for a short period after the Dieta. These will be explained before departure, together with guidance for the transition back into everyday life.
YOUR INDIVIDUAL GUIDELINES
There is no single universal Master Plant Dieta diet. The precise preparation may vary depending on the plant or plant combination you will work with and your individual circumstances.
You will receive the final dietary instructions for your program before arrival.
DIETARY PREPARATION
Simplify what you eat
In the weeks before the Dieta, we ask you to gradually simplify your meals. Move away from heavy, highly processed, strongly seasoned or spicy foods and choose light, simple meals made from fresh ingredients.
DURING THE DIETA
The food becomes very simple. Meals generally include foods such as rice, potatoes, quinoa, salad and eggs, with fish or chicken introduced at the appropriate point during the Dieta.
During this period, meals are prepared without salt, sugar, oils or spices.
ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE AVOID
• Red meat, pork, and shellfish
• Processed and highly refined foods
• Foods very high in salt or sugar
• Heavy oils and animal fats
• Spicy foods
• Alcohol
Choose lighter meals with vegetables, fruits, grains and other simple whole foods whenever possible.
ABOUT 1 WEEK BEFORE
Continue following the restrictions above. From one week before the Dieta, please also follow this fuller list of foods and drinks to avoid:
• Pork and shellfish
• Dairy products
• Added salt
• Refined sugar
• Strong spices
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Processed and junk foods
• Heavily fermented, smoked or pickled foods
Keep meals fresh, light and simple.
Avoid the foods and substances listed below from three days before your first ceremony until 24 hours after your last ceremony. These restrictions reflect our traditional preparation practices and precautions related to the medicines used during ceremonies. Not every item is restricted for the same reason. Continue following any longer restrictions specified in your individual Dieta guidelines.
-
Alcohol as well as alcohol-free beer
-
Yeast extracts
-
Marmite and Tartex
-
Cheese
-
Chicken liver
-
Sausage and smoked meat
-
Extracts made from poultry, fish or meat
-
Soybean products
-
Broad beans
-
Chocolate
-
Sauerkraut
-
Ripe and dried fruits
-
Yeast
-
Caffeine
-
Raspberry jam
-
Nuts
-
SAFETY FIRST
Do not stop, reduce or change prescribed medication on your own in order to participate in a Dieta.
Any medication change must first be discussed with the clinician who prescribed it.
MEDICATIONS & HEALTH
Medications, supplements and health conditions
Ayahuasca can interact with certain medications, supplements and recreational substances. Some combinations can be dangerous.
Tell us everything you take
During the application and screening process, please disclose all prescription medications, over the counter medications, herbal products and supplements, recreational substances, and relevant medical and psychological conditions.
This information allows us to assess whether participation is appropriate and whether anything needs to be reviewed with your doctor before the Dieta.
Some medications require particular caution
Potentially important interactions include certain antidepressants and other serotonergic medications, MAO inhibitors, stimulants, some cough and cold medicines, and other substances that affect serotonin, blood pressure or the central nervous system.
Because medications differ greatly in how long they remain in the body, we do not recommend one universal withdrawal period.
If something changes before arrival
If you start a new medication, change a dose, become ill, or experience a significant change in your physical or psychological health after your application has been approved, please tell the Chaka Runa team before travelling.
In some situations, participation may need to be postponed. Your safety takes priority over completing the Dieta on a particular date.
Please tell us about anything you take in the following categories so it can be reviewed before participation:
-
Psychiatric medications, including antidepressants and other medications that affect serotonin.
-
Stimulants and decongestants.
-
Cough medicines, pain medicines, and other prescription or over-the-counter medications.
-
Supplements and herbal remedies.
-
Recreational drugs and other psychoactive substances.
-
Supplements and herbal remedies, including L-tyrosine and protein supplements.
This list is intentionally cautious and is not exhaustive. Tell us about every medication, supplement, and recreational substance you use. Do not stop prescribed medication without consulting the clinician who prescribed it.
-
PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION
Prepare emotionally for the journey
The Plant Medicine experience may bring hidden feelings and emotions to the surface. If you are currently going through severe emotional trauma, depression, or another significant psychological difficulty, we recommend speaking with your therapist or another qualified professional before joining a program. Please also tell us during the application process so we can review your situation carefully.
As you prepare, take time to connect with yourself and notice how you are feeling. Pay attention to your surroundings, the people you spend time with and how everyday situations affect you.
Arrive without fixed expectations
At the same time, try to arrive without fixed expectations. The experience may unfold differently from what you imagine, and holding too tightly to a particular outcome can make it harder to stay open to what arises.
Reflect on where you currently stand
Before the Dieta, it is important to reflect on where you currently stand in your life. Notice which situations trigger you, which problems feel unresolved, and which behaviours or habits no longer feel right for you.
We recommend writing down why you would like to participate and what you hope to explore throughout the experience.
Reduce stressful situations
For at least two weeks before the Dieta, we recommend reducing stressful situations, unnecessary conflict, violent media and other forms of heavy stimulation. Instead, spend more time in nature, rest, be with people you trust, enjoy quiet time alone, read, take walks, listen to calming music and create more personal space for yourself.
For quiet moments before your Dieta, listen to Marquito’s guided Synesthesia Meditations on Spotify.
BEHAVIOURAL & LIFESTYLE GUIDELINES
Reduce distractions before the Dieta
As you prepare for the Dieta, reduce distractions and give yourself more time to feel settled and focused.
The aim is not to withdraw completely from everyday life, but to become more aware of what you expose yourself to before the Dieta and to arrive in a more settled state.
For at least two weeks before the Dieta, we recommend avoiding
Sexual activity
Alcohol
Cannabis
Stressful environments where possible
Unnecessary conflict and arguments
Other situations that leave you feeling overstimulated or emotionally unsettled
Instead, create more space for
Time in nature
Rest
Walking
Reading
Soothing music
Time alone
Being with people who help you feel comfortable and at ease
FINAL PREPARATION
The last days before you arrive
In the final days before the Dieta, preparation becomes more simple and focused.
Continue following the dietary guidelines, avoid alcohol, caffeine, recreational substances and unnecessary stimulation. Give yourself enough time to rest before travelling.
If anything changes before your journey, including a new medication, illness, injury, significant psychological difficulty or another health concern, please contact the Chaka Runa team before travelling
Before travelling, please make sure that
The dietary and behavioural guidelines do not all end with the final ceremony. Some continue for a short period after the Dieta to help you transition gradually back into everyday life.
Before you leave, the Chaka Runa team will explain which restrictions still apply and how to reintroduce foods and normal routines.
Integration is the longer process of reflecting on your experience and bringing what you have learned into everyday life.
WHY PREPARE
The Dieta begins before you arrive
Preparation is not only about avoiding certain foods or substances. This is merely the first step in moving out of everyday routines and into the rhythm of the Dieta.
By simplifying your diet, reducing stimulation and becoming more conscious of your physical and emotional state, you begin creating the conditions for deeper inner work before the retreat itself has started.
Preparation is therefore both practical and necessary: caring for the body, slowing the mind, feeling the emotions, and approaching the Master Plants and the ceremonies with respect.
“
Don Gino describes it this way:
“If you invite your Mother into your house, you don’t invite her into a big mess. You show respect by cleaning up before inviting her into your temple.”
DON GINO
YOUR PREPARATION TIMELINE
How preparation builds before the Dieta
Preparation becomes gradually more focused as the Dieta approaches. The exact guidelines may vary depending on your health, medications and your selected program, but this is the general rhythm.
01
2 weeks before
Begin simplifying your diet and lifestyle. Reduce processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, heavy meals and other substances that can interfere with preparation. Start creating more space for rest and reflection.
02
1 week before
Move toward a lighter and simplified diet. Reduce outside stimulation further and pay closer attention to sleep, stress, your emotional state and your overall wellbeing.
03
Final days before arrival
Follow the strict preparation guidelines provided by Chaka-Runa. Keep food simple, avoid unnecessary stimulation, rest well and avoid making last minute changes to medications or supplements without medical guidance.
04
During the Dieta
Follow the Dieta food and behavioural restrictions throughout the retreat.
05
Immediately after
Some food and behavioural restrictions continue for a short period after the Dieta. These will be explained before departure, together with guidance for the transition back into everyday life.
Learn about Integration →
DIETARY PREPARATION
Simplify what you eat
In the weeks before the Dieta, we ask you to gradually simplify your food. The aim is to move away from heavy, highly processed and strongly seasoned or spicy foods - towards light, simple meals made from fresh ingredients.
YOUR INDIVIDUAL GUIDELINES
There is no single universal Master Plant Dieta diet. The precise preparation may vary depending on the plant or plant combination you will work with and your individual circumstances.
You will receive the final dietary instructions for your program before arrival.
ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE AVOID
• red meat, pork, and shellfish
• processed and highly refined foods
• foods very high in salt or sugar
• heavy oils and animal fats
• spicy foods
• alcohol
Choose lighter meals with vegetables, fruits, grains and other simple whole foods whenever possible.
ABOUT 1 WEEK BEFORE
• pork and shellfish
• dairy products
• added salt
• refined sugar
• strong spices
• alcohol
• caffeine
• processed and junk foods
• heavily fermented, smoked or pickled foods
Keep meals fresh, light and simple.
DURING THE DIETA
The food becomes very simple. Meals generally include foods such as rice, potatoes, quinoa, salad and eggs, with fish or chicken introduced at the appropriate point during the Dieta.
During this period, meals are prepared without salt, sugar, oils or spices.
Detailed food restrictions and cautious preparation list
↓
MEDICAL PREPARATION
Medications, supplements and health conditions
Ayahuasca can interact with certain medications, supplements and recreational substances. Some combinations can be dangerous.
Tell us everything you take
During the application and screening process, please disclose all prescription medications, over the counter medications, herbal products and supplements, recreational substances, and relevant medical and psychological conditions.
This information allows us to assess whether participation is appropriate and whether anything needs to be reviewed with your doctor before the Dieta.
SAFETY FIRST
Do not stop, reduce or change prescribed medication on your own in order to participate in a Dieta.
Any medication change must first be discussed with the clinician who prescribed it.
Major changes in your medication or healthcare must be reviewed by a certified medical professional.
Some medications require particular caution
Potentially important interactions include certain antidepressants and other serotonergic medications, MAO inhibitors, stimulants, some cough and cold medicines, and other substances that affect serotonin, blood pressure or the central nervous system.
Because medications differ greatly in how long they remain in the body, we do not recommend one universal withdrawal period.
If something changes before arrival
If you start a new medication, change a dose, become ill, or experience a significant change in your physical or psychological health after your application has been approved, please tell the Chaka-Runa team before travelling.
In some situations, participation may need to be postponed. Your safety takes priority over completing the Dieta on a particular date.
Questions about a medication or health condition? Contact us before making travel arrangements.