Ayahuasca! What is it? And how does it work in the body?
G'day there guys, I'm Jesse Crowe, The Travelling Scientist and after studying
Years of Pharmacology, I'm here to help you live smarter, happier and healthier lives!
Now, today we're looking at Ayahuasca, answering three key questions
What is Ayahuasca? How does Ayahuasca work?
And is Ayahuasca safe to consume?
Now, I've made a cheat sheet with all the quick, need to know facts about Ayahuasca
And you can download that, it is totally free and it's just in the Description down below
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that's been used for medicinal and spiritual purposes
For centuries! Amazonian tribes prepared and consumed Ayahuasca because they felt
That it brought them closer to their gods
Ayahuasca is like a tea that is made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub
and the stalks of the Banisteriopsis cappi vine
When these two plant materials are boiled together, the resulting brew is called Ayahuasca
And it has the potential to greatly challenge and change your mental and physical state
The Psychotria viridis plant contains DMT
which is a psychedelic substance I talked all about in my last video, and you can check that out just here
Normally, if you ingest DMT, it gets digested by enzymes called Monoamine oxidases, so it has no real effects
However, Banisteriopsis cappi contains a potent Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor
Allowing DMT to be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel up to the brain
Where it can cause its psychoactive effects
The effects of Ayahuasca are usually felt about 30 minutes after consuming the Ayahuasca drink
They usually peak at about one hour
and they usually last for about four hours in total
Ayahuasca makes you feel very relaxed and activates certain parts of the brain to increase
People's acceptance, their optimism, their creative thinking and their mindfulness
While down regulating areas of the brain that are involved with anxiety, grief and depression
Ayahuasca also stimulates the visual cortex and certain memory centres of the brain
Making you see some pretty bizarre stuff and also bringing up certain memories which can be intense!
It is almost like you're living in a lucid dream...
...Or possibly a lucid nightmare!
Ayahuasca is also a purgative that can make you vomit
...like, a lot! It can even give you Diarrhoea, and all of this while you're tripping!
It is believed that this is the body expelling all of the toxins and cleansing itself...
But from a biological standpoint, The Ayahuasca is really the toxin that's making your body feel weird
So your body is trying to expel the Ayahuasca
YES!
...but also no...
Ayahuasca has been studied and shown to have many potential health benefits
It can help with things like treatment-resistant depression, drug addictions
And even post-traumatic stress disorder
However, Ayahuasca can be really dangerous, and it's important to consider all of the risks
Ayahuasca can interact negatively with many other medications you might already be taking
Also, if you have a predisposition to mental illness, Ayahuasca can trigger a psychotic episode
And finally, if you have a heart condition, Ayahuasca increases your heart rate and blood pressure
Which can lead to a heart attack or a stroke!
Ayahuasca is becoming a trendy and popular drug experience
And as a result, many unexperienced people are trying to make money by selling Ayahuasca experiences
Which can go really badly, and people have died using Ayahuasca in an unsafe environment
It is super important to use Ayahuasca with a guide who is educated and experienced
Someone who you trust to take care of you and give you medical treatment if you need it
In conclusion, Ayahuasca is a powerful drug that can alter your brain to give you a new perspective on life
However, it can be really dangerous if not used properly
And if you want an Ayahuasca experience, do your research
Find yourself a trustworthy guide and do it in a safe and controlled environment!
If you want to learn more about Ayahuasca, there's an awesome book with loads of information
That i couldn't cover in this short video, it's just in the description down below!
And if you want all the quick, need to know facts about Ayahuasca
I've created a cheat sheet for you, it's totally free and that's also just in the description down below
Anyway, that's all for today guys! Thank you so much for watching!
If you enjoyed this video, click the Like button down below
And let me know how you feel about Ayahuasca and if you've ever tried it in the Comments section
Finally, next week's video is going to be all about the Science of Mindfulness and Meditation
So make sure you are Subscribed for more Awesome Travelling Science every single week!
I'll see you guys next Science Sunday!
Cheers!