Ceremony Preparation

The hormone and neurotransmitter serotonin is responsible for stabilizing mood and promoting positive emotions. Low serotonin levels can lead to negative feelings such as sadness, hopelessness, anger, anxiety, and irritability.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in various foods that converts to serotonin in the brain, but vitamin D is needed to activate the gene TPH2 to enable this conversion according to studies.

Foods containing tryptophan include:

* Oats

* Egg Whites

* Sunflower seeds

* Peanuts

* Pumpkin seeds

* Sesame seeds

* Soy beans

To increase your vitamin D levels, you have several options: getting sunlight exposure, taking a good supplement, or incorporating foods like eggs, fatty fish, and mushrooms into your diet.

Eating more foods rich in Omega 3 before using psychedelics may prevent the negative mood some individuals experience after a trip. It may also promote the positive, connected feeling that is typically associated with a good trip.

Foods containing Omega 3 include:

* Fish and other seafood: salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines, seaweed

* Nuts and seeds: such as flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts

* Plant oils: flaxseed oil, soybean oil

* Fortified foods: eggs, fresh juices, soy

Folate is a type of B-vitamin that is important for the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine (which is responsible for pleasure), and epinephrine (or adrenaline). Folate supplements are used to alleviate depression symptoms. A deficiency of these chemicals may lead to a less pleasant psychedelic journey.

Foods supporting synthesis of serotonin, dopamine and epinephrine include:

* Greens — especially broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, asparagus and collard greens

* Peas, kidney beans, chickpeas

Magnesium is crucial for your nervous system to function properly. It is believed that using magnesium as a treatment may be effective in addressing major depression caused by a lack of magnesium within the neurons. These magnesium ion neuronal deficits may be induced by stress hormones, excessive dietary calcium as well as dietary deficiencies of magnesium.

When you don't get enough magnesium, it can lead to various symptoms like depression, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, asthma, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle cramps, and others.

Food containing magnesium include:

* Whole foods: wheat, oats, barley

* Legumes: lentils, black beans, chickpeas, peas, soybeans

* Nuts: cashews, brazil nuts, almonds

* Seeds: pumpkin seed, flaxseed, chia seeds

* Tofu

* Leafy greens: spinach, kale, collards, turnips, mustard greens

* Okra

* Oysters

* Dark chocolate

* Avocados

* Bananas

* Fatty fish: salmon, mackerel, halibut

The relationship between the gut and the brain is important and can connect anxiety with stomach issues and vice versa. Your digestion is essential to your general health, which includes how well you absorb the nutrients we talked about. To improve the health of your gut microbiome, there are two things you can supplement in your diet: prebiotics and probiotics.

Eating a diverse range of foods including vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can provide prebiotics naturally. You do not need to take supplements if your diet is varied.

Foods containing prebiotics include:

* Dandelion Greens

* Chicory root

* Jerusalem artichokes

* Bananas

* Leeks

* Lentils

* Barley

* Whole wheat

* Asparagus

* Apples

* Jicama

Probiotic rich foods include:

* Kefir

* Kombucha

* Sauerkraut

* Pickles

* Miso

* Tempeh

* Kimchi

* Sourdough bread