What is Ayahuasca?

Reset With Amber Lyon

Musician Tony Moss, who has 18 years experience drinking ayahuasca, explains what this medicinal brew from the Amazon rainforest is in his eyes. Moss says the most common ailments he's seen healed during an ayahuasca experience are depression and any kind of trauma related mental or physical illness. Moss says the ayahuasca somehow safely brings the user back to the original trauma, allows them to move into a safe space and process it. To learn more about how ayahuasca and other natural therapies are healing trauma worldwide, please visit http://www.reset.me . Ayahuasca is a South American psychedelic tea containing the potent psychedelic chemical N,N-dimethlytryptaime (DMT), which is a human neurotransmitter. The ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) is combined with the leaves from the shrub Psychotria viridis (or other DMT containing plants) to create the tea. Ayahuasca is the name given to the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and also the foul-tasting tea. It is quite remarkable that the Indians discovered this powerful combination hundreds of years ago considering there are more than 40,000 plant species in the Amazon. The ayahuasca vine contains chemicals known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) that allow the body to absorb the DMT from the leaves. Without the MAOI, the DMT would be destroyed by monoamine oxidase in the gut and no effects from the DMT would be felt. The word 'ayahuasca' translates to 'vine of death' or 'vine of souls'. This powerful tea induces intense hallucinations and introspection. The entire ayahuasca experience lasts for approximately 8 hours, with the strongest effects lasting 1-3 hours. Vomiting and occasionally diarrhea, which the natives call 'la purga' (the purge), are considered part of the experience. This purging process is medically beneficial, as it clears the body of worms and other parasites . Ayahuasca has shown great success as a treatment for addiction, depression, and cancer. A study combining ayahuasca use and psychotherapy for addiction treatment yielded positive results in two thirds of the patients . Research indicates that ayahuasca has antidepressant qualities. Blood tests of long-term ayahuasca users have shown an increased density of serotonin receptors compared to those who do not use ayahuasca. It should be mentioned that the SSRI class of antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, etc.) actually reduce the density of serotonin receptors in users over time, which can lead to chronic depression . Ayahuasca is non-addictive and is not neurotoxic, or poisonous to nerve tissue such as the brain or spinal cord, in any way.