What to Eat Before and After Kambo: Fasting, Food & Aftercare
One of the most common questions we are asked is:
"What should I eat before Kambo?"
The answer is surprisingly simple.
Keep your normal diet.
At The Kambo Clinic, we follow the Kambo preparation guidance and training passed down through the Matsés tradition. Unlike preparation for some other Amazonian plant medicine and psychedelic ceremonies, you do not need to follow a special dieta before Kambo.
In fact, unless your practitioner advises you otherwise, we recommend keeping your diet exactly as it normally is in the days leading up to your ceremony.
You do NOT need to:
Stop eating meat
Remove dairy
Cut out sugar
Become vegetarian or vegan
Follow a detox diet
Juice cleanse
Fast for several days
Suddenly start eating "clean"
Do a water fast
Changing your normal diet dramatically before Kambo is unnecessary.
Your body is used to the way you normally eat. The preparation for Kambo is about arriving safely and appropriately fasted for the ceremony, not putting your body through an additional dietary regime beforehand.
KAMBO IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AMAZONIAN CEREMONIAL PRACTICES
This is where some of the confusion comes from.
People often place every Amazonian ceremonial practice under the same umbrella and assume the preparation must therefore be the same.
It isn't.
Some psychedelic and plant medicine traditions involve a specific dieta before ceremony. This can include removing certain foods, substances and stimulants for days or sometimes much longer.
That is not the preparation protocol we follow for Kambo.
For Kambo, you continue eating normally and then complete the required 12-hour food fast before your ceremony.
So if you normally eat meat, eat meat.
If you normally eat dairy, eat dairy.
If you normally drink coffee, you do not suddenly need to remove coffee several days beforehand.
There is no benefit in completely changing your normal eating habits immediately before your session unless there is a specific reason your practitioner has discussed with you.
THE IMPORTANT EXCEPTION: ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE
There is an important difference between your normal diet and substance use.
If you regularly consume high levels of alcohol or use recreational drugs, do not simply stop everything suddenly because you have booked Kambo.
Tell your practitioner.
Depending on the substance, frequency and level of use, suddenly stopping can itself create safety concerns. Your practitioner needs an accurate picture of what you are taking so they can discuss the appropriate preparation and safety protocol with you individually.
This conversation should happen one-to-one before your ceremony.
Never hide alcohol, recreational drug, medication or supplement use because you are worried that you will be refused a session.
Your safety matters more than the booking.
SO WHY DO YOU FAST FOR 12 HOURS BEFORE KAMBO?
The 12-hour fast is different from going on a dieta.
You eat normally in the days leading up to Kambo.
Then you stop eating for 12 hours before your ceremony.
The reason is practical.
Kambo can produce a strong physical response and purging is common. We therefore want your stomach empty when the Kambo is applied.
For a morning ceremony, this normally means eating your evening meal as usual and then not eating again before your appointment.
You arrive fasted, but you have not spent the previous days restricting or changing your normal diet.
WHAT CAN I EAT AFTER KAMBO?
Once your ceremony is finished and your practitioner is happy that your body has settled, you can begin eating again.
Your practitioner should provide food and nourishment for you after your Kambo session.
At The Kambo Clinic, we provide a spread that can include hummus, crackers, bread, fruit, dried fruit, soup, peanut butter, salad and couscous.
There is no complicated post-Kambo dieta either.
You can eat normal, nourishing food.
This can include:
Meat
Fish
Eggs
Vegetables
Fruit
Rice
Pasta
Potatoes
Bread
Soups and stews
Other foods that form part of your normal diet, ideally focusing on natural foods and meals made from simple ingredients, herbs and spices
You may find that your appetite changes after Kambo.
Some clients become extremely hungry over the following two to four days.
If that happens, eat.
Your body has fasted and gone through a physically demanding process. This is not the time to decide that you should continue fasting because you want to prolong a "cleanse."
Fuel your body.
Choose good, nutritious food and give it what it needs.
EAT LITTLE AND OFTEN
Even if you are ravenous, we generally recommend starting gently.
Rather than immediately eating one huge meal, try smaller amounts of food more frequently.
Your digestive system has just been through a lot.
You might have something small, see how your body responds and then eat again later.
Over the following day or two, you can gradually return to your normal meal sizes according to how you feel.
Listen to your body rather than forcing yourself to eat according to a particular rule.
WHAT SHOULD YOU AVOID AFTER KAMBO?
For the first 24 hours after Kambo, there are a few things we recommend avoiding.
The first is alcohol.
We advise no alcohol for a minimum of 24 hours following your ceremony.
Ideally, give your body some time to recover before introducing alcohol again.
We also recommend avoiding dairy and foods high in added sugar for the first 24 hours.
Eggs are absolutely fine.
The reason isn't because sugar or dairy somehow interfere with the "spiritual effects" of Kambo.
It's much more practical than that.
Rich dairy products and large amounts of sugar can feel heavy on a digestive system that has just been through a strong physical process.
Your stomach may still be sensitive, and many clients continue to feel the effects of their Kambo experience over the following two to four days.
If you eat a large amount of rich, sugary or dairy-heavy food too quickly, you may feel nauseous again and your body may simply bring it back up.
Give your digestive system a chance to settle first.
CAN I DRINK COFFEE AND CAFFEINE AFTER KAMBO?
You can, but be sensible with caffeine.
Some people feel incredibly energised after Kambo.
You may finish your ceremony feeling alert, clear and wide awake.
If your system already feels highly energised, adding several strong coffees, energy drinks or other stimulants may leave you feeling overly wired.
The biggest problem can come later.
You feel fantastic during the afternoon, have your normal amount of caffeine and then discover at bedtime that you cannot switch off.
So before automatically reaching for coffee, check in with yourself.
Do I actually need this?
If your body already feels energised, you might want to reduce your usual caffeine intake for the rest of that day.
WHY AM I SO HUNGRY AFTER KAMBO?
This is another question clients sometimes ask us.
Some people notice a considerable increase in appetite following their ceremony.
It may last a day.
For some people, it can continue for two to four days.
This doesn't necessarily mean anything has gone wrong.
Your body has fasted before your ceremony and has then undergone an intense physical experience. Many people also describe continuing to feel physical and energetic shifts for several days afterwards.
If you have purged, your body may simply be asking you to replenish what it needs.
We do not encourage clients to ignore genuine hunger in an attempt to continue cleansing.
Eat.
Prioritise nourishing food.
Protein, vegetables, carbohydrates and healthy fats can all form part of your meals.
The aim is not restriction.
The aim is recovery and nourishment.
WHAT SHOULD I EAT THE DAY AFTER KAMBO?
By the following day, most people can continue returning to their normal way of eating.
There isn't a special menu you have to follow.
A simple approach might look like:
Breakfast could be eggs, toast, fruit or another breakfast you normally tolerate well.
Lunch could be chicken or fish with rice, potatoes or vegetables.
Dinner could be pasta, rice, meat, fish or another balanced meal you enjoy.
If you are still unusually hungry, add smaller meals or snacks throughout the day rather than forcing yourself to wait for three large meals.
Good nutrition is more useful than trying to follow an unnecessarily restrictive "detox" diet.
CAN I EAT BEFORE KAMBO?
Yes, right up until your fasting period begins.
This is worth repeating because people sometimes misunderstand the preparation instructions and start restricting food far too early.
You are not being asked to starve yourself.
Eat normally in the days before your ceremony.
Then observe the 12-hour food fast before your appointment.
Your practitioner will provide your individual preparation instructions when you book.
If anything about your circumstances means the standard protocol isn't appropriate, this should be discussed directly with your practitioner.
SHOULD I CHANGE MY DIET AFTER KAMBO LONG TERM?
Only if you want to.
Kambo can sometimes make people think differently about how they are treating their bodies.
Some clients report that cravings reduce or disappear and that they no longer feel the same pull towards pre-packaged or highly processed foods.
You may come away wanting more nourishing food.
You might notice that something you routinely eat doesn't make you feel particularly good.
You may decide you want to reduce alcohol, sugar or processed foods.
That's your choice.
But you do not need to adopt a special "Kambo diet" to maintain the effects of your ceremony.
One of the principles we encourage at The Kambo Clinic is learning to listen to your own body rather than endlessly following rules someone else has created for you.
THE SIMPLE KAMBO FOOD GUIDE
If you've found conflicting information online, remember this:
Before Kambo, keep your normal diet.
Do not suddenly start an extreme detox or restrictive dieta.
Complete your required 12-hour food fast before your ceremony.
If you regularly use high levels of alcohol or recreational drugs, speak honestly with your practitioner before your appointment so an individual safety protocol can be discussed.
After Kambo, begin eating again when your body is ready.
For the first 24 hours, avoid alcohol, dairy and large amounts of added sugar.
Be sensible with caffeine, particularly if you already feel highly energised.
If you're hungry, eat.
Choose nourishing food and consider eating little and often while your digestive system settles.
Then return to your normal diet.
Kambo preparation doesn't need to be complicated.
It needs to be safe, clear and appropriate for you.
You can also read our full Kambo Preparation Guide before attending your ceremony, which covers fasting, hydration, medications, supplements and what to expect before your appointment.
If you are considering your first Kambo ceremony, you can also read our guide to the Kambo Ceremony to understand what happens before, during and after your session.
If you have any questions about Kambo or how to prepare please contact us we would be happy to help.